Page 76 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2018- Online Magazine

Chad Renee Gross

A Soldier and a Song

(1), whom they adopted from India
by Katherine McLamore in 2018. Aurora, Colorado is home
base, and they attend Brave Church in
Denver. Chad, age forty-two, is going
through the process of becoming an
elder.
had Gross was born in Dallas
and raised in Garland, Texas. HIS FAITH
CFrom 1995–1999, he attended
Texas Tech, graduating in 1999 with a “My Christian faith is the most
Bachelor of Business Administration important thing in my life, and my
and a commission of Second number one goal in life is to bring Welby stated, “When Chad was
Lieutenant, earned after three years of glory to Jesus Christ. I was raised a introduced to me, I realized he
Army ROTC. Between his sophomore Christian but strayed from the faith was a fine, young man interested
and junior years at Tech, he graduated after my parents divorced when I in learning about Jesus. He came
from the U.S. Army Airborne School was thirteen. I kept my back turned to many ‘watermelon & worship’
and became the student commander on God until my junior year at Tech times at our house. I am privileged
of Army ROTC in his senior year. when I had a powerful conversion to know this honorable soldier and
experience with God, alone in my have tremendous respect for Chad,
After the Army Aviation Officer apartment. From that moment, I his faith, and his dedication to our
attended flight school, he was trusted God with my life, yet I still country.”
assigned to Blackhawk helicopters. needed discipleship.” Chad defines
Subsequently, he spent most of his discipleship as “being mentored on Russ Murphy, the college minister at
time with the First Infantry Division how to incorporate prayer into daily Indiana Avenue Baptist Church at that
life, as well as the value of forming time added, “It was no surprise that
friendships with those who encourage he became an incredible soldier. Chad
faith and growth.” Chad was drawn did his very best as a soldier of the
to a thriving college church group cross and as a soldier in our military.
and met Russ Murphy and Welby Chad’s desire for excellence inspired
Smith, two men who gently and me to be more committed to Christ. I
powerfully encouraged Chad into know I learned more from him than
deep commitment to Christ. Welby he learned from me. ‘Thank you, Lord,
and Chad immediately developed for allowing me to share in the life of
a kinship through the military Chad Gross, truly a man after Your
connection when Welby, a retired heart.’”
Master Sergeant in the Air Force,
learned of Chad’s involvement HOW CHAD and RENEE TELL IT
in Ansbach, Germany. From there, he in Army ROTC. Recognizing the “I met my wife, Renee, on a trip to
deployed twice. The first time was to newness of Chad’s faith, he took him Lubbock on December 26, 2000. I
Kosovo from October 2002-July 2003. under his wing. Welby invited the had just graduated from flight school
The second was to Tikrit, Iraq from undergraduate to his house for a hot at Fort Rucker, Alabama. In Dallas,
February 2004-February 2005. All in meal. Listening to Welby pray taught on leave, I planned to go see Welby
all, he flew over 75 combat missions in Chad how to pray in a bold, confident and LaJuana while in Texas. Renee
Iraq and earned the Bronze Star Medal way, seasoned with the humility was from Dallas and a sophomore at
and the Air Medal. of a spirit that yields to the will of Stephen F. Austin University. She was
God. He and LaJuana became like home for the break and wanted to visit
FAMILY grandparents, and they kept in touch family in Lubbock. We both showed
The Chad and Renee Gross family after he left Tech and joined the Army. up at the Dallas Love Field Airport
includes four children: three biological Chad’s oldest son, Corban, is named and there discovered the flight was
sons; Corban (11), Asher (9) and after his mentor, Corban Welby Gross. cancelled due to a Texas storm. Renee
Micah (6), and one daughter, Harvest and I ended up in line at the ticket

76 Lubbock Senior Link