Handling the crime of your city!

Photo from Corey Brooks at Projecthood.org

One month ago I remember walking by the memorial of security guard, Troy Cameron, 22 and a young 15 year old boy at the Chicago and Franklin Walgreen’s. The occasional reminders like this are but a glimpse of the larger scale violence plaguing our city. According to Pastor Brooks, “More young people are killed in Chicago than any other American city”. Since 2008, more than 530 youth have been killed in Chicago, According to Project Hood.Org. These are Neighborhoods within a 15-minute drive of my campus at Moody Institute Bible.

Pastor Brooks in a radical effort to confront the violence pitched a tent on November 22 2011 atop of a hotel roof. Earlier today I joined him in his tent to get to hear of his three month journey. I started by asking why this hotel roof he responded, both the prostitution industry as well as the drug trade through the community used the hotel rooms. He then shared with us how his church got involved, “staring at us literally across the street, we had to get involved. We started negotiating, asking the hotel to remove all association and ban such activities from their property, unfortunately the hotel refused.” So Pastor Brooks launched a campaign of prayer walks as well as picketing the hotel. During this time communication with the city allowed the hotel to finally be shut down. 

Professor Clive Craigen of Moody Bible Institute lives with his family a few blocks away in the same community as Pastor Brooks. Professor Craigen summarized the mission of Pastor Brooks as threefold, “Firstly shutting down the negative in the community, then raising awareness and Funds for the property, and lastly building a community economic development center and school.” Pastor Brook’s shared some thoughts and encouragements for the church to continue to be involved in the daily life of the city. Learn of the daily events in the city and crime going on. Learn of the upcoming funerals of kids from the neighborhoods you work in and be present. Let the city see the church beat back crime block by block. We can all spend one hour of the week getting involved in some aspect of our community!

Follow Pastor Brooks at http://www.projecthood.org/

Importance of Mentor's and advice

         

          Robin, from 'Batman D.C. Comics' was taken in by Batman after he witnessed the death of his parents to a mafia boss. Throughout his youth Robin was taught and developed by Batman into the super hero he grew to become. In short Batman taught him the tricks of the trade, educating him and teaching him how to lead. As Robin grew older, he became the leader of the teen titans. Repeating what Batman had done to him to others.
        Through the adoption of Robin, Batman mentored the young boy into adulthood. The term mentor is a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. It was used about Odysseus's trusted counselor, in ancient Greek Mythology, where Athena became the guardian and teacher of Telemachus. Most major businesses, our armed forces officer's training, plus Christian groups and churches now use mentoring to represent a special relational process. Many people in life seek out a professional in their field of business or in their field of study others seek out spiritual leaders.
          Biblically looking at mentoring I've enjoyed looking at Moses the part of his story where Jethro step into a mentoring position with Moses. (Exodus 18) that same story continues on with Moses mentoring Joshua on leadership. (Deut. 3:28) Many examples of mentoring emerge throughout the Bible, besides Moses some other key mentoring relationships to look at would be Paul and Timothy and Jesus to the disciples. As Believers we have been called to making disciples (Mt. 28:19) disciple making is "to be teaching and instructing, or to be discipled is to follow ones pretenses and instructions."(Study Light)
       If someone hasn't been investing time into us how will we know how to invest in others? We need to be led and taught by others, before we can teach others. We must submit to others in leadership. I don't know of any corporation where one person makes all the decisions without taking advice from any one else. Robin acted on the advice of Batman throughout his walk. Had the comics and shows never had batman take in Robin I don't believe he would have turned into the crime fighting man he is. In my own life I know without guidance of my own life mentor I would never have made it to where I am today.

Some further reading;
       Bo Boshers:  The Be-With Factor: Mentoring students in everyday Life
       Tony Dungy: The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams that Win Consistently.
      

In with the New

Young Life Lincoln Park

          In response to some friends I've decided to post an update on my blog. Over the last six months I've been living in Chicago at Moody. In summary I've been taking 18 credits at school as well as ministering through Young Life, apart of big brother and sisters, as well as my relationship with Natalie.
         Last semester I was challenged a lot and learning a lot. I studied the early Christian church and its development's, studied Hermeneutics, as well as race and poverty, and the multicultural history of America. Exciting semester filled with a lot of growth both on the educational side as well as the spiritual side. One thing I've been lacking in though is community since leaving Sunshine I've really noticed my the absense of. So I've recently joined a Men's prayer group and a small group to add some fellowship with other Believers.
          Young Life has been tremendous for me and for Chicago. Amazing growth, Luke Schmitt came on staff for north side of Chicago, Which is the area I've been apart of. The 5 Area directors for Chicago have brought back an old element to Young Life in Chicago, citywide fellowship between volunteers and leaders. Over the past weekend we took some time for a Leadership retreat going through the vision of Chicago Young Life. By Re-visting our roots in the city as well as the history leading up to the different schools and the stories of whats going on! We then looked  to the future of Young Life in Chicago. The past 2 years have seen many new Young life groups, Young Life Lasalle, walter Peyton and Lasalle came back on the map with there new area Director Kimmy Taylor! Brand new this year came Young Life DePaul for college students! Young Life Lincoln Park is now up and running as well.
         The past six months I've been pouring into Young Life as a team leader in Lincoln Park. Prior to this year we've had one to two leaders volunteering at the school and dreaming big about the school. On December 2nd three Lincoln Park kids joined Lane Tech for camp. And decided they wanted to have Young Life in their school. So on wednesday, December 7th Young Life basketball outreach began. New Life Lincoln Park opened up there campus for us to use their gym every wednesday to reach the local high school. 25 students came out to play ball and so it began.  We met once more before break and  came back together on Jan 11th which we had 30 students come out. Since then the Ministry has been growing and we now have 3 leaders on the team  and 2 helpers from DePaul and Moody.

      Last six months have been exciting! This semester along with school I will be continuing to Meet new students and grow the trust in order to speak into their lives and to share the gospel. As well as develop a solid leadership team at Young Life Lincoln Park. Im also preparing to go on Student Staff with Young Life for the fall. Keep praying for the ministry and for next steps for me!

-JR