My Top 3 Observations:

In response to the events in the city there has been an overwhelming effort toward the physical needs and an underwhelming effort toward the issues of justice and righteousness. Justice and righteousness are the more challenging and long-term work. But they are also a part of God’s heart.  What would change if we were committed to see justice and righteousness flow through our streets?

The Church needs to commit to the long term work of equipping disciples who make disciples. In my work with juveniles charged as adults I’ve observed that many youth are with adults when committing serious crimes. Many people have criticized the youth of our city but I wonder how many of us are involved in one youth’s life? What if we had adults showing them a different way?

There have been many people positioning themselves for power, platforms, or profit. It was painful to watch people vie for the spotlight and the microphone to capitalize from the attention of a city’s pain.  What would we learn if we listened to those who are doing the most and speaking the least? 

My Top 3 Recommendations

Potential is rarely fulfilled or realized without opportunity. This is true for many youth in the city but it is also true for many servant-leaders in the city.  There are many leaders with great potential to impact the city but their opportunities are limited. So here are my 3 top recommendations of how people can get involved.

Financially invest in a person. There are leaders who possess great passion, skill, and relationships but have little resources. Find someone who is positioned to make an impact and gather others to financially support their efforts. What would happen if the dream of leaders became realities in our city? Here is someone you can support today:

• Jeff Thompson–I will place my reputation on this sentence: Jeff Thompson is a hidden jewel that can have great impact in the city of Baltimore. For the purpose of this blog I will refrain from writing all I would like about this brother in Christ. Jeff is a former football player at Univ. of Delaware (He played with Flacco but don’t tell him I mentioned it.), young (30), African-American, godly man, husband, and father.  He has all the skill, ability, and potential to have an impact on the youth and young men in this city. He has a vision start a football league in Baltimore that is similar to a ministry called Timoteo in Philadelphia. Visit Timoteo’s Facebook page to get a glimpse of what could be in Baltimore. I would love to introduce you to Jeff. Send me an email at ghopkins@gallerychurchbaltimore.com

Personally invest your skill. Many great leaders need help with administration, organization, budgeting, marketing, IT, and volunteers to do the work. What would the city look like if ministries and non-profits had no lack of people to do the work?

Join with others and serve. Link arms, sweat, and serve with people who are laboring in the city. This is a great opportunity to build relationships, gain on the ground perspective, and benefit from what the city has to offer you.

• Every summer we serve the people in our city for a weekend.  Groups from other churches also participate in this event as a summer mission trip. Join us! Get more information on this serving opportunity called City Uprising.