Help me change YN'S into YM'S! our young people need support!
We've heard the complaints, we've seen the headlines! " these young boys today are out of control, they're violent, they don't listen or submit to authority, they're fatherless and on edge" etc etc... the state of our young boys/men particularly in the developmental years( ages 13-18) has gotten so bad that they've earned a nickname in our society today as YN's, which stands for " young niggas" being called a " YN" isn't the same as being called a young person either, the name denotes a certain mentality, a mindset of recklessness and impulsiveness.....or in their terms, it describes a young person who is a " crash out." He lives and makes decisions without much thought of consequences or repercussions.
This should alarm all of us! the old saying of kids being the future is way more than a cliche, it's the God honest truth! and by the looks of it, our future looks pretty grim right now. Our young people are in a dangerous position, and i'd argue the challenges they face are the most unique in human history. However, rather than talk about all the problems they are facing, I believe it's been time to begin talking about the solutions to solve the problems.....and I believe God is calling me to do just that
To address the challenges our youth are facing I began a mentorship program named the " Be sharp" program. Inspired by the well known proverb, " As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another"- Proverbs 27:17. " at the end of the day, no matter how dire our problem seems to be, when it comes to our youth, the steps we can take to tackle our issues are really practical" in my opinion. The be sharp program is set up to address three specific problems our young people face, and to make it easy to remember for you, they all start with the letter "P"
1.) Purpose- All of us are asking the question " why am I here" or what am I supposed to be doing with my life? There's an answer to this question, which the program teaches is only found in God through his son Jesus Christ but the danger is, when young people don't find the answer from the correct place, they go anywhere or to anyone who will give them an answer which causes them to get lost on all sorts of dead end roads like gangs or even the corporate ladder seeking validation and meaning in places that cant provide it. " BE SHARP" will serve this great need in our children by not only helping them discover what our overall purpose and meaning is as people made in the image of God, but also we will help them discover their gifts, talents, skills as well as how to FIND meaning in everything they put their hands to!
2.) Precepts- All of us need direction and guidance in life, and thats exactly what precepts are, they are Godly principles the LORD meant for us to build are lives on, they are meant to keep us on a road that will bless and benefit us, and ultimately lead us to HIS desired end for our lives. It's no secret that many of our young people sadly are growing up without solid precepts. Many are growing up in broken homes where they are left to decide whats right and wrong all alone, so the be sharp program will serve this need by breaking down Biblical truth in all areas of life to give light to kids who dwell in darkness.
3.) Presence - All of us need what i call divine fellowship, that is, fellowship with the divine( our father) we were created by God in his image and as a result of that, i believe it is a MUST that we develop a relationship with him and commune with him to truly be whole as he made us to be. Furthermore, all of us are hardwired for fellowship with the people of God as well. We've all heard the old saying " an idle mind is the devil's playground" That means a person left by himself, and to himself before long can be left as a target for the enemy. That's exactly what we're seeing today with our youth. many of them are off to themselves with nobody actively in their lives, and the people who are around them on a daily or weekly basis, aren't influencing them in the things of God but the world. We're committed to serving this need by SIMPLY prioritizing weekly fellowship with the mentees in the program. Letting them know that they are cared about and not alone in this world to feen for themselves. From sport outings to weekly prayer, to just grabbing dinner together and talking on a Saturday morning. The mentees will know one thing, they are loved and cared for! and most of all they BELONG to a fellowship of Godly men!
SHARP THE ACRONYM?
The program " Be sharp" is inspired by scripture and it encourages us to better one another by close discipleship and life on life interaction, but it's actually an acronym as well......we will encourage the rise of STRONG. HONARABLE. ACCOUNTABLE. RESPONSIBLE. & PEACEFUL young people.......We will destroy the reality of YN's as we raise YOUNG MEN!
What do I need from you?
Most of all your prayers! but secondly, your action! we are ran on donor support, we need support to help feed the kids enrolled in our program, from outings and activities as well as help with clothing and shoes for those who need it and even hair cuts! we believe that man looks on the outside and God sees the inside, so it's best to take care of both! we encourage being sharp in our appearance and in our affections.....we gladly appreciate it!
Contact
CONTACT- Pastor Jalen Perkins by email
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