Pastoral Leadership Across Two Generations
At 725 East 36th Street North in Tulsa, Covenant Family Church has been a steady presence in north Tulsa since 1980, when Rev. Stephen Rathod and his wife, Lee, began their ministry there. The church describes itself as "a Family Church, a Charismatic Teaching Center, reaching the world with the love and truth of Jesus Christ," and it is rooted in heartfelt worship, prayer, and Bible teaching.
Rev. Stephen Rathod grew up the son of a Methodist pastor in Gujarat, India, and came to the United States in 1974 to study organic chemistry at the University of Tulsa. The day he gave his life to the Lord Jesus, he resolved to be "a commando for Christ." He went on to earn two doctorate degrees but counts them as nothing compared to knowing Christ and the hope of His calling. He has taught the Word across the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. He began serving at the East 36th Street church in 1980 and became the Senior Pastor in 1994. He now carries the title General Overseer, and his unflinching summary of his calling remains: "I am more passionate about God and His Word today than I was when I got saved in 1974."
In 2025, after more than thirty years of senior leadership by Rev. Rathod and Lee, the lead pastor role passed to their son, Pastor Stephen Rathod II, and his wife, First Lady Melanie Rathod. Married since 2014 and lifelong residents of Tulsa, the couple say their prayer is that "every person who walks through the doors of Covenant Family Church finds hope, healing, and a place to belong." They lead with what the church describes as authentic leadership, practical biblical teaching, and a welcoming family atmosphere, building on the foundation their predecessors laid while bringing fresh vision and a deep love for people.
Sunday Mornings and Wednesday Nights
The weekly rhythm is built around three gatherings at the East 36th Street campus. Sunday Bible study begins at 10 AM Central, followed by the main worship service at 11 AM. Both Sunday and Wednesday feature children's ministry at the same time as the adult service. Wednesday nights gather the church at 7 PM Central for midweek teaching and worship. Services are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, with a sermon archive available online for catch-up viewing.
Office hours run Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM. The phone line is (918) 428-3875. The church office is located at 725 East 36th Street North, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74106.
The atmosphere at worship is meant to be welcoming. "You are welcome here" is the greeting that opens each Sunday, paired with the church's tagline of "Experience the Presence of God, the Power of His Word, and the Love of a Church Family." Three phrases animate everything the church does: Live With Grace, Love Without Limits, Hope Through Christ.
A Family Track for Children from Cradle to Preteen
Covenant Family Church invests heavily in its youngest members, with age-graded environments that run during both Sunday morning and Wednesday night services so that parents can worship while their children learn alongside peers.
The Young Children's Ministry welcomes infants through kindergarten in a safe, nurturing space designed to plant the earliest seeds of faith and to partner with parents in spiritual formation at home. Each gathering emphasizes a safe and loving environment, parents as partners in faith, and biblical foundations built early. The goal, in the church's words, is creating "joyful first steps."
Kingdom Kids, the children's church ministry, gathers elementary-age children to learn "the Keys to the Kingdom." The curriculum blends biblical foundations, growing confidence, faith-filled fun, and discovering purpose. As a neighborhood outreach, Kingdom Kids hosts "Game Sunday" with a partnering school on the last Sunday of the month during the school year, opening the doors of the church to the wider community one Sunday at a time. Children's ministry is offered at every regular Sunday morning and Wednesday night service.
Youth Ministry for Middle and High School
The youth ministry gathers middle school and high school students for worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere of belonging. The aim is to help students grow in faith, build friendships that last, and discover what God has for them. The youth group meets during the regular Sunday and Wednesday gatherings, with leaders encouraging students to "follow Jesus and lead with purpose" through an environment built on worship and growing together.
Women's Ministry and Men's Ministry
The Women's Ministry operates under the banner "Ladies Love & Action," bringing women together to grow deeper in God, find encouragement, and serve together. The gatherings meet quarterly to encourage friendships, strengthen faith, and inspire women to make a difference in their homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. The church frames the women's work as creating a community "where women can grow, support one another, and strengthen their faith."
The Men's Ministry follows a parallel pattern, meeting quarterly around brotherhood, prayer, mentorship, and outreach. Both ministries work to help men and women walk boldly in their God-given gifts and lift one another up, with the simple but firm reminder that "we are stronger together."
The L.I.O.N. Party: Reaching North Tulsa Block by Block
Outreach flows through the L.I.O.N. Party, or Leaders In Our Neighborhoods. The program gathers volunteers for community giveaways that supply food, clothing, school supplies, and other essentials to families in need across north Tulsa. The church frames this work as the practical expression of its mission: "Loving the unloved, reaching the unreached, and touching the untouched by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Donations to the outreach specifically can be made through Cash App at $thelionparty918. Volunteers are invited to join a service area they are passionate about, with the church's framing of the work as a chance to "be part of something bigger."
Covenant Family Academy
The church operates Covenant Family Academy on its campus as an academic ministry. The academy offers a safe, caring environment that builds early academic foundations and partners with parents. It serves a wide range of learners and emphasizes growth "both academically and personally," with families welcomed into a dynamic and supportive community. Information about the academy is available at covenantfamilyacademy.com, where parents can learn more about enrollment.
What Covenant Family Church Believes
The church's statement of faith centers on five anchors. First, the Bible is "the inspired, the only infallible and authoritative Word of God" and the mind of Christ. Second, there is one God manifested in three personalities: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Third, Christianity is grounded in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory as Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Fourth, the fall of man and his lost estate make rebirth necessary through confession and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ; through His substitutionary death and shed blood, believers are raised to everlasting life and blessing in Heaven, while unbelievers face everlasting punishment in the torments of Hell. Fifth, the Holy Spirit continues to bestow the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12 - the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, and various kinds of tongues - "in and among believers of the earth since the day of Pentecost and continuing until our Lord's return." The statement of faith also affirms the reality of Satan and his present control over unregenerate humanity.
The church summarizes its method in three verbs that flow directly from these convictions. Loving the unloved rests on the truth that "love never fails," and includes first loving oneself and one's own family. Reaching the unreached means "love always reaches," with God initiating the contact as He did when He reached down from heaven. Touching the untouched happens because "as God touches us, He empowers us to touch others" through both words and actions. In the end, the church's goal is to "make Heaven our home" by believing and obeying the Word of God completely.
A Resource Library and the Bookstore
A resource library and bookstore carry titles drawn largely from the pastoral experience of the Rathod family and congregation, with prices ranging from $3 for the mini-books to $15 for the latest release. The latest release, Take Heed, frames the Christian life as a marathon with purpose, patience, purity, and perseverance, and offers godly principles to rise above obstacles, distractions, and the traps of the enemy. Ministry: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly draws on more than forty years of pastoral experience and challenges readers to answer the call like Isaiah: "Send me!" Building With Storms In Mind helps couples preparing for marriage see past facades and asks whether a future spouse is a Jekyll or Hyde, a beauty or a beast. Coping With Grief offers spiritual strength and hope to those who have lost loved ones and must walk through the valley of grief. The short books Left Alone and Left Behind speak to seasons of grief and fear of death, while Show Me Your Scars rounds out the library.
How to Give
Covenant Family Church offers several ways to give. Online giving is available through Tithe.ly. Zelle gifts go to Covenantfc@tulsacoxmail.com. Gifts by mail go to 725 East 36th Street North, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74106. Cash App gifts go to $CFCTulsa. The church describes giving as "an act of worship and a reflection of a grateful heart," with every gift helping to share the love of Jesus, serve families, and build a strong community.
More than four decades after Rev. Rathod first walked through the doors on East 36th Street, Covenant Family Church continues to position itself as a family church shaped by faith, the Word, and a heart for north Tulsa.