Dr. Crosby and his wife, Rita, were saved in the mid-1970’s when the charismatic renewal swept through upstate New York, converting thousands of young “hippies.”  Since then the Crosby’s lives and ministry have geographically spanned North America.  Their church experience ranges from janitorial duties to senior pastor. Their secular work history includes owning and operating small businesses in upstate NY/PA and employment with different Fortune 500 companies in engineering disciplines.

Steve received his AAS In Industrial Technology at Corning Community College in Corning, NY, his Bachelors and Masters of Arts, as well as his Doctor of Ministry, from Christian International School of Theology at Santa Rosa Beach, FL.  Rita received her Bachelor of Theology from Christian Life School of Theology in Columbus, Georgia.                  

The Crosbys have pioneered fellowships in three states. Steve and Rita currently travel in a prophetic/apostolic dimension within the Body of Christ and are the directors of Wave of Life Education Schools and Seminars. Dr. Crosby has ministered in churches and Bible Schools in nations on four continents.  Steve is also an adjunct Professor for Beacon Institute of Ministry.

Steve is the author of sevens books and booklets:

• Wealth Transfer and Marketplace Ministry
• The Word, the Spirit, and Prophecy
• The Silent Killers of Faith: Overcoming Legalism and Performance-Based Religion
• Authority, Accountability, and the Apostolic Movement
• Healing: Hope or Hype? (release date 2008, est.)
• The Rescue of Matthew 18, and
• Revising Revival: 2Chr. 7:14 from a New Covenant Perspective.

Steve's strong prophetic grace manifests by building individual relationships within the local church, and by strengthening its leaders through practical, yet impartative instruction of prophetic, apostolic, and generational transfer themes.  Steve’s teaching is “Christ Centered”-- strongly emphasizing the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, the Indwelling Holy Spirit, and the outworking of the New Covenant in the life of the believer. Rita flows in a strong intercessory and healing grace.

The Crosbys have been married for thirty years and have three grown children and five grandchildren.

The "Fam" as Bob Wiley would say

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A PROPHET?

Stephanos Ministries is the personal prophetic ministry of Dr. Crosby and Rita. Stephanos is the Greek word for the victor's crown and reflects Steve and Rita's passion to see an overcoming quality in the life of the believer and in the local church.

1. BEYOND GIFTEDNESS

Being able to deliver an accurate word of knowledge does not make someone a prophet. It might make him/her a gifted crook, new age psychic, or occultist. Delivering an accurate personal word (the normal expectation in prophetic-apostolic circles) amounts to .001% of what it means to be a prophet. It’s a wholly inadequate definition. Genuineness is determined by: character, message content, and gift operation. All three must be present to validate a ministry.

2. SIGHTEDNESS

A prophet has a unique God-given ability to bring forth a clear unveiling of the Person of Christ, and His current purposes in the cosmos, through the opening of the Word of God, by the Spirit of God. John the Baptist, the greatest prophet of the old order, did not predict future events, nor did he do any miracles. He made Christ known. His message was not “this or that is going to happen,” but “behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

3. ICONOCLASTIC

Prophets have the divine ability to tear down inner obstacles and outer systems that prevent the apprehension of Christ. Because of this ability, prophets are often unwelcome in the prevailing Christian culture. They do not preach a "feel good," "personal enrichment," "life enhancement,” false gospel. They are a threat to all systems that are not wholly Christ-centered and of kingdom ethos.

4. CONFORMING EMPOWERMENT

A prophet calls God's people to conformity to those functions of sight through transformation and empowerment. It’s
not enough to point out deficiency in individuals, systems, and structures. To do so is not a spiritual function. Critics
point out deficiency. Prophets point out what is wrong and provide a path and means for remediation through grace empowerment.

5. MOTIVATION

Grace and a broken heart, not legalities and judgments of surface issues motivate a prophet. God has no dry-eyed prophets. Prophets live in, and minister from, the realities of the New Covenant, not the blessings and curses; fear and dread of the Old Covenant. Prophets build from a platform of internal ethics and accuracy of their lives, not from the exercise of their gift.

6. RELATIONSHIPS

Contrary to stereotypes, a prophet is relational. One of the signs of a dysfunctional prophet is an inability to functionally relate interpersonally and socially.

7. CONSCIOUSNESS

To be prophetic is to nurture, nourish, and evoke a consciousness and perception that is alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture around us (Robert Wilson, Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel). NT prophets primarily evoke, or awaken, a Christ-consciousness in believers (Heb. 10:1-10), not awareness of future events.

8. BUILDERS NOT BLESSERS

Prophets are by nature primarily builders, not blessers. They're concerned with strategic and long-term change-lasting internal configuration to Truth-not short-term emotional charge. Prophets are sent to a church to elicit obedience and conformity to divine Truth, not to bless people by telling them how wonderful they are, how rich they're going to be, and how they're going change the world. The notion that as a believer I can hear God, not obey Him, and still be "blessed," is crazy. Godly understanding, plus conformity to the understanding, is the essence of being prophetic.

9. EQUALIZATION

Part of John the Baptist's ministry was the filling of valleys and the bringing down of mountains. Prophets are concerned about equalization in all relationships, systems, and structures. In the New Covenant era, being "prophetic" is for everyone (Joel 2, Acts 3, Num 11), not a few gifted specialists. True prophets have the ability to bring prophetic equalization to people, not just merely display their gift before people.

The Crosbys serve the Body of Christ by providing this model of prophetic ministry in a "fatherly and motherly" way, strengthening local churches and their leadership in an overseeing and apostolic dimension. Steve and Rita are frequently called upon for overseeing advice in conflict situations requiring an objective outside source.

Rita's strengths are her no nonsense approach to the kingdom, prayer, intercession, and healing, hospitality, counseling, and worship. Steve's strengths lie in an apostolic level teaching and preaching grace covering both "impartational" and "very practical" themes along with skills in church administration, government, church planting, and prophetic ministry.

Steve has ministered on four continents around the world and across North America. He is also an adjunct professor for Beacon Institute of Ministry in Columbus, Georgia where he teaches three courses:

Heresy and the Development of Christian Doctrine
An examination of Trinitarian and Christological doctrine as it emerged in the first 500 years of the church

The Call to Covenant
A look at the influence of religion and legalism contrasted with New Covenant living

Christ, the Church and Cessationism
A "Holy Ghost" course dealing with the implications of Christ as the Father's pattern man, made real to us by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Awakening believers to the practical implications of the outpoured and indwelt Holy Spirit.