Crossover Community Center

COMMUNITY CENTER

by Janet Hendricks

Students learning, teachers teaching, free-weights droping, sneakers squeaking, children playing, people gathering, preachers preaching, and followers of Jesus worshiping all under one roof from Sunday through Saturday. Some may read this description and question where such a wide variety of activities will take place in one building. However, with the Lord’s favor, the Crossover Community Center will faithfully facilitate all these things and more.

It’s amazing how the Lord can turn a thought into a dream and a vision into reality. I can vividly recall participating in Vision Meetings after several Sunday services. During those meetings, Pastor Philip presented the idea of Crossover Bible Church having a permanent home within a community center on 36th Street North. As the details further unfolded, Chasten (my husband) and I were bought in and the rest is history.

We initially came to Crossover in 2010. Chasten was a sixthgrade teacher at Gilcrease Middle School and I was an Intern at the North Mabee Boys & Girls Club, the very place Crossover Bible Church has met for the last 13 years. Though we invested much of our time within north Tulsa, we felt a tugging to find a place to worship within the same community. During a quick Google search, Chasten found the website for Crossover Bible Church. After listening to a couple of sermons from Pastor Philip, an initial visit to the church turned into church membership. When we came to Crossover, I had dreamt of running a community center since I was a high schooler in Texas. I was on the verge of completing a bachelor’s degree from Oral Roberts University in Recreation Management because of this dream for community transformation. I was an Intern at the North Mabee Boys’ and Girls’ Club in order to complete my graduation requirements. I am still amazed that God created this space specifically for me to use my passions, skills, education, and experience to not only glorify Him but to also help bring about tangible change in my community.

Our introduction to Crossover nine years ago has ultimately changed our lives for the better and is doing the same for many

people in our community. I am fully convinced that Crossover Community Impact (CCI) is the best kept secret in north Tulsa. There are not many churches that witness the needs of a community and create an entire non-profit organization to serve the community. CCI literally has the ability to impact people of all ages-- from Crossover Health Services to Crossover Preparatory Academy, from Crossover Sports Association to the Crossover Development Company, from the Street Leader Program to Crossover Kids-- there is an entity that has the ability to reach everyone.

I currently have the unique privilege of working with Crossover Preparatory Academy as an Academic Coach. I intentionally encourage, coach, assist, correct and pray for a group of 7th and 9th grade young men. I have seen an enormous amount of growth within some of my ninth-grade students over the last year. For this I am grateful! If the Lord says the same, I will transition to become Crossover Community Impact’s Chief Operating Officer and the Director of the Crossover Community Center. This is a role I have prayed about and have seen God prepare me for over the course of 15 years. I have seen the Lord turn my thought into a dream, a vision, and now a reality. For this I am humbled!

Picture above: Janet Hendricks with CPA student

Janet Hendricks serves as an Academic Coach at Crossover Preparatory Academy. She has a degree in Recreation Administration and an MBA. During her studies, she worked to gain the experience needed to become a successful director of an inner-city community center. Janet and her wonderful husband, Chasten, have been married for eight years and are the proud parents of their beautiful daughter, Janai Victoria (age 4). Their sole desire is to glorify God and spread His fame wherever He leads, in every season of life.