BWAP Overview -  Basketball With A Purpose           
       BWAP is a program designed to teach young men how to be Christ-centered role models who are:

1. Committed to serve,
2. Courageous to lead,
3. Consistently developing as servant leaders
4. Commanding respect by leading the next generation with integrity.

      When young men in this age group build solutions to poverty and violence, they will help future generations avoid destructive life cycles that have plagued the inner-cities of America.
BWAP Senior Game Plan
       A basketball is simply a relationship building tool.   Each week the young men 18-30 yrs. old will play basketball from 7-8:15 pm. At approximately 8:15pm, we call halftime and the young men move into another room to listen to a Life Devotion/Direction Speaker. Each week a guest speaker gives a 9-minute talk on one or more  components of the YWAP Building Character program. The speech will only last 9 minutes and is called a 9MD - 9 Minute Devotion or Direction.
     Possible speakers include: Business owners, Law Enforcement, Pastors, former addicts, former alcoholics, former gangsters, women who have overcome abuse, Teachers, College and Military Recruiters, Professional Athletes and young people who have been a part of the BWAP Character Program. In the event that a speaker does not use a Bible verse as part of his 9 minutes, the BWAP Team will always give God credit through the Gospel after the Speaker is done..
        The presentation is 9 minutes, but the young guys can enter into more personal discussions after the speaker is done. Prayer is then offered by one of the young men and food is served as a family meal. After dinner the guys head back to the basketball court.
       As an extension of the relationships that we form with these young men, several relationship building activities occur each week. We offer weekly Bible studies called "YWAP Character Building for Coaches." Monthly birthday celebrations, opportunities to attend church and special events also happen each month. A "Grill & A Prayer" features a sidewalk grilling with young men praying. We also take the young men on a Leadership Retreat to a cabin in Rushford, NY.
BWAP Site One (Our goal is three more Buffalo sites in 2016.)

• Who: Inner-city young men, 18-30 yrs. old.
• What: Basketball, Food and Life Direction.
• Where: Expressway Assembly, 260 Eggert Road, Buffalo, NY 14215
• When: Every Thursday 7-9:30 pm.
• Why: To help inner-city young men to develop into good character role models who disciple and guide the younger generation.

Character Building for YWAP Coaches 
"A Game Plan for Greatness - Mentoring & Leadership Through The Bible"
The Youth With A Purpose Mission Statement is:
“We help inner-city young men become Christ-centered mentors
who teach children how to build their way out of poverty and violence.”
            All young men who graduate from the YWAP Game Plan for Greatness will become eligible for YWAP Coaching positions in the BWAP Middle School After School programs and Summer Basketball Leagues.
             Please keep us in prayer as we look to expand God's territory through BWAP in other cities. Possible expansion sites include, Niagara Falls, NY, Huntington, WV, West Seneca, NY and Buffalo, NY. Please contact us to learn more about BWAP. 716-830-8240 [email protected] www.youthwithapurpose.org
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     BWAP LXV was a perfect example of how a successful mentoring program works. Antonio Evans is a young man who is a leader of the Boys 2 Men Mentoring Program at Elim Christian Fellowship. At BWAP LXV, Antonio (young-head) met up with Tommy McClam (old-head) who's a little older and they mentored guys who are a little younger than both of them. It was like watching a mentoring pipeline of living water refreshing thirsty young guys!
     Wrap-around Mentoring happens when several generations of mentors form a common purpose. Our goal at BWAP is simply to bring young men the life changing plan contained in the Bible. The BWAP LXV Word for the Day was from Luke 6:31 "Treat others as you would have them treat you."
     Antonio told a personal story about how people can position themselves for success or failure. God has a preferred plan for your life, but you can take any plan you want. If you hang out in the wrong places with the wrong people - wrong things will be a part of your life plan.
     Painting a beautiful mentoring picture is what Antonio did at BWAP LXV. He mentors Boys 2 Men, was mentored by a man who is a big part of BWAP and now mentors young men at BWAP as a 9 Minute Speaker. God is using Antonio through Elim and BWAP to teach, train and send young people into the world as apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and pastors. It's a beautiful day in God's neighborhood! Thanks Antonio, Jesus loves you and so do we!
 
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     Before Jenaro came to America from Sudan, his life was vastly different. As he looks back on his life journey today, he feels gratitude for the people whom God has put in his life.
     When he spoke to the 18-30 yr. old young men at BWAP LXIV (8-11-16), he urged them to be grateful for what they had. He also urged them to work hard to make the most of every opportunity.
     Accompanying Jenaro to his Nine Minute Speech was his beautiful and intelligent fiance. Between the two of them they speak five languages. Jenaro came through the YWAP Program as a shining star leaving traces of his positive character traits on other young people who came across his path. We're grateful to God for allowing Jenaro to be a part of the BWAP program today after being a part of the YWAP program many years ago.
     Plenty of other folks also visited BWAP LXIV. Pastor Al Robinson from Spirit of Truth Urban Ministry brought his whole basketball team and volunteers. It was an honor to have Pastor Al and crew in the BWAP house. We hope Pastor Al and crew will be regular collaborators in our efforts to teach, train and send young men out on to the courts of Life.

     We also had the honor of a visit from the very first member of the YWAP Block Club Basketball Team. Donald (Buddy) Dahlke came and laced up his basketball shoes. If you need some drywall work done, Buddy is also known as "The Finishator" for his prowess in drywall finishing. At BWAP we like to finish with the words of Jesus; "It is finished."
     From the Island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean, we were honored to have Pastor Sandy and some of his ministry team in the BWAP house. Who knows, maybe someday God will take BWAP on the Global courts of life!
     Conflict is needed for growth to happen and BWAP is experiencing some growing pains. We did have some conflict on Thursday night, but it was needed. Conflict when embraced and dealt with properly will cause a greater prosperity.
"On a good day, enjoy yourself;On a bad day, examine your conscience.
God arranges for both kinds of days so that we won’t take anything for granted." 
Ecclesiastes 7:14 The Message
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Back in March, 2016, Antonio Evans was our BWAP XLI 9MD Speaker.
We schedule our Nine Minute Speakers at least 24 weeks apart; it's time for the Comeback!
Antonio is a rock star mentor who knows how to say "Yes Lord!"
Please pray for the 18-30 yr. old young men who will hear Antonio's nine minute devotion.

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     Better days ahead is mantra repeated by many folks in the midst of climbing life's mountains. At BWAP LXIII (8-4-16) we entered some new waters as we chart a course of better days for young people.
    What we have done as individuals and the organizations we represent, has all worked together for the good of the present time, but God wants to do a new thing. If we continue to do the old things, yesterday's prosperity will become tomorrow's failure.  
     A timely spoken Bible verse can deposit understanding in times of prosperity or adversity. We hope to be joyful in prosperity and considerate in times of adversity. Our new habit at BWAP is to place Bible verses in heavily traveled areas; by the scorers table and the food line.
     Pain is usually caused by some kind of conflict. Without conflict - there is no growth in life. Even the farmer breaks the ground before he plants seed. We need to teach young people to embrace struggle and conflict as being part of all things that work together for good.

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          Buffalo is not the only city in the world where 18-30 yr. old young men have become a troubled and almost forgotten generation.
          When the BWAP Directors met with folks from the Niagara Gospel Rescue Mission in Niagara Falls this week, Truth was spoken.
        As many as the sands on the seashore are the young men looking for life direction. Basketball With A Purpose provides life direction straight out of the Bible.
          Passionate folks from two cities got together and explored ideas on how we can give more young people the Truth about a more excellent Way of Life.

Please pray for BWAP as we seek God's guidance about enlarging His kingdom in Buffalo, Huntington, West Virginia and Niagara Falls. Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for  somebody.
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          Basketball With A Purpose is putting up some pretty good numbers. So far we've had 62 straight weeks without one punch being thrown. That's a pretty amazing statistic in a city known for its fair share of violence.
          When the 18-30 yr. old young men put down the basketball at halftime, they heard about some pretty good numbers from the Bible. Otu Obot II is a former YWAP Assistant Director and served as a Missionary in the Caribbean with Rev. Will Coplin.He now helps young people with their college careers through Canisius College.
          As a young man (which he still is,) Otu learned a lot of wisdom from the Bible He began his 9 Minute Devotion with the young men by quoting John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Otu demonstrated God's love through his words to the young men.
          Plenty of young people are learning how to become accountable and contributing members of society.Otu Obot II has seen many guys come through the programs at YWAP and he knows that nothing changes lives like the Way, the Truth and the Life.

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