Faculty & Staff
Director of the Online Certificate Program
Director of the Online Certificate Program
J. David Tate serves as the director of Truett Seminary’s Online Certificate Program, a non-academic theological educational option for lay people, church leaders, and bi-vocational ministers. David earned his BA from Houston Baptist and his MDiv from Truett where he was a CBF Leadership Scholar and received the Robert Jackson Robinson Preaching Award. He joined the Truett staff in 2015 after serving as Executive Director of the SONlight Foundation.
Aside from his experience in multiple pastoral roles, David has eight years of experience in information technology and 10 years in non-profit ministry, as well as 16 years of business ownership. In addition to his role at the Seminary, he travels around the state for pulpit work, serves at Calvary Baptist Church, and enjoys disc golf, board games, and home renovation. David and his wife, Lydia, have three teenage sons whom they affectionately refer to as “The Trilogy.”
Certificate Student Team
Kevin Brown
Kevin joined the Certificate Program in the Summer of 2022. He is pursuing a Master of Divinity and will utilize this degree in service to the local church.
Kevin was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication from Excelsior University. After serving in the U.S. Army, Kevin then entered the ministry and has served as Executive Pastor & Senior Pastor in Granbury, Texas. Kevin is married to Angela, and they have six children. A fun fact about their family is that Kevin and Angela have a passion for families in crisis and have served as foster/adoptive parents for the past ten years.
In addition to his role on the Certificate Program Team, Kevin also serves as a corporate trainer for children social service agencies in Texas, and is the Director of Training at the Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, Texas.
Alex Elizondo
Alex is currently a joint degree student at Truett, pursuing his Master of Divinity and Master of Social Work.
Alex was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and he attended Houston Baptist University (HBU), earning a Bachelor of Arts in Christianity with a minor in Psychology. At HBU he was a Dean’s List member, received the prestigious President’s Award, and was heavily involved in leadership within Baptist Student Ministry and lead several small groups and ministries on campus. As the son of immigrant parents from El Salvador and Mexico, Alex is fluent in Spanish and has served on the worship team for bilingual students. First called to ministry in High School, Alex has served as the Bilingual Student Ministry Coordinator and Student Ministry Intern at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, TX.
Olivia Crosby
Olivia is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Truett Theological Seminary and joined our team in May of 2022. Olivia graduated from Texas A&M University in May of 2021 with an engineering degree, however she knew the Lord was calling her elsewhere. Olivia is a Methodist student here at Truett and has loved getting to learn from and contribute to conversations between people of all different denominations.
Olivia has worked with students ranging from 6th-12th grade all throughout her undergraduate career. This includes a summer at Camp Ozark, a summer as the student ministry intern at White’s Chapel UMC in Southlake, TX, 1.5 years of volunteering with the students at Christ Church in College Station, and 2.5 years employed by the student ministry at Christ Church in College Station, TX.
Olivia is originally from Fort Worth, TX and grew up a Horned Frog fan. She finds it very difficult to cheer for the Baylor Bears between her allegiance to Texas A&M and TCU.
Ebenezer Adu-Gyamfi
Ebenezer Adu-Gyamfi (Eben to his friends), graduated from Truett Seminary in May of 2021 and is currently a Doctor of Ministry candidate at Truett. At Truett Seminary, Eben received the prestigious Abda J. “Chip” Conyers Outstanding Male Student award which is awarded to one of the two most outstanding students in each graduating class. This is the highest award a Truett Student can receive based on evidence of a clear call to ministry, leadership among their peers, scholarship in their studies, depth in their faith, and love in their spirit.
Additionally, Ebenezer holds a master’s degree in Didactics of French from University of Burgundy, France, and a Bachelor of Arts in English and French from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana where he graduated with first class honors. Academic achievements aside, Eben is also an experienced minister, and he currently serves as an Adult Bible Fellowship leader at Highland Baptist Church in Waco and is President of Watch & Walk Ministry, a non-profit ministry that proclaims the Gospel of Jesus and promotes discipleship through Christian art, spiritual formation, and capacity building programs.
Ebenezer also hosts a weekly podcast dubbed “Watch & Walk Podcast,” and he and his wife Juta (who is also a Certificate Student) have two children. Eben is an accomplished scholar and educator, is passionate for discipleship, skilled in theology, and is excited to continue to grow in his skills as a minister.