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Phil Crowter, 1962-2008

Obituary

Philip Crowter was called home on November 28 2008, aged 46.

‘To live is Christ …’ This was the very heart-beat of Phil Crowter’s life and ministry. For 13 years, Phil was pastor of Hambro Road Baptist Church, Streatham, London, before taking up the role of associate pastor at Cuckfield Baptist Church, a work mysteriously cut short by cancer. He was also greatly used as a young people’s leader and as a writer.

It was Phil’s delight to preach and teach the gospel of God’s grace, though often it was at great personal cost — he had ME for many years before being diagnosed with cancer. His burning desire was that all should come to know Christ and to grow in knowledge and fervency in their Christian service. As a pastor, he will be remembered for his challenging and profound Bible teaching and his wise, loving and godly counsel. And though the church at Cuckfield benefitted from this for such a short while, they had the great privilege of hearing a dying man speak in a moving and compelling way on the book of Job.

Passionate about the Word of God, Phil set up and led camps for young people with a clear emphasis on Bible teaching. Recognising the need of good material to help young Christians, he began work on Discover Bible notes soon followed by Explore. In more recent years, again recognising a need, he began work on PrayPreparePreach, a series designed to train pastors and teachers, especially overseas. After being diagnosed with cancer, Phil still managed, with characteristic drive and commitment, to complete Preaching God’s Big Story. One of his greatest joys at the end of his life was that his work was reaching out far into the world and bearing fruit.

Phil reflected the love of Christ in every area of his life: in his devoted and faithful love to his wife, Rosie, in the loving and careful way he nurtured and guided his children, Anna, Luke and Russell, in his wise leadership and in his loving and selfless concern for others. Many today praise God for Phil’s godly witness and ministry.

The latter part of Phil’s life was characterised by weakness and suffering, but he faced it with a quiet submission to the Lord and an uncomplaining spirit. When the Master called, he was ready to go home. Without doubt, for Phil it can be said: ‘ …to die is gain!’

Sue Philpott