Brenda Crawford, Chief Empowering Officer
Brenda is a native of Memphis, TN. She is the eldest child of the Late Horace Perry, Jr. and Deliza Perry. She is married to Michael R. Crawford of Harrisburg, PA, who God sent to her in 2001. She is also a loving mother and grandmother.
Destiny lured Brenda to Pennsylvania when her job at the Memphis Defense Depot was dis-established in 1993. She retired from the federal government on March 3, 2013, at the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Operations Directorate in New Cumberland, PA.
In 2009, Brenda was certified and licensed as an ordained reverend on behalf of Evangel Association of Churches under the leadership of Pastor James Crawford, Jr. Once ordained, she became Pastor Crawford’s assistant and associate minister at Christian Insight Church in Harrisburg, PA.
After retiring from federal service, Brenda began laboring full-time in the Kingdom Building business. Her mission is to make a radical, eternal difference in today’s world. She is a Bible teacher, and through community outreach, she is inspiring and challenging all to develop a strong relationship with God and with their families. She spent time on the pastoral staff as the church administrator, treasurer, and minister at New Birth Christian Fellowship under the leadership of Apostles Thomas and Nellie Bryant. In April 2014, Brenda was introduced to the prison ministry by Rev. Donna Humphries, Founding President of HeavenGates Ministries, Inc. (Board Member as of 2024). She partnered with Rev. Donna, ministering every week at the Dauphin County Work Release Center for Women and the Dauphin County Prison. During that time, Brenda received her certificate to be an instructor in prisons from the Prison Fellowship Ministries. Brenda was ordained as an elder on January 4, 2015. At the end of 2015, Brenda founded Brenda J. P. Crawford Ministries to broaden her mission of bringing together women from all walks of life.
In late 2016, Brenda returned to Memphis to take care of her widowed mother and continue her ministries. In 2017, she became a member of the National Association of Professional Women. Being led by the Holy Spirit, she sought out a local church home at New Direction Christian Church under the leadership of Apostle Dr. Stacy L. Spencer where she serves as a pastor and elder on the servant leadership team. She is the servant leader over Prison Ministries and Titus 2:3-5 Women Connect Group. She is also the facilitator at New Direction University and a Bible study teacher at Feels Like Home Senior Lifestyle Residences in Memphis.
Currently, she is near completion of her master’s degree in biblical leadership. She is a member of the Christian Churches United Prison Action Committee, a spiritual advisor for prison groups, a commissioned pastor with the Christian Church in Tennessee as well as serves on the Executive Committee Board, chairs the Commission of Outreach, and is a Western Area VI liaison in the Tennessee Disciples Women Ministries.
Brenda thanks God for her daily Divine assignment, knowing that her best is yet to manifest, especially in the service of Kingdom Building and always giving God the Glory!