The Urban Poor

Bethany Urban Development has had a ministry presence in the Phillips Community of South Minneapolis for over ten years. The Phillips community is made up of four individual neighborhoods. The community has been regarded as one of the poorest areas in the state. B.U.D. reaches out to the community through individual spiritual counseling and coordination of united ministry of various local churches.
There were many negative spiritual strongholds in the area such as: alcoholism, drugs, gangs, and witchcraft. A key to breaking spiritual strongholds is corporate intercession. Nightly prayer meetings and prayer walks have been established to complement outreach initiatives.

In addition, several pastors in the area have become partners in prayer. Weekly prayer meetings have been started. “Prayerperation” all-night prayer meetings have been conducted along with a Pastor's Prayer Retreat and a three week consecration called the “Divine Experiment.”

God intended for the Body of Christ to work together in defeating negative influences and restoring the city. The power of God's Spirit is becoming more evident as a spirit of unity has become established. No one wants to stop now. God is doing something wonderful and He is positioning us to be a part of something even greater in the future. Walls are coming down as He is lifted up!