What If? Urban Leaders Were Fully Equipped
Transforming the Next Generation through Hope in Christ
From Michoacán, Mexico to South Central Los Angeles, to Watts, CA, Jose Hernandez grew up as one of a handful of Latinos in a racially tense community. As such, his family was often preyed upon. Not only was he experiencing violence outside his doorstep, but Jose also grew up within an abusive home. At a young age, still in Middle School, Jose joined a gang for the protection it provided.
His life would go from bad to worse, as he started to traffic drugs at 19 years old. At age 20, he was arrested and was looking at a long sentence to prison over a few different charges. By God’s grace and by pleading out, he received 5-6 years probation and had to take classes. It was a time of awakening for Jose. God made it clear that Jose was on a road to destruction, and he wanted to get out of this way of life.
Locked up in an 8’ x 10’ room in the county jail with echoes of metal bars closing each day and night, feeling like a caged animal, Jose knew prison was not the life for him. During his time in jail, Jose did everything and anything he could to get out and never go back, including attending chapel just to get away from the violence and racial tension within jail. Since his release, he never returned.
Jose began a corporate career, starting at the ground level and worked his way up. Sleeping on his brother’s floor, owning just a few outfits, and making minimum wage, he worked hard for a better life. Trading one hustle for another, he achieved great success in his corporate career, but he was still leading out of his trauma, his foundation of poverty, and the physical and mental abuse he endured. He operated with the voice he heard all while growing up telling him he would never amount to anything. Growing up in the hood, he had not yet shaken the reckless living and fatal mindset that was developed at a young age due to the environment of the hood and seeing friends die from gang violence.
Although he was doing well for himself, and able to provide for his 2-year-old son and then wife, his motives remained self-focused. He was working so hard to establish himself to compensate for the parts within him that were still lacking. After ten years, his wife left him as she was done with the self-induced destruction Jose continued to live.
Seeking help from someone greater than himself, he remembered there was a God he met while he was locked up and thought might be able to fix his problems. Approaching God like a genie in a bottle, God in his grace and love met Jose where he was at. God quickly became the greatest thing in Jose’s life. God never restored his marriage with his ex-wife, and He did not take away the pain he felt, but God was always walking with him to help him through his challenges and transform his heart.
In 2004, Jose dedicated his life to God. Two years later, God began calling Jose into ministry. By 2009, God made it clear that Jose would serve Him vocationally. In 2010, after attending some courses and learning much about the Bible, Jose returned back to the community he left 30 years prior. On September 11, 2011, Pastor Jose planted Hope Central Watts in the same basketball court he played on as a kid and has been serving in Watts ever since. Approximately four years in, he gained a great support and partnership of the youth pastor, Steven Shin, who has recently taken a sabbatical after eight years of service at Hope Central Watts.
Prior to the pandemic, the church was operating out of another space, but the space was lost during the pandemic. Ironically, the building may have been a lost space, but the ministry itself was growing as the need for hope also grew. Since then, the church was blessed to receive $868k to purchase a building, plus an additional $300k-400k in love and kind donations for renovations. This property hosts the church, a ministry home where missionaries stay, and a youth building. Initially devastated by the loss of their old location, the youth are deeply encouraged by the new space they can call home, go to for youth programs, and even do their laundry if needed. After several renovations to restore the building, it has become an oasis and a light on the hill, or on the corner as the case may be.
In the forefront of Pastor Jose’s mind is a phrase made popular by Edmund Burke, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Having grown up in Watts and returning 30 years later, it is evident to him that a lot of good men have done nothing. Consisting of 52% of the demographic under the age of 24-years-old, the Church has not reached the youth of Watts.
Thirteen years in, Pastor Jose and Hope Central Watts are reaching the youth in their community. They are seeing kids that were born those 13-years prior, who came to the church at ages 5-8, and have now grown up in the church. These young people are graduating high school and giving back by serving in the church. They have grown in their faith because they had a leader that walked through life with them, helping them to holistically grow. They are traveling, getting drivers licenses, learning to invest, and more because of the dedicated leaders surrounding them. When asked why Pastor Jose remains serving God at Hope Central Watts, he shared, “Because I am called to it, and because I love it.”
I am on a path to getting to know God. I want to study the Bible on my own, instead of just going to church. I prayed to give my life to God. - Malaya
It is young people, like Malaya, that brings Pastor Jose great joy in doing Kingdom work. Malaya is one of the young people that call the church her second home and a place she is growing in her relationship with God. Initially, her aunt made her attend, but she did not mind as it was a way to step out of the house. Over time, she found friends, enjoyed the programs, and felt comfortable there. Plus, they had donuts! Today, she continues to enjoy learning about God and is working on developing a relationship with Him beyond the walls of church. In her words, “I am on a path to getting to know God. I want to study the Bible on my own, instead of just going to church. I prayed to give my life to God.”
Pastor Jose shared that relationships are the greatest impact on Gospel transformation. He sees that many communities do not walk with people. They just do an outreach and prescribe people what they need instead of asking them or already knowing because they are doing life with them day in and day out. “Some of these kids are in really messed up circumstances. For example, a crackhead brother will steal their clothes, shoes, and shirts. Now they are embarrassed to go to school, because they don’t have clean clothes. …Some kids don’t need shoes or a backpack. They need someone to walk with them, teaching them about love, how to have healthy relationships, and how to invest their money. They need mentors to do life with them.”
WHAT IF? …urban youth lived out a faith that impacted their world? WHAT IF? …we were able to further train and develop leaders who are able and willing to walk through life with young people and provide holistic Christ-centered discipleship for this next generation? Not only would we see actual needs met and communities transformed through changed circumstances, but we would see healed generations through the love and hope of Christ!
Pastor Jose approached UYWI as he sought a credible community with real urban experience to help network in finding a youth pastor to step into Steven’s place. Out of that contact, we were blessed to walk through the UYWI Strategic Storyline process with him and his team. Although Pastor Jose came to the table with great success in the corporate world and over a decade of real-life urban ministry experience, through Strategic Storyline he was able to clarify the focus and purpose of Hope Central Watts. Because of the intensive training with UYWI, he is now better able to communicate to others the impact they are making in the community and how others can partner in the Kingdom work happening through the ministry.
We ask you to pray for Pastor Jose, his team, and leaders like him to persevere in ministry, walk forward with wisdom from God, and develop unity within their communities. For Hope Central Watts, we ask that God brings laborers into His harvest in Watts, specifically a youth pastor to fill the open position. Thank you for your partnership to further train and develop leaders, like Pastor Jose, who are reaching and discipling young people, like “Mr. Slow Walk.”
As we launch our year-end campaign, our aim is to raise $550,000 by December 31st. This will ensure we continue equipping the next generation of urban leaders with the tools, knowledge, coaching, and networks to reach more youth with the Gospel. We invite you to join us in this life-changing work.
Would you prayerfully consider making a special year-end contribution to support our mission of developing youth leaders who disciple young people with the Gospel? You may do so here on our website at uywi.org/donate.
WHAT IF? …urban youth lived out a faith that impacted their world?
Thank you for your continued partnership and support to continue to reach youth with the Gospel.
With gratitude and hope,
TOMMY NIXON, CEO
Urban Youth Workers Institute
As we continue in our year-end campaign, our aim is to raise $550,000 by December 31st. This will ensure we continue equipping the next generation of urban leaders with the tools, knowledge, coaching, and networks to reach more youth with the Gospel. We invite you to join us in this life-changing work. Would you prayerfully consider making a special year-end contribution?
WHAT IF? …more leaders were equipped to reach the next generation with the Gospel?
WHAT IF? …YOU made the difference?