Inner city youth are in danger. Faced with growing violence and shrinking solutions, the challenges of life in urban communities are both daunting and overwhelming. But the new Urban Youth Evangelism Team (UYET) is not the least bit intimidated. They are taking Jesus and His hope into the streets.

“People are dealing with some heavy issues. It’s up front and in your face,” says David Dean, the 27-year-old UYET leader. Dean, as youth leader and now church elder, had been working with inner city youth for several years in East Palo Alto and other Bay Area communities.

It was during a regular 3AC (African-American Advisory Council) meeting of the pastors and lay leaders of the conference's 10 churches that the idea came up. “Most of our youth are in public schools in the large cities,” explains Joseph Jones, conference African-American coordinator. “We needed a special team formulated to meet the needs of the youth in our churches and in our communities where our churches are.”

Funds were immediately allocated from the camp meeting evangelism offering for this new initiative.

Dean’s name was immediately suggested. When approached about the idea, Dean knew it was time. “I knew that God had been calling me to do something,” he says. For years people had told him he should be a preacher. “No thanks” had been his immediate response as he pursued school for radio and television broadcasting while working at a Bay Area credit union. “I definitely did not want to be an evangelist!”

Three years ago, Dean began to feel like he wanted to be a youth pastor. That same week, his East Palo Alto pastor, Craig Dossman, asked him to be his assistant pastor. “That was my confirmation,” says Dean about God’s calling.

Saying yes to leading the new urban youth ministry outreach wasn’t hard. “If this is what the Lord wants me to do, I’m ready,” he says. He quit his job, moved in with family to be able to live on his stipend income.

The team’s part-time members are Hananiah Ruff from Hanford, David Woolcock from Bakersfield and Tammy Thomspon and Akoksua Opoku-Boateng from Fresno.

Partnering with the Local Church

Partnering with inner city or urban Adventist churches, the plan is ambitious: Revival, teaching and training the church’s youth, bringing a knowledge of Christ to their friends and community youth and, at the same time, addressing their specific issues. All in two weeks. (Adults are welcome, too.)

It’s a joint effort between the local church and the team. Bakersfield Southside was chosen to launch this ministry because of its urban setting and the church’s huge community presence through numerous active outreaches.

Weeks before the two-week outreach, church members, both youth and adults, were prayer-walking neighborhoods, handing out flyers and telling their friends.

Joey Porter, member of the Steelers super bowl football team, spoke against violence at a rally against violence. He was joined by Victor Garcia, a former member of the area’s Mexican mafia and parents of recently murdered children who also gave passionate speeches.

Weekend meetings bookend the two-week outreach. Monday through Friday the church’s multi-purpose room opened at 4 p.m. for recreation. At 5, Bible studies begin for those who are interested, followed by supper. Then the evening meeting begins.

Each week night, a specific issue is discussed — gangs, drugs, dress and appearance — with plenty of discussion. God’s answers for those tough life questions from His Word are shared. With time for prayer and questions, decisions for Christ happen each night.

As an added bonus, some of the parents also attended. “When you get the youth, you get the adults, too,” says Dean. “We appealed to everyone regardless of age.”

Twenty-eight people were baptized as a result of the outreach. Embraced by the Southside church family, they are already involved with the congregation’s numerous ministries and activities.

Partnering with the Merced Bethel church, the second outreach was held June 17 through July 1 in Merced. By year-end, San Francisco and a Bay Area community will also have hosted the team.

”It is extremely exciting work,” says Dean. “It is God’s will to save souls. I promised God I would never put a limit on Him and what He can do.”