Posts Tagged ‘Youth Ministry’
Multiplying Kingdom Impact
Christopher Stewart’s ministry journey began not with a dramatic conversion, but with a sister’s honest confrontation. Growing up as the oldest of seven siblings in the Inglewood area, Christopher knew church life intimately—but knowing about God and surrendering to Him proved to be two very different things. She looked me in the face and said,…
Read MoreKeep Praying, Keep Believing
In the work of urban youth ministry, discouragement can feel like an unwelcome companion. We’ve all been there watching young people we’ve invested in make the choice to leave, seeing programs struggle to gain traction, feeling like our efforts are falling short. The statistics can be overwhelming, the challenges systemic, and the victories sometimes few…
Read MoreA Story of Divine Persistence
The Youth Directors Who Almost Said No Meet Antonia and Elisaia Goldtrap, volunteer Youth Directors at Revive Youth in Long Beach, California, whose remarkable story of calling and commitment is transforming young lives one student at a time. A Divine Connection Decades in the Making The Goldtraps’ story reads like a beautiful orchestration of providence.…
Read MoreFrom Fear to Faith
A Young Leader’s Journey to Purpose At just 22 years old, Delmy Cruz carries herself with the confidence of someone who has discovered her calling, but it was not always this way. As she serves as the Youth Director of The Army of God Youth Ministry (T.A.G. Youth) at Templo Emanuel in North Bergen, New…
Read MoreA Story of Redemption & Hope
John Miranda’s Journey in Youth Ministry John Miranda’s story begins in the shadows of poverty and violence in Colombia. Born into circumstances that would break many, he experienced his father’s death at age three, extreme poverty, and exposure to darkness no child should endure. The transition to the United States brought new challenges, and by…
Read MoreDisrupting Narratives Through the Gospel
Where Faith Meets the Neighborhood In the bustling Washington/Guadalupe neighborhood of San Jose, just a mile from downtown, Annika John has spent eight years nurturing youth and developing leaders with Servant Partners, following several foundational years working in Los Angeles. Her journey to urban ministry was not always obvious—growing up in the Bay Area with…
Read MoreTransforming Youth Through Faith & Service
The Journey That Changed Everything While in her early years of high school, Shawnie was not looking for spiritual transformation. Like many high schoolers, she was simply focused on activities, sports, and academics. However, Patrick, CEO of Streets 517 and UYWI urban leader, would regularly invite her to Streets 517 events. For a long while,…
Read MoreWelcoming New Leadership
We are excited to introduce to you, Taylor Sims, the Los Angeles Fuel Network Leader. Taylor is the Youth Pastor at Revelation Church of God in Christ in South LA. She comes from a long line of pastors and church leaders. Growing up in the church, she describes herself as always having been a “church…
Read MoreBuilding for the Future
Over the last 5 years, UYWI has been working hard to be laser-focused on developing healthy, high-capacity, and high-impact urban leaders. We have designed, tested, and improved our core programs of Resources, Certification, Coaching, and Networks. Out of this intentional season, we have seen significant outcomes. Leaders that have been trained under our renewed programs…
Read MoreWhat If? You made the difference?
Maritza Rebollar was born in the U.S. but grew up in Mexico. She loved her life and community there, yet at 17-year-old she returned to the United States despite wanting to stay in Mexico. Today, Maritza shares that the move kept her from choosing many different things as it shifted the trajectory of her life…
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