Crossover Development Co., an economic and housing development company; and Crossover Preparatory Academy, a tuition-free school for boys, currently serving 58 seventh and eighthgrade students. “We’re taking a comprehensive approach to a narrow geographic area,” Philip explains. It’s a philosophy influenced by the teachings of John M. Perkins, minister, civil rights activist and author of “Restoring At-Risk Communities.” Perkins is the co-founder of Christian Community Development Association, which advocates a holistic approach to ministry in underserved urban communities. That approach includes living in and being a part of the community itself. The Abodes, CCI Executive Director Justin Pickard, along with his wife and four children, as well as Crossover Prep’s principal, John Lepine Sr., his wife and two children, all live within blocks of each other, the church and the clinic, as do many other staff members and employees. “We want to see north Tulsa getting tangibly better,” Philip says. “If you take this approach, you can see tangible change. We feel like we need to be ground zero in this one neighborhood on all these efforts.”
IN THE BEGINNING
In addition to his role as head pastor of Crossover Bible Church, Philip serves as executive director of Crossover Prep. The school currently operates out of John 3:16 Mission’s Family and Youth Center, near East Virgin Street and North Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Philip’s second floor office has a bird’s-eye view of the basketball courts. The sound of squeaky tennis shoes and friendly competition punctuates the conversation as the Abodes talk about how they got here and their plans for the future. Philip, who is originally from Stillwater, graduated from TU in 2002 with a degree in applied mathematics. Rondalyn, a native of Kansas City, holds an accounting degree from Langston University, along with her degree in management with a specialization in law and a minor in marketing from TU. Although Philip never planned to go into ministry, his life changed during college. “That’s when I had a crossover into faith,” he explains. “I became a serious believer, and that’s when God really gave me a heart for ministry.” After graduating from TU, both Philip and Rondalyn attended Dallas Theological Seminary with a plan to return to north Tulsa to start a church. “We knew we wanted to be a church that made a difference in the community,” Philip says. “We didn’t know exactly what that looked like, but we knew that’s where our hearts were.” Crossover Bible Church started in 2006, and Philip became the lead pastor three years later. Well aware of the role sports had played in his own life, Philip began coaching a third-grade football team for the North Mabee Boys and Girls Club in 2008 as another avenue to reach out to the community. As a boy, Philip’s grandmother leveraged his love of
Philip and Rondalyn Abode started Crossover Community Impact, which is dedicated to restoring the community around East 36th Street North and North Peoria Avenue through a multi-faceted approach.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR Crossover Community Impact? CCI has plans to build a community center on the same property as its health facility. It will house the school during the day and the after-school program, youth sports and adult recreational activities outside of school hours. Rondalyn Abode, who serves as CCI’s director of development, notes they’re halfway to their capital campaign goal, with $6.95 million raised to date. The majority of the funding for CCI operations has been from private and corporate donations, but foundation support and grant opportunities are becoming a larger part of the financial picture. CCI also holds an annual “Restoring Our Community” banquet. This year’s event is scheduled for Sept. 20. It’s a chance to bring in guest speakers and raise awareness about CCI’s work in north Tulsa. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CCI, VISIT CROSSOVERIMPACT.ORG.
Lois “Faye” Finley, Justin Pickard, executive director of Crossover Community Impact, and Rondalyn Abode chat during a recent session of Impact Kids, an initiative of CCI, at Hawthorne Elementary School. TulsaPeople.com
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