Statement of Faith - Mission - Core Values - Distinctives
Tim Crawford and Jon Speed first met in 2002 when Tim started attending the Genesee Country Church, in Oakfield, NY, where Jon was pastor. Under the influence of Jon’s preaching, Tim quit his job at Pepsi, sold everything he had, and moved his family of (then) four to Word of Life Bible Institute in Schroon Lake, NY. They lived in a series of cabins in the rugged Adirondack wilderness and he completed the one year Bible program there.
While Tim was on holiday break in November 2003, the Speed family and Tim went to hear a preacher from South Africa named Keith Daniel. Jon went hoping to pick up some pointers on preaching, but came away realizing that in spite of his twelve years of pastoral experience, had not been soundly saved. Jon and his wife Kim repented of their sins that day and came to true faith in Christ alone.
In April of 2004, Jon attended the first Evangelism Boot Camp (EBC) hosted by The Great News Network (GNN) and Way of the Master. As a result, he got on fire for biblical evangelism and started an evangelism team at Genesee Country Church. He began open-air preaching in Rochester, Buffalo, and places in between. His favorite “fishing hole” is Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Tim, being stuck in a cabin in the mountains, missed out on a lot of the initial fun. Jon encouraged Tim to attend the second EBC in Los Angeles. It was no surprise when Tim came back fired up and began sharing the Gospel in every venue he could in the small town of Schroon Lake. During trips home he joined Jon for open-air expeditions.
In October 2004, they attended the third EBC in Dallas, TX. Shortly thereafter Darrel Rundus invited them to move to Dallas\Fort Worth to help establish GNN. Tim became the Director of Evangelism Boot Camps and Jon became the Director of Leadership Development. They served GNN in these roles from early 2005 until March 2007. In the fall of 2007 an anonymous donor approached them. The question was, “What would it take to get you back into full-time evangelism ministry?” Seeing this as a gift from a Sovereign God, they left their secular employment to begin TLC Ministries.