SELMA, Ala. – When Gary Crum was in high school, he spoke some words that one day he’d learn weren’t true.
“My dad worked at a factory that made military garments in Selma, and I remember bringing him lunch sometimes,” he said.
One of those times, his dad’s boss asked him what grade he was in.
“I said, ‘I’m in the 12th, and he said, ‘So you’re getting ready to come over here with us,’” Crum said. “And I said, ‘No, sir. I’ve got other plans.’”
But what he didn’t know is that years later, his church would take over a local Christian school that just so happened to be housed in that same garment factory. The place he said he’d never work is the place where he sees God work miracles day after day.
“We’ve got a lot of success stories, and I know it’s nothing but God’s grace,” said Crum, director of Ellwood Christian Academy.
He had been told by many how difficult it would be to start a new school there. In 2010, the previous school had seen its enrollment decline to the point where it was on the verge of closing, Crum said.
At that point, he had been serving for 16 years as pastor of Ellwood Community Church — the church where he grew up — and had been working a career in education at the same time.
“I was a teacher and a principal in Selma and Dallas County,” Crum said.
But when he wanted to take over the school and start ECA, “nobody gave me a chance,” he said. “They said, ‘Selma is not a place where a school like that can make it. You don’t have the population here with the disposable income to support such a program.’”
‘Still here’
They told him if the school survived a year, it would be a miracle.
“But by God’s grace, we’re still here,” Crum said. “If I looked at the bottom line, we should’ve been closed 10 years ago. With man nothing is possible, but with God all things are possible.”
Now ECA has 130 students from pre-K to 12th grade. Ninety-eight percent of them are from low-income families, and 96 percent of that group are from a single-parent home, Crum said.
For a lot of the students, he’s “the only dad they know,” he said. “I take it very seriously. I see our school as an extension of our church’s ministry.”
And thanks to God’s provision, ECA has never had to turn a student away because a family couldn’t pay, Crum said. “We’ve seen God come through and meet every need we’ve had.”
Transforming students’ lives every day
“We have seen God’s hand in the lives of a lot of these young people who had no hope; they were about to give up and become another statistic,” he said, noting that their retention rate is strong because the families are drawn to the love and compassion at ECA. “We have a 96% graduation rate here.”
He said the stories go on and on.
One recent valedictorian is attending the highly selective Spelman College in Atlanta, and another just graduated from Alabama State University with a doctorate in physical therapy.
“We have them in the Marines, the Navy, the Army and the Air Force too,” Crum said. “It’s nothing but God’s grace.”
Neal Hughes called Crum a “humble giant.”
“Gary is a seasoned pastor and leader with a deep passion for young people,” said Hughes, director of missions for Montgomery Baptist Association, of which Ellwood Community Church is a member. “The Montgomery Baptist Association of churches rejoice in the great work the Ellwood Academy is doing to assist students from challenging environments with a strong Christian education. We are proud to partner with Pastor Crum and his congregation.”
Because of ECA’s growth, the school will be relocating this fall, leaving the garment factory building and moving into the former facility of Meadowview Christian School. The move, Crum noted, will give ECA the chance to have athletic fields and other benefits they haven’t had before.
This summer, they could use some help from church groups or individuals who might like to assist with painting, roofing, flooring and other prep at the school.
Crum also asked for prayer for God’s continued hand on their ministry in Selma.
“It’s a challenging time and a challenging community,” he said. “We want to make sure these children know the presence of God in their lives, and we ask for His blessings on the families from which they come.”
This article originally appeared in The Alabama Baptist.
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