From CBN News
A hugely popular inner city youth ministry has become a much loved institution in Nashville, Tennessee.
CBN News reports Rocketown has been helping kids stay off the streets and find Jesus for three decades.
It was founded by Christian artist Michael W. Smith.
He told CBN News that, back in 1991, he literally heard God say, “Build it and they’ll come.”
“I kept thinking, no, that’s the baseball movie, that’s Kevin Costner.”
“But I just kept hearing: “Build it and they’ll come, Build it and they’ll come.'”
“So I did a bunch of research, and we had meetings, and everybody said it would never work.”
“Three years later we opened up Rocketown.”
WHAT ROCKETOWN OFFERS NASHVILLE’S YOUTH
It serves as a base for teens who are into skateboarding, video games, need a hot meal, or a place to do homework .
Plus, it’s a refuge for troubled youth fleeing violence, poverty and dysfunctional families.
It’s also an outreach with a mission to help young people experience the love of God.
CEO Kenny Alonzo told CBN News its first priority is getting kids in the door:
“If it’s going to excite a kid and get ’em in the building, we’re going to do it.”
“And so, once they’re here, we get to love them and care for them and provide for them.”
“WE TRY TO BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS”
“We try to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I know that’s said a lot, but honestly, that’s what we do,” explained Mr. Alonzo.
“We are within a mile from the most violent public housing community in the state of Tennessee.”
“We have a lot of kids that come out of that community and they’re here in their safe environment every single day.”
“We’ve had everyone from couch surfers who have a home, but don’t want to stay there, to kids who live in storage units with their mum because they don’t have anywhere to go.”
“And there are kids from the street who just come in to get warm when it’s cold.”
WHAT TEENS SAY ABOUT ROCKETOWN
Fifteen-year-old Lemy Sanders who enjoys skateboarding and working in the skate shop told CBN News: “For me, it’s just being in a community that you do fun things for kids like me.”
Nineteen-year-old skateboarder Izzy Hopkins has been coming to Rocketown since he was seven.
He likes that: “it’s a safe environment, a fun place, great place to meet new people.”
Of course, Michael W Smith has included a recording studio for those who feel called to the music industry.
“That’s a no-brainer to me. We have a lot of creative kids.” he revealed.
“This gives them an outlet, and with technology today, you can do some pretty extraordinary things.”
YOUTH MINISTRY IS FAMOUS FOR ITS INDOOR SKATE PARK
In addition to its coffee bar and after-school program, Rocketown is most famous for its indoor skate park.
“We started out as a dance club in [the adjacent city of] Franklin, and when we moved downtown, we built the skate park,” said CEO Kenny Alonzo.
“We went after kids that were not traditional athletes, that were not connected with extracurricular activities,” he added.
As far as sharing the Gospel with these kids, Mr. Alonzo explained: “Our motto is you have to earn the right to speak into a kid’s life. And that takes time.”
WHY MINISTRY EASES TEENS TOWARDS THE GOSPEL
Michael W Smith added, “Just some of the background stories you hear like a girl, her dad is in prison and her mum’s a prostitute. What do you do with this kid? You just love on ’em.”
“For many years, a lot of people didn’t understand our philosophy. They were upset with us because we weren’t more direct about the Gospel.”
“Sometimes, especially when you have a very troubled teen who has a lot of damage, they don’t trust anybody. You have to earn their trust.”
“That’s our methodology. We’re going to love kids into the Kingdom, but we’re going to love ’em first.”
PLANS TO EXTEND ROCKETOWN TO OTHER US CITIES
Smith’s vision is to take this idea to other major American cities.
“People started hearing about Rocketown and they would come and visit us and say: Would you please come and build one in Seattle — Minneapolis – Dallas?“
‘We want to replicate what you guys are doing in Nashville and bring it here. Can you help us do that?'”
Kenny Alonzo says seeing young lives changed never gets old.
“I get emotional talking about our kids because we’re not in this for a year. We’re not in it for a lifetime. We’re in it for an eternity.”
