Pastor Alan Ross

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

On the Lord’s Day, June 9, 2024, Pastor Haskell Alan Ross, finished the sermon he was preaching and prayed. He then began wobbling down from the pulpit as members of the New Covenant Church Redlands, (formerly Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church), immediately ran to surround, support, and assist him out the front door. The Lord God Almighty was calling His faithful servant home, through a massive bleeding stroke, that had he recovered from, he most probably would not be able to ever communicate or have ambulatory abilities because of the quick destruction of brain cells caused by the bleeding. 

Pastor Alan denied his need for assistance and emergency medical attention as he was slowly and carefully helped to his wife Connie’s car, as she claimed that she should have tried to stop him while he was preaching. At the same time the Spanish ministry had begun to enter the church building for their morning sermon, while many of them witnessing the situation became intimately involved because of their love for the kind, humorous, and godly affection that Pastor Alan greeted them with, using Spanish, every Lord’s Day morning. Then a concerned and caring congregant called 911 and within a couple of minutes an emergency unit arrived, backed up by Redlands Fire Rescue, to place Pastor Alan on a gurney. It was noted that all the while Pastor Alan had a vice grip on his copy of God’s WORD, which was finally wrenched from his hand. Later it was revealed that Pastor Alan became unconscious after being placed in the ambulance, from which he never revived.

Pastor Alan physically succumbed approximately seven hours later at Redlands Community Hospital, while on life support, with church members and family surrounding him in anticipation of God’s answer to their prayers for a physical miracle. Six months prior Pastor Alan had encountered similar circumstances being admitted to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Colton, where it was learned that his future in this world might be close to an end. This time the Lord did not leave him to the treatment of earthly physicians nor human wisdom or understanding. Pastor Alan had finally arrived at that which he preached and believed in, the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Haskell Alan Ross was born at Riverside Community Hospital, California, May 13, 1961. Both his father, Haskell Eugene Ross (Texas, 1966), and Shirley Ann Chapman (Ramsey), of North Carolina (2018), proceeded him in death. His father died when he was five years old and his stepfather, Fred Chapman of Riverside, died in 1999.

Young Alan attended K-12 public schools in Riverside, California, and graduated from high school in 1979. Alan enlisted in the United States Coast Guard on February 8, 1980. Military service was not Alan’s calling and he was discharged on May 2, 1980 but he was a staunch patriot of the United States of America and supported a strong constitutional republic from a biblical standpoint, which included life from conception, liberty to preach and teach the fear and admonition of God, and freedom to pursue the happiness of serving the Lord God Almighty and HIS purpose at HIS leading. Pastor Alan acknowledged and often spoke of the abuse of power and government corruption that America’s founders had so warned of and wrote remedy for in the US Constitution, (Article V). 

Pastor Alan spoke often of his cherished time living in North Carolina with his beloved Christian “Mema” (grandmother), where the Gospel of Jesus Christ won his heart and future purpose of loving and serving Jesus. In the Fall of 1981 Alan was moved to attend Hyles-Anderson College, in Crown Point, Indiana, being called to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and evangelistic ministry. There he met Connie Topel, from Lompoc, California, on September 25, 1981. The Lord’s plans for their union as one flesh and with one mind, to serve and glorify Him through the ministry of His WORD, became consecrated in marriage, February 14, 1986, one month after Pastor Alan’s graduation.

In the years prior to their marriage Alan made due for schooling and subsistence by God’s grace alone. Working as a youth pastor Alan acquired biblical knowledge and understanding through the WORD and SPIRIT, while experiencing practical application of Gospel outreach on the streets and venues of Chicago’s Southside. By late 1986 Alan and Connie had taken up residence in Phoenix, Arizona, where they both engaged in Christian education, as Alan was youth pastor for Bible Baptist Church, and school principal, Connie became a high school teacher. In 1988, the Lord moved the couple to Brookings, Oregon, to pastor the Victory Baptist Church there, as they continued to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Another four years of ministry lead to another move, this time to Bible Baptist Church, Lafayette, Oregon, where Pastor Alan and family spent the next 20 years. During that time God was pleased to bless the family with the joy of raising up a child, Nathan James Ross, born September 12, 1995.

As Alan’s mother Shirley became needy of assistance, and with good conscience, the Ross family packed and moved back to Alan’s origins in Riverside, California, to care for her, September, 2012. Alan’s mother attended Riverside Baptist Church where her deceased husband had received Christ. Alan had been informed by sources in Oregon about a Reformed, New Covenant church in Redlands. There, the Lord led Alan to Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church (CBBC). CBBC had concluded years of study of The New Covenant and the Law of Christ, by Christopher M. Scarborough, of which Pastor Alan had already received and applied during his time in Oregon. The English speaking ministry, lead by former pastor Keith Schubert, had dwindled in its numbers due to disbelief in many points of the Doctrines of Grace and disagreement about Mose’s Law of the Old Testament.

Pastor Keith, who was a professor at California State University, San Bernardino, began to receive persecution for his faith and coupled with various other factors, decided to publish his resume in seeking the Lord’s will and direction in obtaining another position elsewhere. On the Lord’s Day of February 3, 2013, Pastor Alan preached his first sermon at New Covenant Church Redlands from Isaiah 1:1. During this time it was decided that CBBC would change their name to correspond with its beliefs to New Covenant Church Redlands (NCCR) and would adopt the most essential of all Gospel changes spoken of by Jesus, “You must be born-again,” (John 3), as a follow on in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a dark and perishing world.

As Pastor Keith confirmed his move to Baylor University, in Waco, Texas, Pastor Alan, would take up preaching in the evening. Thus, on April 28, 2013, with unanimous approval and no formal ordination services, Pastor Alan became NCCR’s next undershepherd of the Lord Jesus Christ and its tiny English speaking flock’s answered prayer. The tiny body of New Covenant believers have been graciously amazed and thankful at YAHWEH’s calling and bestowing of such a longsuffering, merciful, kind, and gracious ministry among them over these past 11 years. They continue to pray and wait on the Lord for HIS calling and direction of this local ecclesia. 

Pastor Alan’s body was privately cremated at Emmerson-Bartlett Memorial Chapel, after his donating of body parts to assist the survival of unknown others was completed. He leaves behind his loving wife and ministry help mate of 38 years, Connie (61), and grateful son Nathan (28). Also, his older brother Rick Gentry (68, San Jacinto), and his younger sister Gail Sweet (62, Riverside) and her husband Jeff, still remain. 

Memorial services of Pastor Alan’s love and commitment to Jesus Christ as a “good and faithful servant,” will be conducted by New Covenant Church Redlands on: Thursday, July 25, 2024, at the Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd, Riverside, California 92518-2740, starting at 11:00 am (please arrive 20 minutes before program), and Saturday, July 27, 2024, at New Covenant Church Redlands, 831 Clay Street, Redlands, California 92374, starting at 11:00 am. Former pastor, Dr. Keith Schubert, Baylor University, will be speaking and there will be a reception afterwards, (to be announced). All are invited to attend services and the reception.

Please forward all donations and contributions to Pastor Alan Ross Memorial, c/o New Covenant Church Redlands, 831 Clay Street, Redlands, California 92374. Condolences and memories may be posted under the obituaries at the EmmersonBartlett.com website. Audio and Video recordings of Pastor Alan may be found at the NewCovenantChurchRedlands.org website and at Rumble.com (type NewCovenantChurchRedlands into the Search Bar and click on Rumble Channel).

May the Lord richly bless you. soli Deo gloria!