Shay Roush

Co-Lead Pastor

Shay has served as one of the pastors since August 2002. He shares the preaching and teaching responsibilities and oversees Connections Classes, Crossing Men, Counseling Ministry, and Care Ministry. After graduating from Mizzou with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, he served on staff with Cru for 5 years. He then received his Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, where he met his wife Lynn. Shay and Lynn have three children: Jack, Emma, and Owen.

Kermit Summerall

Pastor, Crossing Men

Kermit serves as a pastor to Crossing Men. He loves to help men find life-changing identity, significance, and purpose through following Jesus together with other men. And he helps to lead men’s events, studies, and discipleship groups.

After serving in student and singles ministry in his hometown of Huntsville, AL and then as a missionary to Japan, Kermit graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis with a Master of Divinity.

In 2006, Kermit and his wife, Nicole, returned to her hometown of Columbia to help start and pastor Veritas, The Crossing’s college ministry, where they served for 9 years. From 2015 to 2022, Kermit served as a pastor of Small Groups. He and Nicole have a daughter and two sons.

Brian Cooksey

Operations Manager

Brian serves part-time as the operations manager and a leader coach for Crossing Men. He is passionate about helping people experience the life transformation that comes through following Jesus and being in community with others.

Brian grew up in Columbia. He graduated from Mizzou in 2009 and has worked in the software industry ever since. He received a graduate degree from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis in 2024. Brian has served in the men's ministry at the Crossing for many years.

Brian married his high school sweetheart, Beka. They have three kids.

Mitchell Stefan

Crossing Men Resident

Mitchell serves as a resident in Crossing Men under Kermit Summerall. He loves Jesus and loves to help people follow Him through discipleship and serving.

Mitchell went to high school and college here in Columbia. He graduated from Mizzou in 2019, followed by moving to Atlanta, Georgia where he became a follower of Jesus in 2020. With his life doing a 180, he moved back to Columbia to do work with Love Columbia, followed by various other kinds of work. He and his wife, Chloë, got married in the fall of 2022. 

Mitchell hopes to grow in Christ and in serving over this next year of being a resident in Crossing Men.