2.19.2013

 
Craig Henry
Pastor At Large
for the Single Adults
of Northeastern Ohio (and beyond)


 



Currently
* Pastor-at-Large (I am available to speak at your singles event or for pulpit supply)
* I desire to return to full-time ministry with a visionary outward-focused church

Overview of Experience
* Pastor-at-Large - itinerant guest speaker (currently)
* Pastor of Singles, Missions & Discipleship at Jackson Friends Church
* Pastor of Single Adults at The Chapel
* Pastor of Single Adults at Canton First Friends Church
* Pastor of Single Adults at Willoughby Hills Friends Church
* Pastor at Lupton Friends Church
* Pastor at Springdale Friends Church

Education
* Northern Baptist Theological Seminary (D.Min.)
* Moody Graduate School (M.A. courses)
* Ashland Theological Seminary (M.Div.)
* Malone University (B.A.)

Ministry Aspirations
It has been my privilege to preach Christ, to teach the Bible, and to see true life-transformation in the lives of real people.

My experiences have been in two primary arenas:
* leading and pastoring local churches
* leading and pastoring single adult ministries within large churches

I am ready to re-enter the work-a-day world after a medical leave of absence. Circumstances required that I take 2 years off from active ministry. I returned to part-time ministry in fall 2011. I have enthusiastic permission from my medical team to move forward.

I am full of energy, creativity and anticipation. It is great to be on the threshold of a fruitful and fulfilling full-time ministry once again.

I am open to a variety of career paths, but I feel uniquely equipped to help a Bible-based church make a difference by impacting the lives of single adults. (I am aware that any specialized ministry will include pastoral duties beyond the area of emphasis.)

I am most effective ministering to/with adults: discipleship, leadership training, assimilation ("starting point"), adult education, multi-site campus pastor, etc.

I would relish the opportunity to discuss the possibilities of teaming up with anyone so inclined.
SinglesPastor@gmail.com


Ministry Experience

Pastor At Large

For the Singles of Northeast Ohio and beyond
2011-present

I am currently speaking for a variety of churches as a guest speaker (see sidebar). I have over 20 years of experience working intensively with singles of all ages and life situations.

Thousands of singles in Ohio and surrounding states (plus countries in eastern Europe) have enjoyed my teaching and thrived under my leadership. God has been very good to us all!

My qualifications include extensive specialized training, plus life experiences that include being a child of divorce, a child in a single parent family, and a teen in a blended family. I am grateful that God has blessed me with a wonderful intact marriage and family.

I have presented a variety of workshops with great success since 1990:
* Successful Relationships Workshop (presented 17 times to 2500 singles)
* Divorce Recovery Workshop (presented 50+ times to over 4000 people)
* Grief Recovery Workshop (participated 25 times with over 600 people)
* Making the Most of the Single Season workshop
* Communication Workshop
* Mastering Your Emotions

Any of these work well in a weekend format (4 sessions, etc.) or as a weekly workshop (8 consecutive weeks, etc.).

For further workshop details, click here: I Will Come to Your Singles Event
I am now accepting bookings for seminars, workshops, retreats and similar events!
SinglesPastor@gmail.com

Consulting and Mentoring
1990-present

I have enjoyed consulting with churches who are considering starting or improving a ministry to single adults, whether it be to the entire panorama of single adults or to a specific segment(s), such as the never-married, divorced, widowed, single parents, young singles, etc.

I am also willing to mentor church staff or volunteers who would like to benefit from my insight based on 20+ years of singles ministry experience.

I also have experience and a special interest in multi-site church ministry. I have served on a multi-site church staff (for 6 years), attended another (2 years during medical leave), and am helping another church launch its first campus.

Jackson Friends Church
Pastor of Singles, Missions & Discipleship
2008–2009 Jackson Township (Greater Canton, Ohio Area)

Jackson Friends Church brought me in to build a systematic discipleship ministry, to launch a single adult ministry, to enhance their missions ministry, and to occasionally preach. After only a few months, I was diagnosed with (non-alcoholic) cirrhosis of the liver and news that I would need a liver transplant. Waiting for the right liver and recovering from the transplant took a couple of years. Since recovery I have been active doing itinerant preaching, workshops, retreats, etc. for the last couple of years (see the side-bar--->). I am looking forward to using my gifts in a full-time ministry as soon as is possible.

The Chapel
Pastor of Single Adults
2002–2008 Akron, Ohio Area (multi-site church)

* Pastor of Mid-Career Single Adults (age 35-55)
* Supervisor of all Singles Ministry staff (7 people) who served 4 age groupings on 2 campuses
* Pastoral Counselor
* Pastoral Care (hospital, nursing facilities, home visits)
* Teacher of "Soaring Solo" and other classes
* Supervised several Singles classes at two locations
* Supervised the Blended Family classes
* Presenter of "Successful Relationships Workshop" (annual 8 session program - over 1300 attended)
* Presenter of "Divorce Recovery Workshop" (semi-annual 8 session program - over 900 attended)
* Presenter of "Communication Workshop" (8 session program - 100 attended)
* Presenter of a variety of "Christian Single Living" series (hundreds served)
* Mission Trip Team Leader (we took singles to Hungary to lead singles retreats - 3 annual trips)
* Supervisor of two addiction ministries (including Celebrate Recovery)
* Provided oversight for dozens of programs, leaders and volunteers
* Mentor and friend to hundreds of single adults in the Greater Akron area
* Frequent guest speaker at a variety of off-campus events

Canton First Friends Church
Pastor of Single Adults
1998–2002 Canton, Ohio Area

* Pastor of Single Adults
* Pastoral Counselor
* Teacher of "Single Purpose" class and supervised young adult class (as many as 75 each week)
* Presenter of "Successful Relationships Workshop" (annual 8 session program - nearly 500 attended)
* Presenter of "Divorce Recovery Workshop" (semi-annual 8 session program - over 600 attended)
* Presenter of "Grief Recovery Workshop" (semi-annual 8 session program - over 250 attended)
* Supervised Children of Divorce & Positive Single Parents programs (over 50 families served)
* Provided oversight of all singles ministry programs, leaders and volunteers
* Mentor and friend to hundreds of single adults in the Greater Canton area
* Supervised the College Ministry Pastor
* Occasional preaching

Willoughby Hills Friends Church
Pastor of Single Adults
1990–1998 Greater Cleveland, Ohio area

* Pastor of Single Adults
* Pastoral Counselor
* Leader of "Single Friends Ministries"
* Teacher of "Singles Sunday AM" class and supervisor of six single adult classes (as many as 200 each week)
* Presenter of "Divorce Recovery Workshop" (three times per year - 8 session program - over 2400 attended)
* Supervised "Grief Recovery Workshop" (semi-annual 8 session program - over 500 attended)
* Hosted over a dozen regional Christian Singles Conferences (semi-annual - nearly 4000 attended)
* Supervised Children of Divorce & Single Parenting programs (semi-annual 10 week program - over 300 families served)
* Supervised Young Adult Ministry
* Supervised Showcase Concert Series with top national artists (8 per year)
* Provided oversight of all singles ministry programs, leaders and volunteers
* Mentor and friend to hundreds of single adults in the Greater Cleveland area
* Launched and supervised the church's TLC small group ministry (40-50 groups)
* Frequent preaching

Lupton Friends Church
Pastor 
1985–1990 Lupton, Michigan
* Preached 750+ sermons

Springdale Friends Church 
Pastor (student pastorate during seminary)
1982-1985 Cadiz, Ohio
* Preached 150+ sermons


Formal Education
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
D.Min., Single Adult Ministry
2002
Doctoral dissertation: "Building Relationship Life Skills into the Lives of Single Adults"
I am one of only ten people who has a doctorate in Single Adult Ministry.

Moody Graduate School
completed a few additional church leadership M.A. courses
1988–1990

Ashland Theological Seminary
M.Div., Pastoral Ministry
1985
Thesis: "Preaching Through Philippians"

Malone University
B.A., Christian Ministries and Sociology
1980


Additional Information
* Presenter at the regional OCEA Christian Ministries Convention (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
* Board Member (1999-2001) of the national Network of Single Adult Leaders (NSL)
* Presenter at the national Single Adult Ministries (SAM) convention (1998, 2000, 2003)
* Pacesetter Award, presented by the Network of Single Adult Leaders (annual national award to a singles ministry practitioner) (1998)
* Interviewed by SAM Journal (1993 and 1996)
* Board Member of the Pastors Conference committee (president), Friends Action Board (vice president), and the Communications Board of the Evangelical Friends Church, Eastern Region (1985-2002)
* Ordained by the Evangelical Friends Church, recorded in 1985 in Canton, Ohio


My Singles Ministry Websites
* One Is a Whole Number
* Successful Relationships
* Grow through Divorce
* Grow through Grief
* I Will Come to Your Singles Event!

Follow Me on Twitter at...
@Singles_Pastor

Contact
SinglesPastor@gmail.com