About Us

In 1997, after eight years of ministry as an associate minister at United Apostolic Church, serving under the late Pastors James Wooten and Robert L. Harris, Elder Joseph J. Crossley Jr. and his lovely wife Michelle were directed by the Holy Spirit to begin an outreach ministry. They begin to go to various prisons, into homeless shelters, soup kitchens, drug treatment centers and at risk women facilities. After one year in outreach ministry, Pastor Crossley was again directed by the Holy Spirit to start City Of Refuge Church. After much prayer and the blessing of his then Pastor, Robert L. Harris, Pastor Crossley began to pray and seek God for the area God wanted the church to start in. Being led by the Holy Spirit to St. Andrew’s Lutheran church, located in one of Detroit’s most challenging areas of crime and blight. In the month of November 1998, Pastor Crossley with his wife Michelle along with their three young sons Joseph, Joshua, and Matthew held the first service of City Of Refuge Church. From the very beginning, God has been the force propelling the growth and evolution of the City Of Refuge Church. By many signs and supernatural events, God has demonstrated His divine approval by transforming many lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.  After many years of ministry, enduring great challenges and enjoying great successes, Pastor Joseph J. Crossley, Jr.  with the entire City Of Refuge Church family can say, “having received help from God, we continue in the work which we have been Called.”