Please note: This seminar is
conceived and presented from a generally Afrocentric perspective - i.e., it's deliberate
emphasis and bias is for reaching Black youth and young adults influenced to some degree
by hip-hop / street culture. Also, as we deal with some deep issues, this is not a
presentation geared towards children (much as we love ministering to them).
Don't Believe the Hype: Accurately
Assessing, Accessing and Addressing Street Issues
Preparing to Understand, Invade, Survive and Enjoy Ministry in
Hip-Hop / Street Culture
Don't Drop da Ball, Chu'ch 'Cause We Got Next!
Jesus and Urban Youth: How They Got It Goin' On
Quick Takes on the Emerging Generation
Profile of a Street-Oriented Individual
Ain't No New Thang: The Genesis of Hip-Hop / Street Culture
Crucial Questions a World View Seeks to Answer
Defining Hip-Hop's World View
Identifying and Countering Highly-Esteemed Street Values
Defining a Street-Based Apologetic
Identifying Key Playas In Need of Keyed
Prayas: Nationally and Locally
Street Perceptions of the Church &
Itself: Insights for
Outreach in Self-Representation
Building Quality Street Relationships
Understanding Information Transportation: Cuttin' Thru Takes
More than Just Talkin'
Seeing Scripture through a Street-Wise Set of Glasses
Retaining Reverence and Relevance: The Contextualization
Process
Seeing the Street thru the Corrective Lens of Scripture: Challenging
Value Systems
God's Witness to Himself in Hip-Hop / Street Culture
"Na'm'Zay'n?" Rap Music:
Reality, Resistance,
Representations and Redemption
Cultural
Trend Setters: The Flow of Hip-Hop's Cultural and Commercial Influence
Jesus' Strategy 'n Style in Street Ministry
The Need for Being Culturally Discipled
Types the Lord Delights 2 Deal Wid: U
In On It?
What Young People R
Lookin' So Hard 4
Between the Rock and a Hard Place: Church Youth, Street Codes
and Safe Passage
Discovering What Motivates Young People
Discerning the Spiritual Needs of People
Developing Disciples in Street Contexts
Helping Youth Find Their Spiritual Gifts: A Pattern 4
Discovering the Divine Design
Ideas and Insights for Creatively Engaging Young People in
Ministry
Specific Skills & Strategies for Ministering In and to
Specific Street Sub-Cultures:
plus other relevant and challenging
faith-forward issues
U Up Wi'dis
Overheads, illustrative slides, interactive Bible
contextualization, story-telling, role-playing, workbook (worksheets, insights / information, helpful
resources, etc.)
I want to know Christ and the power of His
resurrection, and the fellowship in the sharing of His sufferings, becoming like Him in
His death. Philippians 3:10 (NIV)
Hep brings over 25 years of street
level experience and urban ministry leadership training to this seminar. He's not an
expert on this stuff -- just a learner. As an urban missiologist and practitioner, he's
been involved in youth & young adults ministries in cities throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
A musicianary and speaker, Hep maintains a year-round youth and young
adults retreat and conference itinerary plus a busy summer camp schedule. He also works
with several vocal groups based in Philadelphia. His main ministry tasks are training and
discipling urban ministry leadership and evangelizing street-oriented young people and
young adults (a people group surprisingly receptive to the things of the Lord).
A graduate
of Rowan University (formerly Glassboro State College), Northeastern Bible College and Westminster
Theological Seminary, he teaches at the Center for Urban
Theological Studies in Philadelphia. He is also privileged to serve on the boards of The Cross Movement
(an alliance of Christian
hip-hop recording artists based in Philadelphia) and 2 North Philadelphia
community-based youth ministries: Brotherly Love Urban Youth Services and
Bringing Everybody Together (BET).
Hep began his
foray into the Christian hip-hop industry with a rap he and Paul Jackson wrote for
Timothy Academy (which was aired over WZZD in Philadelphia, PA). Shortly
after that he wrote a series of articles on rap and street culture for The
Urban Journal (published by Westminster Theological Seminary). This
was followed years later by opportunities to do photography for the Cross
Movement (an album cover: "House of Representatives"), co-producing
a song with The Ambassador ("It Was Love" on
"Christology"), appearing in the group's "Know Me"
video (from "Human Emergency"), and doing some recording work for a
couple of other Christian artists.
Here's
a page with some photos of Hep.
U Up Wi'dis
LENGTH:
Completely
flexible. From a single 45-minute presentation to a 2 hour session (with specific
need-based modules) to an all-day event to a strategy-based series.
CONTENT:
May be tailored
to a specific age-group or target audience (church or street-oriented youth / adults /
mixed). Again, the issues this material deals with are not intended nor designed for
presentation to children.
FEE:
Although there's no
set fee for the seminar, there are obvious costs involved. Our view is that this a
ministry, not a venture to peddle God's Word for profit (1 Thessalonians 2:1-20). We are
dependent on the Lord's supply through His people in this matter. We'll trust Him, with
you, to help cover our expenses. (Galatians 6:6)
U Up Wi'dis
![YUBM [' yueb-oum ] pr.n.: Young Urban Black Male : distinguished tribe : distinctive vibe : uniquely positioned for a strategic role in redemptive history.](YUBMLog1.gif)
