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© 2006 MCNews
a publication of CCDS.LLC

There is an organization in Goshen that is changing the lives of many who would not normally come to church as they are now, who would normally not participate in mainstream Christian organizations. It’s called the Crossing Café. There is also a center that provides education through relationship and the love of Christ, to students who have not functioned well in a traditional school environment. It’s called the Crossing Educational Center. Both entities are housed in one building in Goshen, as an outreach of Solid Rock Ministries.

A vision of hope
Rob Staley is a visionary. A graduate of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, he has a heart for the lost. To many, that could mean the lost “overseas,” or the lost in “a large metropolitan area like New York City.” Not to Staley. He knows that the lost are close to home.
In 1988, Staley’s heart was heavy with the realization that a large group of at-risk young adults didn’t fit into the “regular box of traditional public schools,” and were experiencing a disconnect from education. The Lord led Staley to develop a street ministry for at-risk youth. He invested time on the streets of Elkhart, spoke to at-risk youth, established relationships with them, and shared the hope and good news of Christ’s transforming power. This investment paid off significantly. For six years, Staley saw God lead hundreds of at-risk young adults to Christ.
Since 2004, Staley has seen God do even more miraculous things. After renting a warehouse in Goshen, he decided to transform the building into a community café and meeting center called Crossing Café (CC), and an educational center called Crossing Educational Center (CEC), for the hundreds of youth who struggle in a normal school environment. Staley’s strategy has been simple: “I said to the schools and jails, bring us your toughest and roughest youth, and we will demonstrate to the community how the power of Christ can change these kids.” The CEC program has enrolled over 55 students to date.

Crossing Café
Solid Rock Ministries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It has its own board of directors, and owns the building that houses the Crossing Café and the Crossing Educational Center. Staley’s goal was to truly integrate the café into the community, and he has invited the community to participate in the cafe's current programs, as well as to develop their own programs and host them in the café at no charge. This building is used by many small groups, such as the Bikers’ Church (described as a bikers’ church for bikers by bikers), and Divorce Care, a group for those who are divorced and are rebuilding their lives for Christ. Staley says, “The café is a resource center for our community.”
Groups are encouraged to contact the café if they are interested in hosting a group at the location. And there is no requirement that groups be Christian-based. In fact, Staley believes that the café community center brings in many that would not otherwise be exposed to an environment of Christian faith. “We welcome all groups. Because I know that at some point Christ will touch them in that environment. I would rather invite groups that say they would never step inside of a church, and provide the opportunity to learn of Christ’s transformative power, than prohibit them due to their divergent lifestyles.”
But Staley is quick to point out that the Crossing concept does not replace the church – it transitions those who are least likely to attend church towards a relationship with Christ, and fellowship with the Body of Christ. This transition is accomplished through the Crossing’s programs and by its board of directors that are dedicated to the truth that Christ can touch people’s lives in a location where the Christian faith is alive.

Crossing Educational Center
The café and the educational center are closely aligned in their focus on bringing the lost to Christ. But they go about it very differently. The Crossing Educational Center is truly an alternative program that offers at-risk youth who have struggled with schooling a nurturing, encouraging environment that Staley says is an “education that addresses all aspects of a student’s life.” It’s critical to the students that teachers not be uncomfortable dealing with the hard issues that students from difficult backgrounds face as they stay in school. CEC is hosted in an area behind the café, and is devoted to providing education for grades 6-8 and 9-12. The educational center is accredited by the Indiana Department of Education.

Staley works with community organizations to gain referrals for the school. “I go into the courts and ask for permission to enroll a student in the school. We don’t care what a student’s sinful life is about – we will take kids as they are and help transform their lives with hope.” It makes a difference. Staley says it costs approximately $50,000 annually per young adult to maintain them in the justice system. So the 55 students enrolled in the CEC to date have saved taxpayers over $2,750,000 – and the CEC investment has changed student’s lives.

How to bring the Crossing concept to your community
Staley has seen the Crossing concept grow to become a success in Goshen since it started, both in terms of involving the community as a center for building relationships, and in the lives of students changed by CEC. The Middlebury community recently adopted the Crossing concept, and Staley has assisted in its development. Leaders in Middlebury purchased a building to host the café and community center, and brought Staley in both as a director on the board, and as an academic administrator to start and run the educational center. His key roles are to assist in the strategic direction and administration of the educational center, which includes meeting with the Indiana Department of Education to appeal for accreditation.

Says Staley, “The community said that the kids needed someplace to go. They wanted their kids to find a purpose.” Staley believes that the Crossing concept, first started in Goshen, can work anywhere that leaders want to make a financial and spiritual investment in the lives of that community.

Staley is very interested in bringing the Crossing concept to local communities. Here are some steps to bring this life-changing concept to your town.

Contact Rob Staley at rstaley@crossingeducation.com or (574) 596-8350. As was the case in Middlebury, a significant amount of awareness needs to be created locally for the community to understand the benefits related to the Crossing concept. This means being able to connect Staley with speaking engagements in key community organizations, including Rotary and Kiwanis clubs. It also means that the community needs to support and promote the Crossing concept in order to create referrals for the community and educational center.

Ideally, a non-profit organization will need to fund a building site through a 501(c)(3) legal entity. Once the building has been acquired, Staley joins the board of directors of the start-up Crossing concept center, and leads the educational center in the accreditation process, maintaining a key role in the education of students. Staley’s significant background as an administrator in schools such as Elkhart Concord serve him well in this capacity.

Next steps… South Bend
Staley’s heart is to develop this Crossing concept in the South Bend community, where he indicates he has heard that public school dropout rates are near 50%. He has been building a relationship with key leaders that currently work with at-risk youth in South Bend, to generate an awareness of the potential the Crossing concept could unlock. Staley’s heart is to develop campuses throughout the South Bend community, including one downtown. Staley confirms, “The need is significant, and the results are proven. The transforming power of Christ can make a difference.”

How you can be a part of the Crossing concept
• Consider being a champion for the Crossing concept in your community. If you know of key community leaders that would welcome this concept, or if your church would like to support Staley’s efforts in South Bend or local communities, please contact Rob Staley.
• Become an adult mentor at the Goshen Crossing Educational Center. Mentors are vital to the educational experience, and serve as a significant source of follow-up and encouragement to students. A mentor is required to contact a student twice monthly by phone or email, and have personal contact at least twice a month. Mentors are encouraged to pray with the student, and show the student the love of Christ. It’s important to understand that openness to the student’s family life, friends, and even financial matters be honored and respected, and mentors should get involved in a student’s life as much as the young adult will allow.
• Sponsor a student through the Crossing Tuition Scholarship Fund. This is a tax-deductible contribution, and makes possible the unique educational opportunity many could not otherwise afford. Contact Rob Staley to find out more about how you can provide financial support for this local missions outreach to bring Christ’s transforming power to at-risk young adults.
• Visit Solid Rock Ministries at www.solidrockcrossing.com to find out more about the community café small group ministry concept, and tell your friends and associates about how the concept is transforming communities. The café community center offers a non-threatening forum that serves as a bridge for many, between tough lives and the love of Christ.
• Visit the Goshen Crossing and The Crossing of Middlebury, to learn more about this unique concept and the impact the educational center is having on students throughout the community.

Rob Staley is Director of Outreach at River Oaks Community Church in Goshen, and his vision for communities is closely aligned with River Oaks’ purpose: “To proclaim and model Christianity in a culturally relevant way with the goal of developing fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.” He may be reached at rstaley@crossingeducation.com or (574) 596-8350. The Goshen Crossing is located at 1202 W. Pike Street, and The Crossing of Middlebury is located at 511 N. Main Street.