Most urban youth workers I know serve in a volunteer capacity, even the ones getting paid. The pay is usually so low they might as well be volunteering. Urban youth workers serve out of love, passion and conviction. So, for the first year or two they don’t worry too much about cash. After a while, though, you have to do something if you are going to be around for the long haul.

“Long haul” is critical for urban ministry because we often are working with young people who have lots of brokenness, lots of interruptions and lots of in-and-outs in their relationships. They don’t need a Gospel Playboy who will be their spiritual parent and then abandon them. They need to feel, see and experience faithfulness year after year.

So how do you get the funding you need to stay in the urban discipleship game for the long haul? You can be bivocational. Hey, it works for thousands of Hispanic, African-American and immigrant pastors; it could work for you.

You could do like I did for eight years and live in intentional Christian community, sharing a house, kitchen and bank account. (I guess that’s a surprise to those in America who know me as an outspoken “urban minister for free-market capitalism and globalization.”) There are other ways. I suggest you think of how to diversify your funding streams. Most youth workers think they should get a job or raise missionary support. The problem with missionary support is that it’s often hard for urban folks to raise cash from a relatively impoverished urban community. If you are raising missionary support, you are most likely bivocational, too.

Here’s what we do at Harambee Christian Family Center:

Donations
Solicit and receive individual donations. Give people a chance to participate in your ministry by supporting the work.

Foundation Grants
Seek out and apply for grants.

Tuition and Fees
Operate a private Christian school, preschool and summer day camp. Collect fees from parents and youth for these programs. There are even times when we collect fees for camping trips and turn a net profit.

Rent
At Harambee, we own six properties outright and collect at least $4,000 a month in rent. It may seem outside your focus on urban youth, but it’s not. Wouldn’t $4,000 a month well sustain your ministry? Even a couple hundred dollars a month would supplement the ministry budget.

Church Support
Though it might take a while to get placed on a church missions budget, once you do, a whole relationship full of diverse resources opens up. Invest in these relationships.

Consulting
Go out and speak on topics about which you have experience. Start small. Maybe the group you address can only pay $20—or provide a chicken dinner. After a while—if you genuinely have game and God is illuminating your ministry—you will be able to match your much-needed expertise with the resources you need for continued ministry.

Using the above methods, Harambee raised more than $800,000 last year. Granted, I’m not alone. We have 16 staff, plus board members, who are busily raising funds. You won’t get to this capacity overnight, but it is doable. If you are thinking about being there for urban youth over the long haul, these are things you seriously should consider.

Need more information? E-mail me at rudy@harambee.org.