Believe in yourself. That would be only one short phrase describing the impact of Pastor Demeris Johnson's 9 Minute Devotion at BWAP XXXV. In a short 9 Minutes. Demeris gave the 18-30 yr. old inner-city young men a life time worth of wisdom.
Without the guidance of a father or adult male role model, many guys grow up angry. They're unaware of why they're angry, they just feel an empty void. Pastor Demeris became a father figure to the young men at BWAP. He urged all of the young men to use the gift that God gave them to achieve the kind of life that God intended them to have. The former NFL star who played for the Buffalo Bills shared his story as an over-comer. Life is not meant to be free of struggle.
Authority figures to young men may be intimidating and cause resentment. Pastor Demeris represented authority and compassion. The young men identified with his personal story and were energized by his passion.
Perhaps the greatest example of who Pastor Demeris is would come form a testimony from another NFL Player. Jeremy Kelley who is with Indianapolis Colts has a fond remembrance of Demeris. Here is a quote taken from
http://www.nflplayerengagement.com/news-and-media/faith-family-football/articles/jeremy-kelley/
"PE: What does being a father mean to you?
Kelley: Growing up not having a father around didn't bother me much because I never knew what it was like to have him there. Luckily, there was a man that came into my life and filled that void and showed me what a father was. His name is Demeris Johnson and he was my best friend’s father.
Demeris is my Pastor, trainer, and pretty much my everything. He showed me that a father is someone who uses their authority and position as a parent to guide, love and teach their child what love is under all circumstances. He saw me, a young boy, with no guidance from a man and did exactly what any man or decent father would do. He took me under his wing and showed me how.
In the recent years, I have also reconnected with my biological father. We have a great relationship and I'm very thankful for that."
Thanks Pastor Demeris for your passion and inspiration. We hope you'll come back soon when your new book is published. Jesus loves you and so do we.
Without the guidance of a father or adult male role model, many guys grow up angry. They're unaware of why they're angry, they just feel an empty void. Pastor Demeris became a father figure to the young men at BWAP. He urged all of the young men to use the gift that God gave them to achieve the kind of life that God intended them to have. The former NFL star who played for the Buffalo Bills shared his story as an over-comer. Life is not meant to be free of struggle.
Authority figures to young men may be intimidating and cause resentment. Pastor Demeris represented authority and compassion. The young men identified with his personal story and were energized by his passion.
Perhaps the greatest example of who Pastor Demeris is would come form a testimony from another NFL Player. Jeremy Kelley who is with Indianapolis Colts has a fond remembrance of Demeris. Here is a quote taken from
http://www.nflplayerengagement.com/news-and-media/faith-family-football/articles/jeremy-kelley/
"PE: What does being a father mean to you?
Kelley: Growing up not having a father around didn't bother me much because I never knew what it was like to have him there. Luckily, there was a man that came into my life and filled that void and showed me what a father was. His name is Demeris Johnson and he was my best friend’s father.
Demeris is my Pastor, trainer, and pretty much my everything. He showed me that a father is someone who uses their authority and position as a parent to guide, love and teach their child what love is under all circumstances. He saw me, a young boy, with no guidance from a man and did exactly what any man or decent father would do. He took me under his wing and showed me how.
In the recent years, I have also reconnected with my biological father. We have a great relationship and I'm very thankful for that."
Thanks Pastor Demeris for your passion and inspiration. We hope you'll come back soon when your new book is published. Jesus loves you and so do we.
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED IN BWAP?
SPONSORSHIP'S
1. ADOPT A BWAP DINNER - Each Thursday Night at Expressway Assembly we serve a Meal for BWAP. This is an excellent way for your church, youth group or community group to serve some young men from the inner-city. You bring the food and use our kitchen to prepare the food. Our numbers vary between 20 - 40 people each Thursday night.
2. BWAP Adoption - For only $5 per week, you can sponsor a young person from the inner-city between the ages of 18-30 yrs. old. For every $5, a young guy gets over 2 hrs of physical exercise through basketball, a 9MD (9 Minute Life Direction) and a home-style meal. We are a mentoring organization and everything we do is designed to create a more beneficial relationship. We help guys with their education, employment, community service, safe place to live and a relationship with God. Some guys also receive transportation to and from BWAP.
3. 9MD Speaker - If you have some wisdom to pass along to young guys then we would be happy to discuss how you might do that. You would come on a Thursday night and speak for 9 minutes. After your 9 minutes are up, you are welcome to form relationships with the guys as they eat an awesome meal.
INTERNSHIPS
1. Media Newscaster
2. 9MD Speaker Coordinator
3. Kitchen Coordinator
4. After School Coaches
5. Mentors
6. Volunteers
7. Good Neighbor Philanthropy.
8. Grill & A Prayer Volunteer.
Thanks for your time. Go and do something nice for somebody.
JLYASDW.
Youth With A Purpose Inc.
157 Locust Street
Buffalo, New York 14204
716-830-8240
[email protected]
We do appreciate and need your financial help.
You can write a check to YWAP, we are a non-profit 501c3.
Our online BWAP donation site may be found at:
http://www.gofundme.com/w5p6ee4 .
http://www.youthwithapurpose.org/bwap-news/bwap-9md-speaker-guidelines
SPONSORSHIP'S
1. ADOPT A BWAP DINNER - Each Thursday Night at Expressway Assembly we serve a Meal for BWAP. This is an excellent way for your church, youth group or community group to serve some young men from the inner-city. You bring the food and use our kitchen to prepare the food. Our numbers vary between 20 - 40 people each Thursday night.
2. BWAP Adoption - For only $5 per week, you can sponsor a young person from the inner-city between the ages of 18-30 yrs. old. For every $5, a young guy gets over 2 hrs of physical exercise through basketball, a 9MD (9 Minute Life Direction) and a home-style meal. We are a mentoring organization and everything we do is designed to create a more beneficial relationship. We help guys with their education, employment, community service, safe place to live and a relationship with God. Some guys also receive transportation to and from BWAP.
3. 9MD Speaker - If you have some wisdom to pass along to young guys then we would be happy to discuss how you might do that. You would come on a Thursday night and speak for 9 minutes. After your 9 minutes are up, you are welcome to form relationships with the guys as they eat an awesome meal.
INTERNSHIPS
1. Media Newscaster
2. 9MD Speaker Coordinator
3. Kitchen Coordinator
4. After School Coaches
5. Mentors
6. Volunteers
7. Good Neighbor Philanthropy.
8. Grill & A Prayer Volunteer.
Thanks for your time. Go and do something nice for somebody.
JLYASDW.
Youth With A Purpose Inc.
157 Locust Street
Buffalo, New York 14204
716-830-8240
[email protected]
We do appreciate and need your financial help.
You can write a check to YWAP, we are a non-profit 501c3.
Our online BWAP donation site may be found at:
http://www.gofundme.com/w5p6ee4 .
http://www.youthwithapurpose.org/bwap-news/bwap-9md-speaker-guidelines
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