2019 IMPACT Magazine Fall/Winter Edition

Page 14

Restoring our community by making disciples while loving and serving our neighbors.

Crossover Bible Church by Tyler Whitaker

M

y wife, Erin, and I first heard about Crossover Bible Church (CBC) in 2010 through several friends who were living in the community. We were attending a different church at that time and our church small group started volunteering for community events that Crossover organized. These experiences were part of our early exposure to the idea of Christian Community Development, in addition to reading books by Dr. John Perkins regarding the 3 R’s model (relocation, reconciliation, and redistribution). Throughout medical school our heart for this model of ministry continued to grow, and when we knew we would be in Tulsa for residency, Erin and I sensed God leading us to relocate to north Tulsa. We continued to attend our previous church initially, but we soon realized our need to partner with those who were doing a similar work and learn from their years of experience, so we joined the CBC family in 2014. Crossover Bible Church is a diverse family made up of incredible people who love Jesus and want to see His kingdom manifest fully in this part of our city. We do this through growing our personal relationship with Jesus first, and then investing in our relationships with each other and our neighbors next. This allows us to serve our community, and the church’s partnership with Crossover Communi-

ty Impact gives us many avenues to love and serve our neighbors. Being a part of CBC has given my family several meaningful ways to make an impact in the community. One of the most special opportunities for me has been volunteering at Crossover Health Services. It’s incredible to be able to love our neighbors alongside the awesome team at the clinic! We have been greatly impacted through the love and support experienced through the community of believers at the church. There really is something special about being a part of a diverse church family. Erin and I have learned so much from our brothers and sisters of different ages and backgrounds. I really love God‘s vision for His church to be this collection of many different cultures and peoples bringing their best to serve Him and His kingdom. There is a great collective strength when we embrace diversity and offer the gifts God has given each of us to benefit the whole body. Although we are a relatively small church family, it has been amazing to see what God has done through our efforts. As Pastor Philip often says, “God does the heavy lifting,” and we have seen Him do this continuously! With three kids under the age of five, it seems my primary role as

Crossover Community Impact

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