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The vision for City Kids is simple – to visit under resourced sites and deliver a comprehensive gospel impact. We are faced with many questions in our calling, but it is in our search for the answer that we strive to spread the Gospel to all. Is God powerful enough to keep kids away from gangs? Does the Word of God still accomplish what it says in the current day & age? What if The Church at Durham took seriously its responsibility for taking the Gospel to city kids and youth? What if for 10 years a collaboration of churches and ministries comprehensively served the 10 most physically and spiritually needy communities of Durham? …my recent medical update from my wife!
John Blake’s Recent Medical News from his wife Carolyn:
Hello everyone. I wanted to thank you for your prayers and steadfast love for our family during this time. To bring you up to date, last week on February 9, John had his scheduled MRI imaging. When meeting with the oncology team later, the image was still indeterminate, possibly due to the 6 weeks of radiation, causing swelling and a cloudy image on the MRI picture. An indicator of the swelling has been John experiencing mild seizures and his speech somewhat worsened.
After meeting with the team, the approach now is to help settle the brain down and diminish the swelling. So… on Valentine’s Day we begin an every other week (up to 4 months) infusion through IV of a drug which has been proven to provide decreased swelling/irritation as well as help John feel and speak/understand better. All other therapies will continue as before, but our doctor is hopeful that this may give added relief to John during this time of recovery.
Praise God, John’s recent scan marker shows the tumor is a “good” one and responds great to chemo. Game plan is to begin a higher dose of chemo for 5 days, then 23 days off. What is determined there will give doctors an idea on whether we go through another year of every 1-2 months of MRI/recheck, or if the plan needs to be adjusted.
For the past 10 years (…more 2010-2021):
For the past 10 years CEF Durham, along with a select group of collaborating agencies, ministries, and churches, have addressed the spiritual, physical, and social needs of 10 Durham communities. During these 10 years, the number of communities actually increased to 14, of which were being served. There were many stories of individual lives transformed by the Gospel and tireless volunteers consistently caring for these children and their families.
A few collaborators and volunteers burned-out along the way, while most labored weekly, yearly, to see the spiritual atmosphere change from darkness to light in many homes and throughout the communities where they served. Most of the children born and raised in these communities never knew life without their Good News Club.
Today, we continue to engage some of the same communities and others where crime and evil still dominate life, even if intermediately. There is still spiritual darkness, an orphan/poverty mindset within these communities where kids are not expected to succeed. These are the communities where the words: at-risk, under-resourced, and marginalized are still experienced everyday by its residents. These are the communities where God has been rejected, yet screams out to be glorified! This is where the Lord desires that the residents welcome Him back — into their homes and into their communities.
Sponsor City Kids for Camps:
Camps for City Kids are held for 4 consecutive days during summer months and school holiday sessions. These camps emphasize putting God first in every aspect of play and life. Building solid athletic skills and strong Christian character during drills and team play are expected of every camper. Basketball, Soccer, and Tennis are regularly offered, but other sports like Wrestling, Baseball, Football, and Black-top Games have been held in the past. Sports camps, clinics, and tennis academies are typically held in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Fitness and healthy lifestyles are emphasized during all sessions. Presidential Fitness standards will be the age/sex baseline goal for all campers before the end of each camp season. For further camp details and a current schedule: Visit Upcoming Events and/or Call John Blake at 919.630.9434 — Though we meet with the kids in a variety settings, all of these camps emphasize putting God first in every aspect of play and life.
“God’s Game Plan” https://gospeltokids.org/about-us/john-blakes-story/
Richard and Michael are pre-teen city kids who live, as many say, in da hood. They have nowhere to go – and nothing to do. It’s not because they don’t want to. Actually, every time I talk with them they hint around hoping I’ll take them somewhere.
Here’s the usual conversation
“Hey guys, what’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“Where are you going?”
“Nowhere.”
“Why?”
“Because — there’s nowhere to go and nothing to do.”
Richard and Michael are just two of many city kids who feel trapped and imprisoned inside their own neighborhood. It’s understandable — there are bars around their apartment buildings. These bars are not intended to keep intruders out, but to slow down and trap criminals during police pursuits. Richard and Michael’s neighborhood is infested with drugs and crime.
“I hear the ball bouncing outside,” Richard says, “and I want to play. But mom won’t let me go to the courts ‘cause stuff’s happening out there — you know.” Yet in the midst of fear and distrust, Richard’s mom and others like her are receptive to Bible clubs and events for their children. Especially when those events allow their children to spend time outside of the neighborhood.
Over the past thirty years, the opportunity to reach city kids has grown immensely. Taking advantage of what God can do, we should make the most of every opportunity to teach them the Bible, but we should also remember that they want to do other stuff too.
The truth is — city kids get talked to, yelled at, and fussed at most of the day. We need to spend time with them — doing what they want to do and sometimes going where they want to go. Our activities do not have to be religious in nature all the time, but the outcome will be!
Each time we go somewhere together kids ask me questions, like, “Have you ever been in prison?” or “Is that lady your girlfriend?” Then, they tell me things about themselves and their families. Instantly, without a prepared Bible lesson, we have a divine teaching moment.
Where to Go and What to Do?
Sporting Events
Take them to a high school or college game, organize a neighborhood pick-up game, enroll them in a league, sponsor them for a sports camp, or organize a sports outreach.
I took a group of twelve Asian and Hispanic city kids to a Duke – UNC basketball game once. Perhaps it was because both teams wore blue and white, but these kids did not even know which team was Duke or UNC. These are some of the best teams in the country by the way. The kids loved it! It was not so much the game, but the snack bar, the picking at each other, and embracing the cultural differences between each other.
After the game we all slid down a big hill to get to our car. This all paved a way for an open discussion about making fun of others and how Chinese were different from Mexicans. I was able to share God’s plan and purpose for all people.
The outing opened up a unique court to play on. The kids were the players and I became their coach for a few hours. Numerous outings and activities are available for the teacher looking for a classroom that connects with city kids.
Arts/Entertainment
Couple a Bible club with an art class, organize/plan a mural project for a community wall, enroll kids in a cultural arts center class, or produce your own drama, dance, or a creative art form for presentation in the community.
Food/Shopping
Bake cookies, a favorite food, watch a movie, take them to the mall or open-air market and have a “looking day”, or walk down the street with a group of kids to the nearest convenience store. Give them each a couple of dollars to spend while they hang out.
Special or Surprise Activities
Ride horses, go fishing, or rake leaves. These would be things (stuff) that city kids typically never get to do.
“City Project” summer interns help CEF and others
Traditionally, our summer missions team would have just returned from Christian Youth in Action® training and have begun 6-8 weeks of 5-Day Club® ministry at random sites across the Durham area. Urban workers from around the country would have already departed Durham surviving another urban boot camp. However, this summer a very strategic decision was made to focus on what God has put before us rather than for us to add to the plate He gave us.
What does this mean? It means, that CEF and its friends, who minister in Durham, are committed to all necessary strategies and tactics available to us for kingdom building. It means, our yearly calendar and schedules may not match God’s, so what should we do?
God’s Calendar for us in Durham
During the early summer God scheduled CEF staff and ministers to continue its work in 10 under-resourced communities of Durham where the indigenous are being discipled to lead the outreach. There are so many wonderful things happening through these efforts that, unfortunately, there is not enough space here to describe. God allowed me to recruit and engage others from Durham to attend the Duke Summer Institute where we grappled with current and historical issues in Durham as well as navigating a course of biblical reconciliation for our city. The PrayDurham initiative has taken me to the State Capitol in Raleigh, NC to meet with the NC Call to Prayer caucus. I will be meeting with leaders of PrayNewark in their city during early July to learn how they mobilized their city to pray through a street adoption strategy as we are doing in Durham.
We’re enjoying breakthrough with several projects
God has also placed before us eight intelligent and committed interns from The City Project, a Campus Outreach effort of the Summit Church in Durham. They serve on 4 teams focused on 4 projects, which CEF, BlessDurham, and World Relief are engaging. They are helping us break new ground in ministry by (1) revamping our sports outreach—setting up camps and clinics for this summer thru next spring 2012, (2) reformatting and building our data bases for the blessdurham.org web site, which will impact PrayDurham and connecting the churches/ministries of Durham, (3) are doing research and development of a business plan for operating food and ice cream trucks for ministry to inner city communities and to refuges, and (4) joining the Butteflz team (Bible club/tutoring) to teach and administrate its summer programs. All have provided needed breakthrough this summer, which will propel us into 2012 on a solid foundation for sustainable ministry.
The traditional mission of CEF in the Durham area continues in mid-July and August with club ministry, sports camps, community block parties, and teachers being trained. What a great summer not being bullied by my own calendar and agenda.
HEADLINE for January 17, 2011
This year’s Martin Luther King Day of Service was very successful. 35 staff, volunteers, and residents worked together for the sake of others in the Cornwallis Rd Apt community of Durham, NC. CEF ministers there each week with Christina Rice and the Youth Life Foundation staff. The diverse gathering on Jan. 17th tackled several projects at the Youth Life Center based upon Dr. King’s question: “What are you doing for others?” Residents, like Jamar (below), were side-by-side working with teens from Kings Park International Church, students from NCCU, UNC, UVA, parents from the community, CEF staff and board members.
Jamar (lft) and John (rht) standing with many of the 35 volunteers after supper at the Youth Life Center
After successfully completing four of the five projects, the adults and children enjoyed a meal catered by Boston Market, then had a quiz game about Dr. Martin Luther King. Though muddy, cold, and tired, all felt good about the 3 hours together helping others and honoring the life of Dr. King. Aiden, who attended with his father, Stephen Ehmann (both seen in separate pictures below) said, “It was hard work but it was worth it to help other people.” I think Aiden really got it.
Aiden, Delrontay, and other kids organized and shelved books in the YLC library with the help of two local school teachers.
Stephen Ehmann helping a neighborhood child with their supper after removing old AC units, landscaping, and clean up at the Youth Life Center.
CEF encourages others to take part in next year’s MLK Day of Service. For the best results, interested groups should begin planning now. This is a wonderful way to engage and support our communities where city kids live. CEF is more than happy to partner with you. MLKDay.gov offers guidance and good ideas as you think forward to 2012.
UNC students serve in Durham before spring semester begins
A group of UNC students sacrificed their last few days of winter break to develop a heart for the city of Durham and serve with CEF in under resourced communities. RUF campus ministries, led by Daniel Mason, gave of their time, energy, and heart for 15 hours each day the week of Jan. 4-7. The group experienced a bus tour of Durham, tutored at the Youth Life Center, and helped kids at the Liberty St. Apts complete a photography project they began last March.
UNC student assisting child writing a caption for the photos he will submit to the kid's club project.
The students were usually divided into three teams, which participated in prayer walks, Good News Club flier distribution, and began service projects to be completed during the MLK Day of Service Jan. 17th. The 15 Tarheel students were able to meet, listen, and Q/A with community, business, and ministry leaders at Joe’s Diner in Old East Durham. The next day they meet leaders from World Relief, DurhamCares, Carpe Diem, and BlessDurham. After a full day and Good News Club® on Friday, the group reflected over their experiences with CEF staff at the Tobacco Road Cafe’.
This and other current information can be obtained at http://gospeltokids.org web site of the CEF Durham Area chapter.
Having fun touring 10 under resourced communities in Durham with UNC boot camp students via CEF.
A call for unselfish collaboration within the regional Church
This 4-part article has the essence of the following statements:
The citizens of our city like others have nurtured division and isolation, which resemble the words of the late Sen. Bobby Kennedy, “…men with whom we share a city, but not a community. Men bound to us in common dwelling, but not in a common effort…”
Yet, I will state, recently I’ve seen ordinary people doing extraordinary things empowered by Almighty God… reconciliation and biblical transformation is happening when ordinary people (called the Church or Body) work together in collaboration with each other and God.
There is lament, a plea, and hope for contemporary renewal — radical, but authentic faith within the Church as I state in part 3 and 4:
I see emerging a generation and community who thrives on social relationships and longs for authentic experiences with God… What if, as Jesus prayed, we ministered together as a unified Church — poor with affluent, mega with storefront, older believers with younger… ?
These are the ordinary people doing extraordinary things who are also saying, Enough is enough! Stop the bleeding. “Stop dividing the Body… severing its limbs and discarding some of its body parts…”
Final edition: Part 4 with entire article for your convenience
Don’t you hate it when a good working relationship with someone falls apart? It seemed so right and possessed so much potential. There were extraordinary moments of success. You may have experienced an extremely difficult time when you supported each other. There was a unique bond. However, life’s circumstances or a mindset change divided you and destroyed what could have been.
Part 1 – A Current Reflection
Now at 56, I’m often reminded of significant relationships that were cut short. I also think of current friendships that have enormous potential for doing great things together. I ask myself, How did I fail in the past? What could I have done differently? How can I foster sustainable relationships today? I believe these are some of the same questions the Church should be asking itself today on its mission.
Some of the answers or at least a few thoughts to get the discussion started can be found in the words of a current friend, Chris Rice, “A divided world needs people with vision, spiritual maturity and daily skills integral to reconciliation. The church needs fresh resources – a mix of biblical vision, skills in social and historical analysis, and practical gifts of spirituality and social leadership – in order to pursue reconciliation in real places, from congregations to communities.”
People and reconciliation are key words in Chris Rice’s statement. But no person, organization, or church congregation is equipped to supply the needed resources described. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things empowered by Almighty God. Thus, reconciliation and biblical transformation happens when ordinary people work together in collaboration with each other and God. Even if our friends say it in different ways, the essence of these words is what everyone wants to see happen in our city… people working together to solve our mutual problems.
Part 2 – A Past Reality
Unfortunately, history of the Church and our society reveals a different story. Sen. Bobby Kennedy eloquently stated this reality about people, relationships, and violence in America during a 1968 speech only a few weeks before his assassination:
“…We learn at the last to look at our brothers as alien. Alien men with whom we share a city, but not a community. Men bound to us in common dwelling, but not in a common effort. We learn to share only a common fear, only a common desire to retreat from each other, only a common impulse to meet disagreement with force. Our lives on this planet are too short, the work to be done too great… to let this spirit flourish any longer in this land of ours…”
I agree with Kennedy and others who lament over the relational abandonment of our society. Bluntly, it means divided, separate, or indifferent we will fall, but the Gospel gives hope that together we can stand. What would it look like… what blessing awaits the Church if it were to live together in unity (Psalm 133) and functions as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:16)?
As another friend and author, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, recently quoted a 9th century Benedictine monk, “We must always be on the lookout for Christ’s twofold coming, the one when he comes day after day to stir our consciences, and the other when we shall have to give an account of everything we have done. He comes to us now in order that his future coming may find us prepared.” Will the Church, which includes every Christian and every congregation, heed these reminders and follow the countless examples of what it means to live and minister in a divided world? Yes, we must remember the reality of our past if we’re to progress going forward. Where do I see this happening?
I see emerging a generation and community who thrives on social relationships and longs for authentic experiences with God. This is an expanding population of radical and revolutionary Christians willing to live and minister in this simple way — as Jesus taught and modeled. A correction has begun in their hearts and a plea for action is upon many of their lips. Will this restoration impact the Church? Will their cry be heard in our city?
Part 3 – A Future Restoration
Therefore, It’s because of this reality and our history that I’ve asked the Church a series of questions over the past two years: What if the Church at Durham took seriously its responsibility for taking the Gospel to city kids and their families? What if for 10 years a collaboration of churches and ministries comprehensively served the most physically and spiritually needy or under-resourced communities in Durham?
And by the way, these are the communities with no voice − where crime and evil have dominated life for way too long − where kids are not expected to succeed and adults are viewed with little value in solving its own problems.
What if peculiar doctrines of Scripture and Christian service in the community no long brought name-recognition or spiritual arrogance? What if the Church set aside its differences and used its diverse strengths for compassionate and intelligent ministry to our city? What if, as Jesus prayed, we ministered together as a unified Church — poor with affluent, mega with storefront, older believers with younger, etc? These questions scream out for answers from each person as well as from the congregations that make up the regional Church at Durham.
Part 4 – A Lament, Plea, and Hope
Durham needs those willing to enter the pain and suffering of its people… those with a vision, which has been turned into a passion of service unto the Lord. These are the ordinary people doing extraordinary things who are also saying, Enough is enough! Stop the bleeding. Chris Heuertz stated in a 2010 sermon while in Durham, “Stop dividing the Body… severing its limbs and discarding some of its body parts as if they were insignificant or unimportant.”
A Lament for the Church
Oh Lord the bleeding has gone on for way too long.
I repent of my disobedience and contributing to the
lack of unity within the Body. Forgive me oh God!
Your arm is not short nor weak to fulfill Your prayer
that we will be one as You and Your Father are One.
Oh Lord, so many do not believe in You because they
see the Church divided and separated from humanity.
Oh Lord, cleanse us of this great sin. Bring us together.
Create in us a pure heart and unify our actions oh Lord that we may join You in the work we are called to do. Bring glory to Yourself as we glorify You in our unified expressions of the Gospel: justice, mercy, and humility.
A Plea for Action
Lamentation, restlessness, and a plea for action from the Church typically expresses radical Christians. We have an authentic faith, but need a developing community to facilitate authentic or biblical expressions of the Gospel. In possessing the greatest truth, we must show the greatest love, the heart of Christ, to accurately express the Gospel in words and deeds. This is the greatest proof, which the Church and our city needs. The proof that God really did …so love the world… that God’s plans are …not to harm you, but plans to give you hope and a future. Our city will clearly understand this when it sees the Church believing, loving, and working together collaboratively with Christ-centered unity as it engages the culture of our city. This is the proof Durham needs to welcome Christ as God of our city.
Community-based kingdom building and collaborative ministry were clear in the New Testament where 39 of 40 explicit powers of the Holy Spirit were displayed in local communities. All but 2-3 miracles of Christ were done in the community marketplace where people lived… not in worship gatherings or meetings. The proof of God through the Church is expressed in communities.
This proof is diminished if the Church is divided and segregated into non-collaborative congregations. However, the Church is strongest and biblical when it collaboratively builds Christian community within local communities of our city. There are several local initiatives gaining traction which show the greatest proof in Durham.
A Present Hope
When times are tough and a biblical response is needed, the Bible says, “…but the people who do know their God shall be strong, and do great exploits.” Daniel 11:32 Hope is present in Durham. God’s people are initiating and sustaining many Gospel-centered efforts. Here are some examples of the most collaborative initiatives building Christian community and hope in our city.
Pray for Durham is an initiative to have every street prayed over everyday by hundreds of concerned Christians for spiritual air supremacy over the city. Durham Ministers in Prayer and Transformation Durham are meeting weekly and focus their prayer on Durham and not personal needs. CEF, Reality Ministries, Urban Hope, and the Youth Life Foundation are working with children and youth in schools and neighborhoods daily. Bull City Outreach ministers to the homeless and hungry; Frontlinez Ministries holds monthly block parties; and JusticeMatters, a Christian non-profit, provides pro-bono legal services to those living within the same communities where the above ministries serve.
In addition, ABCD is an emerging group of intermediary Christian community developers, which empowers community assets while providing a supportive learning environment, resources, and tools to those who transform communities. The last two examples of hope are using a web-based approach to uniquely connect the regional Church and the city to each other and opportunities to serve its fellow-man. DurhamCares is helping our city love its neighbors and engage in serving each other, building relationships across cultural boundaries, and transforming our community through committed involvement. Bless Durham exists to be a communication hub for the Body of Christ and bless Durham through the strategic coordination of efforts and relationships within our community.
Many of these church, marketplace, and non-profit ministers are part of an urban network, which meets regularly to seek diverse ways of collaboration in ministry and share its resources for the development of Christian communities in Durham over the next 10 years. The Church working together will stand… develop many initiatives like these, and do even greater exploits.
Over the past two years I’ve been captivated by the Scriptures and conversations with other Christians about the reality of authentic revival and spiritual transformation of our city. The discussions were usually filled with passion and restlessness. Leonard Ravenhill says in Why Revival Tarries, “The two prerequisites to successful Christian living are vision and passion, both of which are born in and maintained by prayer.”
A deep longing for a fresh move of God was evident in those people. I began to intersect with others from many perspectives and walks of life, which had passion, vision, and compelling prayer lives. Truly a revolutionary spirit was emerging in Durham. Chris Rice and Emmanuel Katongole called this a “deep restlessness about what it means to live faithfully in a broken and divided world” in their book, Reconciling All Things. Embracing this reality I began to investigate my ministry history with CEF as well as my own life.
Reflection
Despite the great work of churches and ministries over the years, why was I not sensing an imminent revival ― a change in apathetic attitudes outside or inside the church? Why was there little evidence of biblical transformation, in which I believed in and hoped would come? Was it too late? What was missing? Was I even thinking clearly or biblically?
I had no conclusive answers for these questions. I self-examined my own vision, passion, and prayer life by asking: Was I contributing to this spiritual malaise? Could in fact, our ministry be partly responsible for God withholding His blessing to our city? But during this struggle, I was soon reminded in another discussion, “Do not mistake God’s presumed inactivity as His lack of involvement or interest in our city.” His Words in Psalms 11-19, Isaiah 57-61, Mark 8, Luke 10, and John 4 as well as from trusted friends began to bring me needed wisdom and a clear understanding about what troubled me. I was also blessed with how to evaluate our ministry teams and an action plan to implement ― it was simply ten biblical expressions of God’s Kingdom.
Realization
After the evaluation, questions were answered like: What was missing?
1. Focused prayer for spiritual transformation of the specific communities where we ministered.
2. Godly relationships with the indigenous people living in those communities.
3. A comprehensive, collaborative, and biblical ministry plan that fostered sustainability and Christian community development.
Evangelism with follow up and some special outreach events had been our plan through Child Evangelism Fellowship® for many years. It was done well. 80,000 lives were touched and heard the Good News and many of those received Christ as Savior during the past 17 years. But it was incomplete. Even when we conscientiously followed Micah 6:8 and Mark 16:15, I realized we were falling short of expressing the Gospel as Jesus had instructed His disciples to do when He sent them out to every town and place where they were to go.
Refocus
I realized the focus of Jesus ministry and the heart of God was on people. Their worth, dignity, and living situation dictated ministry. My vision was sharpened on how God valued the people we were reaching, even in the most resource-challenged communities of Durham. As our team refocused, no longer were the people seen as objects or goals of our ministry, but essential conduits and leaders for the transformation of their own communities.
During the past two years, both ministers and residents have been enriched when they prayed, blessed, listened, learned, and ate together. This biblically relational approach has allowed us more effective evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development. Spiritual transformation becomes evident when these ten expressions of the Gospel are implemented. Now everything CEF Durham does will be community-based and guided by these 10 Keys of the Kingdom.
I heard someone say that kids know the cost of everything, but understand the value of nothing. Even at the ages of eight and seven Miguel and Louis knew exactly the cost of every prize they received. Special gifts from adopting families at Christmas were easily sized up and compared against “stuff” other kids had. I wondered if these two brothers realized the generosity and kindness of these strangers. So I asked.
Basically I asked, why aren’t you thankful? Miguel’s answer rattled the status quo Christian mind-set. He said, “Man those dudes don’t know me or what I like! Anyway, I can’t be seen with stuff like that. They [other boys] will laugh at me.” All I could think about was all the teaching he had heard, the time he spent with our staff, the places we had gone, and how appreciative his family had been. Was this the payoff? Honestly, I thought, why are we out here?
Ask yourself, what compels you — what motivates you to minister to city kids? Is it because there is a need and no one else seems to care? Or does it satisfy your own need for self-worth? The only thing that would really compel someone to labor unnoticed and without reward must be rooted in values, which are centered in Christ’s life. After pausing at Miguel’s answer, Jesus words flooded my mind, “Even so… even so… it is not the will of your Father, which is in heaven that one of these littles ones should perish.”
It caused me to check my motives and values, then ask myself, why are you working with these city kids year after year? What are your values? Don’t be afraid, take this urban values check up with me.
Do I Value Kids in the Inner City?
Are you committed to a philosophy that values the practice of biblical principles (James 1:26-2:1) and makes them operational in the lives of people? Is your life and ministry enriched by the city and it’s people, especially city kids (Matthew 18:14)? Miguel and Louis live in the worse Hispanic neighborhood of our city, yet the time spent with them enabled ministry growth to other children as well. Workers grew to love the children, their families, and their culture.
Do I Value becoming Vulnerable?
Your ministry must be directed towards and also include the vulnerable, “the least of these my brethren.” Do you seek to confirm the human dignity that is due to people in all communities? Risk means being willing for a new approach or task — but not the relationships — to fail as a result of a commitment to creative solutions and leadership development. Miguel and Louis were visited at their home each week and workers got to know their mom. She offered tamales and other food. The workers became her friend. They learned and incorporated Mexican culture into their overall outreach. Not all kids enjoyed the additions. Some stopped attending.
Do I Value Discipleship?
Do you show, affirm, and support grass-roots, indigenous leadership development? This would be a biblical philosophy of discipleship, which expects new converts to become leaders within their own neighborhood. Will you personally disciple one or several city kids for one to fifteen years? Miguel and a group of his friends will have contact with our ministry for three more years, then given the opportunity to be a teen leader with us.
Do I Value Empowerment?
There must be a willingness to trust and include the cultural perspectives and capabilities of various communities you target for ministry. Do you seek people and churches from these communities for the spiritual welfare of city kids?
As workers made themselves available, Miguel and Louis’ mom was able to share her concerns for her family. Tutoring for the boys, a better understanding and trust of American culture, and becoming connected to a Hispanic church were the results.
Do I Value Reconciliation?
Do you believe that reconciliation must first happen between God and man through the work and shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ? Secondly, do you believe that we must seek reconciliation with his fellow-man? Miguel is still working on this one. His mom and our workers have begun the process with some early success. Commit yourself to ministerial partnerships to reach city kids that include diverse individuals, agencies, and churches.
Well, how did you do? Which values were your strongest? Weakest? Regular check ups are good for staying healthy as you compete in this game. God places high value on city kids. So keep your game on till next time… Grace and Peace.
John Blake shares his "Heart for City Kids" 