From the outside, Kansas City’s Kensington Community Center looks like every other urban building of its kind. Teenagers gather in groups and pass casually in and out of the double doors leading into an open gym. On the crowded court, games of three-on-three play out in both laid-back and highly competitive matchups between kids who might be the next college stars if only they had the means. It’s less an environment of hope than one of joyful acceptance as those who take to the floor embrace the life of an inner-city kid in Wyandotte County.
Yet, despite its appearance, Kensington Community Center is different. Set apart, even, for what members of one church see as a higher purpose: sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with more than 200 urban youth every week.
Since 2008, Kansas City’s Rosedale Church has been hosting the Wednesday-night youth outreach events at Kensington, bussing in elementary and junior-high students from across the county to play games, eat cookies and hear a message that Jesus Christ loves them.
“It’s part of the calling Christ gave us as His followers,” said Matthew Lee, who has served as lead pastor at Rosedale since 2007. “There are so many reasons why we do our Wednesday-night events, but the most basic is because we want to share the love and truth of Christ with kids who otherwise wouldn’t hear it.”
Rosedale’s Wednesday-night events originally began in 2007 as “typical” youth group services held at the church, located at 4473 Adams St., near KU Medical Center. But when an act of arson in May 2008 led to the destruction of the church’s youth building, Lee and Rosedale youth pastor Allen Elsey were forced to find a new location.
“Kensington has been a blessing,” Lee said. “And the whole situation has actually turned into a way for us to turn the church inside out. While these kids might never come to an actual church building, we are able to bring the church to them.”
Along with the help of Joshua Tent Ministries and Director Dave Stanley, Rosedale, at its peak, runs three buses to pick up Wyandotte County kids and bring them to Kensington. When they arrive, the youth are treated to games, a faith-based message and cookies donated from another local community center.
“They love the cookies and Kool-Aid,” Lee said with a laugh. “But it just goes to show that if you want to meet the higher needs, you have to meet the lower needs first.”
Lee, who holds a Master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Mid America Nazarene University, refers to the basic human needs of safety and belonging when he talks about the youth. He believes that through the outreach events Rosedale is able to meet those needs in a tangible way, offering kids a place to receive love and acceptance from volunteers in a nonthreatening environment.
“They don’t have to be afraid here,” Lee said. “They can come in and be relaxed and not have to worry about what’s going on outside, at home or on the streets.”
Once the kids are placed in this kind of environment, their hearts are more open to receiving whatever message is being shared. In this case, it is the message of Jesus Christ and the fact that He loves them, regardless of whether or not they are shown love anywhere else—especially at home.
“I would guess that 85 percent of our youth don’t have fathers in their homes,” Lee said. “It’s heartbreaking, really. But we try to see it as an opportunity to tell them that they do have a Father—one who loves them so much that He sent His Son to die for them, and one who offers them the invitation to have a relationship with Him.”
It’s a scenario that Lee has seen work before and one that he, Elsey and the Rosedale volunteers pray continues to play out in the future.
According to Lee, one of the staff’s greatest joys was watching a local 17-year-old make a proclamation of faith after staying for the youth event after finishing a pickup basketball game at Kensington. The young man now studies at a Christian college and volunteers at Rosedale during his school breaks.
“Watching God work in his life has been incredible,” Lee said. “His story really helps keep us going when it gets tough. Based on what He’s already done, we know that God is reaching these kids even when we can’t see it. He’s working in their hearts and lives, and we trust Him to do that every week.”
Due to the high volume of youth who attend, Rosedale is currently seeking volunteers for the Wednesday-night youth events. Those interested are encouraged to visit the church website (www.rosedalekc.org) where they can find more information, including times, locations and contacts.
“We definitely need volunteers,” Lee said. “Whether they can only come one time or want to volunteer on a regular basis, we welcome any help. As it says in the Bible, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. But God has been faithful this far, and we know He’ll continue to be in the future. We’ll just be blessed to watch as He provides.”
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