At the age of 15, he began working at the Stowe A-way Fish House in Concord, NC. By age 17, he was named the manager – helping to give oversight to the employees, the facility, the deposits, and assisting with payroll. He was also driving a school bus and excelling academically in his public high school at the same time. Elected President of the Student Body and of the National Honor Society for his senior year at North Rowan High School in Spencer, NC, he earned academic scholarships to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and one to Catawba College in Salisbury, NC. He also enrolled in the School of Engineering at North Carolina State University.

During Christmas break of his senior year, he purposed to start attending church the first Sunday of the new year “to find out why God put me in this world.” He trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior on January 4, 1981 at New Hope Baptist Church in Salisbury, NC, under the ministry of Pastor David Harrison. Surrendering his whole life to the Lord, God called him to preach on February 22, 1981. Instead of pursuing a career in either engineering, business or law, he yielded to God’s call.

Pastor Cruse met his wife, Rebekah (youngest daughter of Pastor & Mrs. Bobby Leonard of Monroe, NC), during his senior year at Piedmont Baptist College in Winston-Salem, NC. They were married on February 21, 1987. Mrs. Cruse is our church pianist and has faithfully served with her husband these years. God has blessed them with seven sons, three daughters, and fifteen grandchildren. Both Pastor and Mrs. Cruse are truly grateful for their family and enjoy serving the Lord together.

After working with the young people and serving on staff at his home church, Bro. Cruse became the Pastor of Shining Light Baptist Church on March 7, 1990. Since coming to Shining Light, Pastor Cruse has led the church to expand its outreach and discipleship efforts, and its campus from 5 to 75 acres, with an additional 150-acre children’s home property 15 miles south of the church. He has also led in starting Shining Light Baptist Academy (K5–12), Shining Lights and Kids Cove Preschools (6 weeks-K4), a printing ministry – Shining Light Publishing & Shining Light Inspirations, a radio ministry – 88.1FM Monroe, The Shining Light radio broadcast heard online at FBNRadio.com, and on 56 radio stations in 16 states and 12 foreign countries, a bus ministry, community chapel ministries, a church-planting ministry – All Nations Baptist Mission, the Greater Charlotte School of the Bible, and led in re-establishing a ministry that provides housing and education to children in need – The Shepherd’s Place Children’s Home and Academy. In addition, he has started the Harbour House Shoppes. They include a coffee shop, a bookshop and a thrift shop for our children’s home and for our Community Days of Caring.

Pastor Cruse has preached in churches and colleges at home and abroad, has written several booklets, gospel tracts and poems, and has had articles published in Christian periodicals. He serves as the Vice-President of the Southwide Baptist Fellowship, is on the executive board of the North Carolina Christian School Association, and is also a board member of Ambassador Baptist College. He is a 1986 graduate of Carolina University (formerly Piedmont Bible College) with a Bachelor of Theology Degree and a Minor in Youth Ministry. He graduated in 2021 from The Crown Seminary and Graduate School with his Master of Education. He has been honored with Doctor of Divinity Degrees from Ambassador Baptist College and The Crown College. He also recently earned a Certificate with Distinction from the Oxford University Executive Leadership Programme.

Tim Cruse preaches God’s Word with conviction and compassion. He believes in being whole-hearted and willing to pay the price to do God’s work God’s way. God has taught him many life lessons first-hand and has given him a true pastor’s heart. He loves all people and sees their value as made in the image of God and those for whom Jesus died. He believes, concerning the influence of one’s life, “the way to live after you die is to die while you live” – die to self and live for God and others. His life’s verses are Jeremiah 18:6, “…cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand…” and Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

We praise the Lord for every life and family that has been touched with the gospel of Jesus Christ and strengthened through the power of His Word. To God be the glory!