Meet Dr. Chrystal Crawford

We recently connected with Dr. Chrystal Crawford and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Chrystal, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I found my purpose through a dream. This happened during a time when I was renting a space for ministry, but didn’t quite have the nerve to invite people to come simply because at that time I didn’t understand why I had to start in a little room as opposed to having the whole church building. I became very discouraged. After months of not having the nerve to invite anyone for Bible study and such, God gave me a dream of me cleaning up a room that had been left and in the midst of that dream I saw seven women. I remembered a prophetic word the Lord gave me and I immediately knew that I had to get back in that building, clean it up and start teaching. That is exactly what I did. I started something called The Birthing Room which I held on Sunday nights. It all started there.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I train and equip leaders in ministry, education and various aspects of print and television media. I have founded a few organizations in order to do such.
I am the founder and CEO of C.O.R.E Academy, which is a microschool serving homeschooled students grades k-5. C.O.R.E Academy alongside its sister organization, (which I founded three years ago), He’s Able Christian Homeschool Group serve St. Clair County in Southern Illinois. In 2024, I launched Kingdom Now Network, a platform that airs Christian television programming.

C.O.R.E Academy stands for Christ Over Restrictions Everyday. We believe that no matter what we can choose Jesus in any situation and succeed. Life may and will throw us curveballs, but at C.O.R.E Academy we strive to teach students the importance of never giving up, honor, and respect. We take a project-based approach to learning and work to incorporate the community in what we learn. Each classroom is named after the instructor’s alma mater. Our fist classroom is UMSL, which is where I completed undergraduate and graduate school. Our classrooms are small to give students more individualized instruction and attention. Students have a hybrid schedule with three days in person and two days off site for therapy and/ or virtual classes if that is what they desire. I decided that our day will start later than the average school day and end sooner based upon a body of research that indicates that a later start day contributes to an improvement in learning and the well-being of students. We are very excited to be utilizing the local community center next year as we will have access to a gym, playground, and our classroom. This is a big deal for us and we hope to expand even more!

He’s Able Christian Homeschool Group serves early childhood and elementary students and in many cases feeds students into the microschool. We gather together not only for socialization and learning, but to be an added value to the community. We currently have a space in a community garden in Belleville, IL where students learn about various aspects of sustainable gardening. We have partnered with community professionals to teach students all they need to know about gardening and will bring into the classroom in the fall some of the things we have learned to further enhance project based learning at C.O.R.E Academy. We also utilize community leaders as teaching artists and welcome volunteers from all disciplines.

Through my channel Kingdom Now Network, which can be accessed through Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire, I provide a channel for ministry leaders and organizations internationally to share the Gospel. Ministry leaders from all over the world are interviewed and they have an opportunity to also share their work by way of having their own space where they can preach the Gospel with freedom. I believe Kingdom Now serves as a means to give ministries that we may never hear of in various parts of the world a voice.

As an author I also seek to train by giving leaders resources that can serve them personally or even their organizations. For those who desire to learn more about writing and editing, I mentor in that area.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Knowledge of the Word of God is the most important area of knowledge that I have obtained above everything I have learned in life. Through the Word, I learned over time to apply my mind to understanding, not understanding to my mind. In Daniel chapter 10, the angel came to reassure Daniel and said, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.” I know based off of the word of God, that a life of consecration can and does yield results, but above all things, helps us to live a life unto the Lord for the sake of his glory being revealed in the earth.

Understanding the concept of honor has proven to be critical. Many people suffer from delay or even abort their destiny because they do not understand the law of honor. The law of honor is a guiding principle that emphasizes the importance of valuing and respecting oneself and others. Honor is a fundamental aspect of personal and collective well-being. This understanding has helped me to cultivate positive relationships, maintain ethical behavior, and a culture of mutual respect.

I have experience as a general education and special education teacher in charter, public, therapeutic and alternative school settings. This has impacted my journey tremendously. For years I have worked with students that needed additional support and with administrators who allowed me to walk with them even though I was new to education. From this I learned the importance of relationships and to always be mindful of opportunities that people give me to learn things, even if it seems like it’s not my time. I was learning everything I am doing now at a time when I didn’t look like where I was going. I learned that God positions people in your life and it is for us to take advantage of those opportune times.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Yes, thanks for asking! For Kingdom Now Network, I am looking to partner with churches as well as those who love to teach the Gospel, or are simply doing things that are Christ-centered. I am also looking for those who have biblically sound programming for children as well. You don’t have to be in the St. Louis region to be part of this work, you can be anywhere in the world! Even if you have a podcast there is room!

For C.O.R.E Academy this fall we are looking for teaching artists who will come in once a week for no more than an hour to teach in the area of fine arts, physical education, or even science. There is a small stipend for this work and does not exceed 6 weeks per unit. This is a great way to bring the community into our classroom and I look forward to what we will do this year.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kingdomnownetwork.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrystalcrawford116
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrystalcrawford
• Other: https://www.coreacademykids.com