What Are We Doing

The City of Milwaukee has many excellent faith-based ministries working on the front lines of need. Their leaders and volunteers are moved by a genuine passion to relieve suffering. Like all growing organizations, they need counsel to make the most of their efforts. For ministries showing promise for ongoing, fruitful service, and willing to be accountable for their actions, BASICS provides help in these project areas.

Ministers To Milwaukee

For people called to work with pastors and ministry leaders in Milwaukee that serve the poor, BASICS established “Ministers to Milwaukee” as an urban ministry agency. Ministers to Milwaukee raise their own support by relying on God‘s direction for their ministry. BASICS is the administrative agent and provides leadership training, community resources, and assistance in forming partnerships with urban ministries. Ministers to Milwaukee are active in the areas of youth ministry, community outreach, prison ministry, partnerships, training, community development, ministry consultation, and restoration/repair of ministry facilities.

Ministry Support and Consultation

Urban ministries delivering healing services and hope to the impoverished are in need of the advice, assistance and encouragement that BASICS offers. Project management services organize and direct volunteers from the Greater Milwaukee Area to help urban ministries with improvements to their ministries and facilities. Management and financial consultation is available to faith-based organizations requiring special assistance with their operations.

Directory of Resources and Referral Services

One of the best ways to help our community help itself is to inform it about the many resources and services available in the faith community. BASICS maintains a database of information on church and outreach ministry resources in the metropolitan area. Our resource directory establishes a sustainable network that provides referrals and efficiently matches resources with needs.

Unifying the Christian Community

BASICS is committed to bridging the gap between urban and suburban churches that have a heart to help each other. We do this by co-ordinating prayer meetings for ministry leaders, pastors, missionaries and community members. BASICS has a regular prayer letter and a “Good News” newsletter that are emailed to anyone interested. Volunteers with BASICS co-ordinate prayer meetings, prayer events, and “Lighthouse of Prayer” for the Milwaukee area. Lighthouses is a movement to establish and encourage prayer groups in neighborhoods, and workplaces as a foundation for social and spiritual improvement.

Ministry Forums

Ministry Forums are meetings designed to encourage and equip Christian ministry leaders to serve Christ together in areas of common interest and purpose. Topics include healthy youth, gang intervention and prison aftercare.

8th Annual “Appreciation Breakfast” for Pastors and Ministry Leaders – Bringing  pastors and ministry
leaders together to promote and encourage unity among church leaders.  (Over 200 attend each year.)

Bibles, Blankets, Gloves, Hats and Backpacks, – An annual outreach to over 2,000 homeless and needy adults and children in Milwaukee and Waukesha. 

 Billy Graham Evangelistic Association – Instrumental in bringing “Rock the Lakes”, to Milwaukee in August 2011 – and facilitated the development of a “Steering Committee” to aid in the planning, coordination and implementation of this event.

Christian Communication Network – Referral system of ministries with database set up by BASICS personnel.  This effort is in partnership with Impact 211 and is still in the implementation stage.    

City Tours- To educate suburban people groups to the needs of the city and where they can help. .

FAMILY Initiative (Fathers And Mothers Involved Loving Youth) an umbrella program for many of the youth related activities BASICS is currently facilitating

 “The Captive Project” – An evangelistic urban outreach using Christian Arts to impact youth and urban communities for the purpose of helping to change their values via park venues, prison outreaches, various Wisconsin city outreaches and free Discipleship Training. In 2010 over 2,000 souls, 60% youth and 40% adults, have been touched.

Good News Clubs – BASICS hosts meetings, in partnership with CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) and connects partners to generate after school Bible Study groups for youth. 

Heart of the City Project – Seeking funding for this initiative to interview Milwaukee’s youth to determine what factors influence behavior to lead to solutions for issues being faced by urban youth.

Human Trafficking Awareness Program, (HTA) in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services, is the first step to eradicating modern slavery.  Directed primarily to High School students and church groups.

In-School Ministry – Going into schools as a servant /“Prayer Warrior”, to talk/pray with students and faculty members.  Currently being done at South Division H.S.  Praying to expand into other MPS Schools

“MPS Covered in Prayer” – Connects a person or persons or group with each Milwaukee Public School (180 total) to cover the staff and students with prayer.  The effort is shared with the principal of the school to learn of the specific needs of that school.  

The National Fatherhood Initiative partners with BASICS to improve the well being of children through Educating, Equipping and Engaging fathers to connect with their children and families.  BASICS incorporates Christian principles into it by writing, producing, printing and distributing a workbook entitled “Building Godly Fathers”. And one for “Building Godly Mothers”

Prayer Walks – In 2010 prior to the beginning of the school year, and on weekends, upwards of 30 people walked around and through the halls of local high schools, praying for the students, faculty facilities and the events and  programs that will be held.

Tools for Schools – A resource pamphlet developed to help shine the light of Jesus Christ into any school enabling their leaders to know who to call and where to find resources for support in Prayer, Care, Share and Prepare!   

Urban Camp for Kids (15th Annual) – 300+ youth at Camp Timber-Lee, East Troy, WI.

Word is God Worship Center – Monthly outreach to over 100 youth ages 4–18 … plus parents.

Youth discipleship – A Mentoring Program for urban middle school and high school males to study scripture, discuss life’s problems and share experiences while they are introduced to living a Christian lifestyle.

The Genesis Project – (see link on Home Page)
Mobilization of Volunteers – One of the strengths of BASICS with its extended database and emails.

Prison Aftercare Network (PAN) – over 30 ministries assisting ex-offenders re-entering the community by helping them find housing resources and jobs that enable them to survive without returning to prison.  2010 PAN, BASICS and others helped to HOST the CAPA Conference (Christian Association of Prison Aftercare)

Prison and Jail Ministries – Outreach to men and women in statewide prisons and city jails.

Prayer for the City – Every Wednesday morning in the chapel area where BASICS’ offices are located, from 8:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. a small group of “Prayer Warriors” meet to pray for the city of Milwaukee, it’s leaders, our country and other areas of concern. 

Seek & Find Ministry to “CARE” (Christians in Action with Resources for Evangelism) for and shepherd   the needy in the city with food, clothing, furniture, etc.  This is led by a new M2M, Pastor Alvin Hull.

Thanksgiving Day Meal Outreach to the poor – in conjunction with Word Is God Worship Center at 33rd and Vliet in 2010 served over 500 meals.

The Truth Project – Partnering with the Wisconsin Family Council in Madison and in conjunction with Focus on the Family to train individuals with a video series on having a Christian worldview.

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