The first thing people notice about Jody is that he loves God. The second thing they notice is that he loves people. That’s why he has spent his life helping people get to know God. Jody was raised on a farm near Palatka, Florida, and a conversation with him quickly reveals that he knows quite a bit about farming. However, he and his wife Barbara felt God calling them to the mission field. In 1978, that calling took them to the Philippines to preach the Gospel and plant churches among the Southern Tagbanwa Tribe, as a part of a three-family team. Because God blessed their work, there are, today, nearly 2,500 Tagbanwa tribal believers meeting regularly in 32 village churches.
The Tagbanwa churches have their own leadership now, and Jody and Barbara have been stateside since 2007. However, the Crain family remains heavily involved, not only in the Philippines but throughout Asia.
Jody has the kind of personality that draws folks together, and his passion for God and His Word is abundantly obvious. Barbara is an extraordinarily kind and gracious person. Together, they form a team that has, by God’s grace, accomplished much for the Kingdom.
