Crossover Community Center

by Sam Rader

COMMUNITY CENTER

About six years ago Bob Nichols asked if I would come to a Crossover Community Meeting. Bob is a person difficult to say no to (actually, Bob is a person you just want to say yes to); so, I agreed. At that first encounter with Crossover, I knew this ministry was the one God was calling me to. After many years associated with Young Life, God opened the Crossover door so wide, it was obvious I needed to be there.

Crossover’s visions of restoring north Tulsa in all realms — spiritual, education, health/wellness, social and economical is I believe, the absolute best approach to reach this vision. Its strongest appeal is that the people who work in a Crossover ministry must, if possible, live or move to north Tulsa. The staff, support and donors are, to me, an outstanding example of fulfilling I John 3:17. And that commitment shows on the faces of everyone I know there — one just falls in love with each and every one of them.

My initial interest in Crossover was in the restoration of homes and neighborhoods generally around our future community center west of Peoria and 36th St. North. Because of my real estate background and homebuilding in north Tulsa, the purchasing, refurbishing, selling and upgrading of homes were “right up my alley”. However, it didn’t take long to realize and embrace the larger scope of Crossover’s Ministries, such as:

Crossover Kids and the StreetLeader Program — Crossover actually hires high school teens to mentor elementary-aged kids, which offers some part time income plus provides younger students a helper and role mode. One of the most impactive and innovative ministries I’ve ever seen!

Crossover Health Services — This self-sustaining facility serves 150 patients per week and houses the friendliest and most loving people in all of Tulsa.

Crossover Preparatory Academy - A vital key to restore north Tulsa is increasing educational outcomes for junior high and high school students. Three years ago, Crossover Prep began with 30 seventh grade boys and now has 100 sixth through ninth grade boys. In a few years we’ll be serving around 315 kids with an outstanding staff of 50. If you ever need to be uplifted, - it’s guaranteed when you come for a tour!

Our future plans are 6-12 grades for both boys and girls serving a school of over 630 students!

Crossover Community Center — This will be the hub of all our ministries; housing Crossover Prep, Crossover Bible, community gatherings, sports activities and the administration for our community development activities. As of April 2020, we have $13 million in funds fully and/or tentatively committed for this $15 million project. One of my jobs at Crossover, as the Co-Chair of the Capital Campaign, is to ask for your support. We really need to finalize the entire funding and if you know of anyone who may be interested in supporting Crossover’s vision please call me.

As an ending to this article, I leave two thoughts: 1 . Years ago, at a Young Life committee meeting we were trying to decide on the distribution of support for the different Young Life area ministries. During the presentations Derrick Hill, the Young Life Director for a north side school said, “Let me ask, if Jesus were to come visit Tulsa, do you think he would come to south Tulsa or north Tulsa?” Needless to say, he got the funds he asked for. That question has never left me. Derrick is now on staff raising funds for Crossover Prep. 2. As I said in my first sentence acknowledging Bob Nichols, I will say in my last — Thank you Bob!

In Him, Sam Rader

Crossover Community Center

Sam Rader and his wife, Barbara, moved to Tulsa in 1978 with their three daughters (Shelley, Stacey and Sarah) who have blessed them with 14 grandchildren. They started a real estate brokerage now known as Coldwell Banker Select. They have been members of Tulsa Bible Church since 1979 and both were active in Young Life many years — Sam as a committee member and Barbara in Mentor Moms. The Raders have been a huge blessing to Crossover and you can see the fruit of their labor of love for north Tulsa daily.

This article was written for the Spring/Summer 2020 Edition.