[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”yes” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” publish_date=”” class=”” id=”” background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_top=”50px” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_6″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_image_id=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ layout=”1_3″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_image_id=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_title hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” content_align=”center” size=”2″ font_size=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” text_color=”#f09c57″ style_type=”default” sep_color=””]

Mission

[/fusion_title][fusion_title hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” content_align=”center” size=”1″ font_size=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” text_color=”#000000″ style_type=”default” sep_color=””]

The Inner City Church

[/fusion_title][fusion_separator style_type=”single solid” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”#f09c57″ top_margin=”10px” bottom_margin=”40px” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”50px” alignment=”center” /]

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_6″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_image_id=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” publish_date=”” class=”” id=”” background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_image_id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” undefined=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” hover_type=”none” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding_top=”” padding_right=”50px” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”50px” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_title hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” content_align=”left” size=”2″ font_size=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” text_color=”#000000″ style_type=”default” sep_color=””]

By Ashanti Lewis

[/fusion_title][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=””]

   Being a youth leader at an inner city church has redefined what church really is. Don’t get me wrong, I love a nice church. Nice building, comfortable seats (those plush pews are AMAZING!), gleaming smiles and songs of victory that I can hum all the way home…Yes, that’s a great church in my book. But then there are other churches. Churches, which operate more like emergency rooms. People come and go, seeking immediate help and gratification. As soon as their wound heals, they’re gone and you’re left to wonder – did I really make a difference?

   I was fortunate to be raised in a traditional church with a large youth population. We all prayed, laughed, ate, and breathed in the gospel together, without question or objections, because our church and family enabled us to do so…and yes, it was awesome! This sadly has not been my same experience as a youth leader today. Children often come from broken homes in search of immediate relief. Once that need is sufficed and the gospel of God is presented, most children are defensive and defiant against it. Their parents, too behave in the same manner.

[/fusion_text][fusion_code]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[/fusion_code][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]