Clay Crosse

When we arrived at the Clarion Hotel near the Portland airport around 11 PM last night, Clay Crosse said, “We need to get a picture.” So while Janet Kerns checked us in, Lisa Beedy took our picture for Clay’s page of pictures with, as he said, “friends, famous, and the semi-famous.” He’s got pictures of himself with comedian Jeff Foxworthy, former NFL coach Sam Wyche, and famed boxed Sugar Ray Leonard along with other luminaries. I forgot to ask him which category I go in, friends I hope, but you never know.

All of that to say, Clay Crosse is the real deal. If you spend a week doing ministry with someone, you get to know them pretty well. And this week Clay and I shared 12 services together. Yesterday he emceed the Q&A session and did a stellar job. And he sang in every service. 

Clay achieved astounding fame in the world of contemporary Christian music very early on, winning a Dove award, and producing major hits such as “I Surrender All,” “He Walked a Mile” and “Sold Out Believer.” During his climb up the ladder of success, he faced serious temptations that threatened his marriage. As a result, his life and career and ministry took an entirely new direction, one that he writes about candidly in his fine book I Surrender All. 

This week I picked up a copy of the book, started reading it on Tuesday night and finished it on Wednesday morning. The book is very honest about the struggles that he and his wife Renee faced. 

Through a ministry called Holy Homes, they now lead marriage conferences across the country.

Mostly I’m happy to say that Clay is totaly down to earth. He joined with the worship team on stage, chatted with people, sang his heart out, and made himself available to anyone who wanted to talk to him. 

I received a few notes on Facebook from people who said, “Clay Crosse? I used to listen to him,” as if he had died or something. Such is the nature of earthly fame. When I mentioned that to Clay, he just laughed. I think he is happier now than when he was a rising star, and I’m sure he and Renee are impacting lives for Christ in ways they never dreamed possible.

So I commend Clay Crosse to you. Check out his website. And you might want to get a copy of the book that he and Renee wrote together. It could change your marriage. Men especially will be challenged by its message.