What If? Youth Impacted their World Pt. 2

Jesse Lobato featured image part 2 baptizing a young man in the beach.

Youth Ministry Saves Lives Jesse Lobato, took one year of Bible college after high school and developed a deep tug towards serving the inner city. During that time, he read how Chicago was having a horrific amount of casualties. That year, several young people were killed as well as others who were in the wrong…

Read More

What If? Youth Impacted their World Pt. 1

Jesse Thumbnail

From Transitional Beginnings to Stability in Christ His father being wildly abusive in nearly every way towards his mother, Jesse Lobato and his two older siblings left New Jersey for Salem, MA with their mother. Jesse lived with his mom during the week and vacationed with his dad throughout the year. His dad had a…

Read More

What’s Happening in the Certification Program

Certification Program Featured

The UYWI Certification program, formerly known as 90 Degrees, after a brief hiatus in 2020, relaunched in the Fall of 2021.  The program is a year-long journey for leaders and offers both leadership development and personal development designed to equip high-capacity urban leaders with key elements of effective leadership in ministry. The certification was created…

Read More

Trauma-informed care and focus on mental health in youth ministry

trauma-informed

The Church has been a central component in the lives of youth for generations, and for good reason. As research shows, a young person’s faith can be a protective factor against negative behaviors and outcomes. However, despite one’s faith and the church, trauma-informed care is often not emphasized enough or even talked about within the…

Read More

How To Lead Through a Crisis

lead

We are called to lead. When you rest in the assurance of Christ’s power over death we are reminded that we are more than conquerors. It is the Church—the people of God—that are on the frontline, and we do not back down, even from a pandemic.

Read More

Youth Look up to YOU… Lecrae’s “Just Like You”

Lyrics: “I grew up empty cause my daddy wasn’t with shoot. I wasn’t picky I’ll take any male figure… you.”   Believe it or not, your youth are watching! The rarity of positive role models increasingly infects our urban communities. Let’s make sure we, as ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5), bare witness to the…

Read More

First Things First

by Pastor Lee Wilson I thought I would take a break from the norm and blog about one of the most important things in youth ministry. It has nothing to do with programs or budgets.  It doesn’t involve camps or big events. I’m talking about marriage. And here’s why. As I reflect on the success…

Read More

10 Ways To Plan for Success in Ministry & Life for 2012

This is Part 3 in a series by Maina Mwaura.  Read Part 1 and Part 2.  “Ask me and I will tell you some remarkable secrets about what is going to happen.”  Jeremiah 33:3 NLT+ If you’re like me, every year you start off with a list of goals you’re going planning on accomplishing and…

Read More