 Printer-friendly version Early in 2006, neXus Boston was started by a collaboration of six organizations each concerned for urban youth, familiar with the world of urban youth workers, and which has sought to address a variety of needs in this area. Building on youth ministry work done by each of the partners and informed by key youth ministry leaders like Virginia Ward (Youth Pastor at Abundant Life Church in Cambridge, member of the Ministry Council of the National Network of Youth Ministries, and Director of Black Campus Ministries New England for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship) and Karin Wall (founding and former Executive Director of Bruce Wall Ministries in Boston and Co-pastor of Global Ministries Christian Church), along with Khary Bridgewater (Director of EGC’s Applied Evaluation Systems), the organizations agreed they could and should collectively address four areas in youth work: support, training, networking, and research. So they put together a program, called it “neXus Boston” (nexus means “a connection, a link, a connected group”), hired a director and staff (Rev. Matthew Gibson, a seasoned youth worker, is the director) and opened their doors on the ground floor of Gordon-Conwell’s new ministry education building in Roxbury.
“We couldn’t do what we are doing without partnership,” Matthew says. “It takes the relationships that we have to make this program run.” Perhaps you could say the “nexus” of these six organizations brings much strength to the table, so that neXus Boston, in turn, can bring value and strength to other organizations, churches, and youth workers. Given that their definition of “youth worker” is very broad, being “anyone who supports the healthy development of youth,” the community at large is involved because the program touches many different sectors, from schools to city-run agencies to community-based organizations, to churches and other faith-based organizations.
Partnership is key both in the administration and the outreach of neXus Boston. “We always stress with youth workers that it is important not to be a lone ranger,” Matthew points out. “So it doesn’t make sense for neXus to be a lone ranger!”
THE SIX NEXUS BOSTON PARTNERS
The Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston (BMA) is an alliance of over 80 faith-based and community-based organizations serving the Black community. The BMA’s mission is to provide spiritual nurture for clergy—who represent over 20,000 parishioners—and advocacy and program services for the larger Black community. The BMA’s Executive Director, Rev. David Wright, sits on the neXus Council. Matthew describes David as “the consummate executive; he knows what needs to take place organizationally to really make sure that we are following a plan that is coherent.”
EGC has had the privilege of partnering with the Boston TenPoint Coalition (BTPC) in serving youth for years. In 1987, EGC and BTPC partnered to lead the Youth Ministry Development Project, a ten-year program designed to provide training and systemic support for church-based youth ministry to thrive over the long term in Boston. BTPC identifies itself as an ecumenical group of Christian clergy and lay leaders working to mobilize the community around issues affecting Black and Latino youth, especially those at risk for violence, drug abuse, and other destructive behavior. Lori Nelson, the director of community outreach, represents BTPC on the Council. According to Matthew, “Lori brings to the table a real understanding of what it takes to get the message out, the message of neXus,” he says. “She is helping us think through how we attract folks to neXus.”
Strong personal relationships abound among those on the Council. Matthew was working with Chris Troy, executive director of the Boston Urban Youth Foundation (BUYF), before coming to neXus, and has a lot of respect for his expertise. “Chris knows about the bread-and-butter issues truant youth are facing, their parents are facing, and the teachers are dealing with, but he also has a vast knowledge of policy matters,” Matthew points out. “If he does not know personally different theoreticians around the country, he knows their material and so he brings a lot of insight to what we are doing.” BUYF serves over 500 youth ages 11-18 from the Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan neighborhoods of Boston.
EGC has partnered with Gordon-Conwell’s Center for Urban Ministerial Education (CUME) since its inception in the ‘70s. Today, CUME helps equip hundreds of urban pastors and church leaders for effective ministry and outreach in communities locally and throughout the world through education, resources, and ministerial fellowship. Not only does neXus have its offices at the CUME building, but CUME and neXus are offering three classes this year, the first exploring different models and principles of urban youth programs.
The Center for Youth Studies (CYS) is a network of youth ministry professionals committed to developing a comprehensive resource for youth work that is current, relevant, and geared for grassroots application. CYS Founder and Executive Director Dean Borgman sits on the neXus Council. “Dean is someone who has a real heart for youth workers,” Matthew says. “He is the oldest person in the room and yet he always brings one of the freshest perspectives.” Matthew also says that Dean acts as one of the consciences of the group, wanting to make sure that what neXus does is transformational, not business as usual. “Dean oversees what we are doing and what I am doing in particular with a lot of scrutiny and a lot of hope,” Matthew says.
As the administrative lead of neXus Boston, the Emmanuel Gospel Center is responsible for fundraising, supervising the director, and helping the partnership be more effective. Jeff Bass and Rocklyn Clarke, chairman of EGC’s Board of Directors, both sit on the council. “Jeff is the administrative and visionary glue that keeps it all together,” Matthew explains. “He is working with me to make sure that I am bringing things to the table that are going to make sense. Because of his engineering background, he just knows the little things that we can implement to make things go a lot more smoothly.”
This year, neXus Boston expects to serve 250 youth workers, who in turn will serve 5,000 youth ages 10-19 in Greater Boston, while impacting thousands more through relationships and extended networks. In addition, their research newsletter is distributed to 400 youth workers three times per year.
Learn more at www.bostonnexus.org.
by Steve Daman
[published in Inside EGC, November-December, 2008]
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