Christian Methodist Episcopal

Department of Christian Education
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"Passion, Perception, Pursuit, Preparation, and Performance"

Carmichael D. Crutchfield is the General Secretary of Department of Christian Education for the Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) Church. He is a native Tennessean, born in Weakley County and educated through high school in Henry County. In 1976 he received a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a major in Accounting from the University of Tennessee Martin.  In 1985 he received the Master of Science (M.S.) in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville.  In 1993 he received the Master of Divinity (M.Div) with high honors from Memphis Theological Seminary Memphis, Tennessee.  In 2002 he earned and received the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) from Memphis Theological Seminary.   His doctoral work was entitled “A Model of Christian Education based on Spiritual Formation and Discipleship.” May 14, 2010, he graduated with a Doctorate in Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Christian Education and Congregational Studies from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary Evanston, Illinois.  His dissertation was entitled “How Can Leadership Formation of African American Adolescent Males in the Church be Transformative and a catalyst for Social Reform.”


He has been married to the former Cora Hawkins of Covington, Tenn. for 33 years. She is the literacy leader at Beech Bluff Elementary in Madison County, Tenn., and has been in elementary education for 29 years. Carmichael and Cora have a son, Chris and daughter-in-law Krystal Crutchfield, a daughter, Chanel Hope and son-in-law, Darrius Pewitte. He is also the grandfather of Darian and Taylor Pewitte. Carmichael is an ordained elder in full connection with the C.M.E. Church and served as a pastor for 16 years in the denomination, seven at Mother Liberty in Jackson, Tenn., prior to being elected to his present position July, 2002.

 

He has always been actively involved in the community he has served, thus, has served on many boards throughout his pastoral career. He presently serves on the Trustee Boards of Lane College, Miles College, Paine College, Phillips School of Theology and Memphis Theological Seminary.  Additionally, he has been involved for a number of years with the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCCCUSA). He represents the CME Church as a delegate to the General Assembly of the NCCCUSA and serves on the Governing Board, along with serving as member of the administrative board of the Educational Leadership Ministry Commission. It is out of that commission he represents the CME church on two committees. One is the Committee on Uniform Series (CUS), which produces the Sunday School Outlines that writers and editors use to produce International Sunday school lessons. He served as Chair of CUS from 2005-2008.

 

The Committee on Black Congregational Ministries is the second committee where he represents the CME church. He has served as 1st Vice President of that committee. Over the last fifteen plus years Crutchfield has written various articles and has made writing contributions to the CME. Church, including a work entitled “A Trifold Understanding of Giving.” Additionally, he leads his department to produce numerous publications for the CME church. As a Fellow in 1992 with the Congress of National Black Churches he produced a book entitled “Enlightened Males: A Rites of Passage Manual for African American Boys.” This program has been successfully implemented in the cities in which he has been assigned pastor and in various other locales. Recently, this work has been revised and distributed in the CME Church.  He has conducted seminars, workshops, and delivered sermons all over the United States.

 

Dr. Crutchfield is an adjunct faculty member at Memphis Theological Seminary in Memphis, TN. Prior to becoming a full time person in the Pastoral/Christian ministry he worked with two Fortune 500 Corporations for over 14 years.  Dr. Crutchfield was a charter member of Iota Zeta UT Martin Spring 1976 and the first Basileus of the Chapter. He is presently a member of Theta Iota Chapter Jackson, Tennessee, serving as chaplain.  Additionally, he is a life member of the NAACP.