CrossTown 119 After School Program Director

Please read this role description completely before filling out the application. It will help you understand who we are, which matters most in determining if we are a good fit for you.

Different. 

The neighborhood of CrossTown is unique. The people of CrossTown are unique. Therefore,  CrossTown Ministries is unique in its design and approach to serving a unique community. Different deserves different. 

What’s the difference? It starts with the heart. CrossTown Ministries has been in the neighborhood for 11 years. At the core of who we are is humility. A humility that is willing to admit, “I don’t know.” This just means we have the privilege of being lifetime learners.

We learn about the community’s complex brokenness. CrossTown, like similar communities across the country, was born out of a tsunami of oppression. Those floodwaters left the neighborhood in crippling poverty, and they haven’t gone away. Wave after wave continues hitting, leaving the community still drowning to this day.  Responding in humility has caused us to seek first an understanding and empathy of the hurt and damage here. What we’ve found is deep wounds. And deep wounds need deep healing.

At the same time, we are still learning about the beauty that is here. We recognize the dignity of every person because they are imago dei, the image of God…something that cannot be given or taken…it just is and will always be. We see resilience; people experiencing loss after loss, but continuing to bounce back. We see tenacity; people fighting to overcome tough circumstances. We see joy for life. We see a community that looks out for each other. 

We can see that in our community it is true that hurt people, hurt people. But it is also true that loved people, love people. This is our intent. Though we will do it imperfectly, we want to consider the real hurt and respond in love. Love that cultivates a safe nourishing environment where our students flourish, because their leaders are flourishing too.

What you read in the following role description comes from deep conviction. If you want to be a part of walking into the real hurt in order to respond with real love, this is for you. If you want to be a part of the different, read on…

What Is CrossTown? CrossTown is a neighborhood just west of downtown Orlando, FL that is both beautiful and broken. The community was given this name by its residents, so you won’t find CrossTown on any maps or official documents. But you will see it tattooed on arms, etched on basketball courts, and written in people’s hearts. Built on the other side of Division Ave, the effects of segregation and racial prejudice have created multi-generational poverty. However, it is by God’s providence that this neighborhood would have the very source of hope in its name—the Cross.

What Is CrossTown Ministries? We believe very firmly that “what we do” comes directly out of “who we are.” So, as an organization, we do not have a mission statement, we have a being statement. This statement answers not only what we want to see for our community, but also for ourselves. There is not an us and them…only us.

We are made in the image of God. Beautiful.

We are damaged by the evils of this world. Broken.

We are freed from captivity. Redeemed.

We are made anew. Restored.

We are who God says we are. Loved.

As loved people, we are cultivating a gospel environment where loved people, love people.

What do we mean by “a Gospel Environment where loved people, love people”?

• Everything starts with the Gospel. In the Gospel, we receive reconciliation with the One who made us. It is where we receive a new identity in Christ and uncover the image of God that has been given to all of us. We desire to experience God’s transforming love in every area of our lives. The gospel flows throughout the entire environment we are cultivating.

• “I am a product of my environment.” We hear this a lot in our community, and it always has a negative tone. It points to the reality that for our community, there are many different elements in the environment that are contributing to their brokenness. We want to flip the script so that “I am a product of my environment” means CrossTown Ministries is a place where people flourish through the Gospel. 

• Just like an environment needs different elements (oxygen, sunlight, water, soil, nutrients, etc) to be healthy, our community needs multiple elements to be healthy. CrossTown Ministries desires to be that collection of “elements” that all work together to create a healthy gospel environment.

• These elements include: a K-8 school, after school program, men’s discipleship, mental health counseling, vocational training, spiritual community, and more.

• CrossTown 119 is just one element of this larger environment we are cultivating.

Picture a healthy tree–with deep roots taking in water and nutrients from the soil and keeping it firmly planted in the ground, with leaves taking in sunlight and pure air, and with good fruit that can be enjoyed by others. This is a picture of us. It’s what we want for our staff, our families, and our community. There is no us vs. them…only us. Below you will see our roots and our branches. This is how we evaluate ourselves. When these are healthy, the fruit will follow.

What are our roots?

• Humility: This is how the Gospel is received; when we truly see our need for a Savior outside of ourselves and receive Jesus. But this is also how the Gospel is walked out. We have never arrived. The path to growing and looking more like Christ is to “get low.” We continue to repent. We also don’t have all the answers for ministry. We will continue to learn.

• Vulnerability: willing to share your brokenness, not have it all together, ask for help, know when you don’t know. This starts with taking time to know yourself.    

• Repentance: The gospel gives us freedom to confess boldly, because our forgiveness has already been purchased. Ask the Spirit to help you turn away from it in His strength. This starts with knowing yourself, knowing what God calls sin, and allowing and embracing godly sorrow.       

• Identity: Identity is central to life. Everything we do comes out of who we are, or who we think we are. Learning that I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM is maturity. Knowing our God-given gifts and strengths and walking in them is maturity.

• Love: Not as our culture defines it, but as God defines it. He created us in love in His image. His love tells us the truth about who He is and who we are, both our beauty and our brokenness. But His love doesn’t leave us in brokenness…it is sacrificial, redeeming and restoring us through Jesus. 

• Joy: Joy is contentment in God no matter the circumstances. We find joy by pursuing the truth…the truth of who God is from Scripture…His attributes and His actions, and the truth of who we are through honest self-assessment. There is joy in being fully known and fully loved. 

• Hope: With joy comes hope. Hope gives us the confident expectation that God is always working, even if our present circumstances are hard. Hope, especially in our community, is life changing.

• Community 

• Inch wide and a mile deep: Idolatry of efficiency has made ministry about “how many/how much.” We want to ask, “how well?” This leads to real change, which rarely happens when things are going 100 mph.

• Gospel Culture is the Dominant Culture: There is a tendency to believe that the way things are done in our country is just “the way it is.” Because the predominant culture is western culture, the way things are done tend to reflect these cultural preferences, defaults, etc. This has done damage to communities like CrossTown, where efforts to help are coming from that dominant culture.

• Dignity: Everyone is made in God’s image, so we treat you as such. God has given us individual gifts and talents to be used for his glory and to be enjoyed by the community. These things work together to create a family that functions like a healthy body.

• Empowerment: we will strive to create opportunities for the community to lead and offer input on the ministry.

With strong roots come strong branches. Branches hold the fruit that we want others to enjoy.

What are our branches?

• Cooperation (Team Player): We all have strengths and weaknesses. There are no superstars. We need you to play your part, celebrate others strengths, and work hard together.

• Dependability: A diligent approach to responsibilities is expected

• Diligence: Being intentional, present, attentive, and prepared allows us to be full of care. This directs our discipleship. 

• Communication: Our culture is built on honesty. We would rather you over-communicate than under-communicate. Whether you’re going to be late, or are having a problem with a student, or if you don’t understand something we said, we want to hear from you.    

• Initiative: As a discipler, you must take initiative. We have to move toward people in our thoughts, conversations, and prayer, not wait for someone to tell you to do that.

• Presence: Undivided Attention + Engagement = Care.  Care is a discipleship initiator.          

• Leadership: We lead not only by word and deed, but most importantly, the heart behind it.

• Relationship Building: We should always be thinking about how we can build deeper relationships with each other.

If you are interested in applying for the
After School Program Director position, please click here.