Who We Are:

First Ropes is currently serving under the calling these Donovan Martin as Senior Pastor, Joshua Crabb as Youth and Family Minister, Courtney Hill as Children’s Minister, Thomas Estes as Worship Minister, and Carla Blair as Secretary

Donovan Martin, Ph.D

senior pastor

Pastor Donovan Martin was called to First Baptist Church in Ropes in February of 2016. Donovan is married to Kristi and they have three daughters, Maci, Marisa and Maloree. Donovan and Kristi are both from the Lubbock area and understand the unique type of ministry that occurs in West Texas. They both attended Wayland Baptist University and are blessed to call this area home.

Donovan has a passion for making the Hope found in the Bible clear through preaching and everyday living and desires that First Ropes continues being and becoming a Great Commission church on a local and global level.  Pastor Donovan is convicted that his primary mission is to equip the saints at First Ropes to be dependent on Jesus through the Scriptures and focused on the Gospel so that they might bring glory to God as fully matured followers of Christ. Prior to coming to Ropes Donovan served as an Interim Pastor in the Lubbock area, ministered as a Student Pastor for 23 years and served as a Sergeant in the United States Air Force.

Courtney Hill,

Children’s Minister

Courtney grew up in Lubbock, Texas where she attended Lubbock Christian School. Courtney decided at a young age she wanted to be a teacher, so after graduating high school, she attended Lubbock Christian University where she acquired a degree in elementary education. She taught at Lubbock Christian Elementary and then decide to stay home with her own children.

Courtney met Ben in high school and they were married three years after. They now have three kids; Billy, Carter, and Allie. They live on a farm and raise show goats. She loves animals and has dogs, cats, goats, a llama, a donkey, and a 100 pound tortoise named, Bob E. She spends her free time feeding all of those animals and working in her garden.

She is a devoted follower of Jesus and loves serving others. She first attended FBC Ropes on Easter Sunday 2021 and fell in love with community. She then began volunteering in the children’s classroom as a teacher. Courtney felt called to do more at FBC Ropes, so in 2022, she became the children’s minister. She loves studying the lessons and preparing fun activities, games, and crafts to further the children’s knowledge of scripture.

Courtney has many dreams for the children’s ministry and cannot wait to watch the Lord move.

Joshua Crabb, RCD.

Youth & family Minister

Josh grew up in Carlsbad NM. He was called into vocational ministry during his junior year of high school. On May 22, 2011 FBC Carlsbad recognized his call and licensed him into the Gospel Ministry, two days after he graduated high school.

Josh has passion for leading people in worship, here in the local church as well as regionally at camps and other youth events. He was called to be the Youth Minister in 2020, and through God’s leadership FBC Ropes expanded his role to Youth and Family ministry in 2025.

He met his wife Allison in high school and they both moved to West Texas to attend Wayland Baptist University. They married in 2015 and now have three children. Emerson, Elliott, and Easton.(plus one more coming in February 2026!) They began serving here at FBC Ropes in September of 2018.

He is grateful to be apart of the work in this community. He has seen God move in incredible ways since being here, and is excited to see what God will do in the future!

Thomas Estes, Dthm

Music Minister

Thomas serves as the Worship Minister at First Baptist Church of Ropes and teaches secondary English at Ropes ISD. He lives in Lubbock, Texas, and began his ministry at First Baptist in November 2025.

 Thomas grew up in Cross Plains, Texas, in the Big Country, but he also knows West Texas well. He studied Music at South Plains College in Levelland and Religion at Wayland Baptist in Plainview. While in school, he led worship for several church ministries and parachurch organizations in the Lubbock area. Thomas left Lubbock in 2013 for graduate studies and returned in 2025. Before joining FBC Ropes, he served as pastor at Cottonwood Baptist Church (Cross Plains, Texas) and taught English at Cross Plains High School. He is excited to help the church in Ropesville fulfill Ephesians 5:19-20 to “speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”