By Jacquinette D. Murphy, NDG Contributing Writer
Civil engineers are noted for designing bridges and safe structures to help improve the access and quality of life for a city or a community. Marsalis Avenue Church of Christ (MACC) Senior Minister, Lamont Ross is not the natural engineer he once desired to be. However, he can look over the congregation week after week and see God’s handiwork in the lives of the 350 congregants who are connecting to God through his divinely ordered sermons.
Minister Ross has led the 90-year, very established congregation since 2015 and is described by others as a humble, dynamic orator and minister. As he reflects on his journey to the pulpit, he is an example of an ordinary man whose life plans were re-written by an extraordinary God.
Recently the North Dallas Gazette attended the groundbreaking MACC held for their current renovation project to commence its $1.5 million expansion renovation project. For more info and photos visit NorthDallasGazette.com.
A graduate of Dallas ISD’s Skyline High School at age 17, Ross entered The University of Texas at Austin with a scholarship from the United States Air Force ROTC in pursuit of his desired career path to become a Civil Engineer. That is until just before the start of his first college semester.
“Growing up, people told me that I was a preacher, but I never wanted to preach. I say God pulled me into the ministry, kicking and screaming,” Ross shared. “In the summer before the start of my freshman year in college, I was asked to speak at a youth conference. I did and did not really think anything of it.”
Ironically, the title of his message at this conference was “A Wake-Up Call is Overdue,” and at the time Ross did not even realize how much this would relate to the following weeks of his life on the college campus.
“I was in my dorm room, and I became really unhappy, like a mild depression,” he said. Ross found himself in his college dorm room writing out church sermons. “I soon realized that I was unhappy because I was not doing what God wanted me to do. He wanted me to preach and not be an engineer.”
Embracing his higher calling, he eventually changed his major to complement this path for his life. Ross is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Degree in Communications Studies and also holds a masters degree in Theology from the Austin Institute of Theological Studies and a masters degree in professional counseling.
Now, at 40 years old, Ross is reflecting on the handiwork of God and counting his blessings.
“You see the hand of God, and you can’t predict what God will do. I never thought I would be a preacher. I never thought that I would be a preacher in a church where I grew up, and I never thought that I would marry someone who grew up at this church. You never know what God will do,” Ross observed.
Although he may not have the career of designing physical structures, he is still connecting others to resources and helping them to build stronger and more meaningful relationships. On Sundays, he stands in the pulpit ministering to the spiritual needs of the congregation. During the week, he and his wife, Stacy are working in their own areas of the community in their own way. She works in healthcare as a surgery center nurse. Minister Ross, who is a licensed therapist and professional counselor, also works provides counseling in partnership with a few organizations in the Dallas area.
“I work with [middle and high school] children that have been impacted by divorce as a part of an organization that has nine-week, small groups sessions for children and their families,” explained Ross. “I wanted to give back, make an impact and touch lives outside of the church setting.”
Ross is also a seminar director and trainer at PREPARE/ENRICH, an organization designed to equip therapists, clergy and marriage educators with the tools needed for marital and premarital counseling. Finally, he provides spiritual counseling for the members of the church.
While there are so many areas of ministry in which one could serve, the family and youth ministry is where Minister Ross is most closely involved. He served as the Family and Youth minister at the East Side Church of Christ in Austin, and also at the Marsalis Avenue Church of Christ just before assuming the role of senior minister.
“Life is all about connections and our ministry is all about connections. As Christians, we first and foremost need to be connected to God, and when we get that connection right, then everything else will fall in place.”
Serving in the home first
The Rosses are in their twelfth year of marriage and knows the importance of keeping their own family connected to God and to each other. They have three children ages, 10, seven and eight.
“I make sure that my family is not neglected. My family is my first ministry,” said Ross. “I give each one their own individual time, and then, we also have family time,” said Ross. “We have family game nights and travel together as a family, making memories, and have arcade nights.”
With two sons, Ross shared that he also spends a little time on the court in the park playing basketball, or working as the assistant coach for one of the basketball teams. With his daughter, he spends time with his daughter getting all dressed up for the annual daddy-daughter dances.
“I try to make sure that I am there for my children. I want my children to see me as their dad before they see me as a preacher.”
Ms. Ross supports the work that God has placed in her husband. “As for many wives, it can be challenging to raise a family while the husband fulfills his obligations at work. However, it became easier to handle when I realized that his work is of the utmost importance. I want to assist him in fulfilling his calling.”
