BASICS in Milwaukee, Inc.

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

BSAICS 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.

What God Has Done Through BASICS

2003

• Organized the statewide “Call To Prayer and Worship” at Miller Park, September 13, 2003. More than 7000 people from numerous churches throughout the state, including Madison, Green Bay, LaCrosse, Fond du Lac, and from other states, gathered for an evening of prayer, worship and reconciliation. The program was lead by a choir of more than 100 persons and a worship team representing 50 churches. many who attended the first-of-its-kind event were uplifted and inspired to take “the love of Christ” back to their homes, workplaces and communities.
• Launched the Lighthouses of Prayer initiative in Milwaukee and surrounding suburban communities. This effort encourages people to establish a “Lighthouse of Prayer” in their neighborhoods and workplaces and pray regularly for their neighbors and fellow workers. Several churches appointed Lighthouse of Prayer coordinators and a “Lighthouse” was started in a women’s prison.
• Completed facility improvement projects at Harvest Ministries and Word Is God Worship Center.

2002

• Began “Ministers to Milwaukee” as a missions agency for people called to serve in the city as ministers to children, teens, adults and families. Initially, 10 individuals began as Ministers to Milwaukee, working in the areas of evangelism, youth ministry, church and community outreach, and leadership development.
• Developed a database of Christian organizations for ministry resources and referrals. Completed website for the organization.
• Evaluated 25 central city ministries that requested assistance for various facility and ministry needs. Seven requests were completed and 13 were approved for implementation.

2001

Completed many renovations to churches and outreach ministries, including St. Luke Emanuel Missionary Baptist Church, Christian Family Gathering, Heartlove Place and Intercession Ministry Inc. Use of volunteers saved thousands of dollars in labor costs.

2000

Completed 14 building restorations, operational consultations and other supportive services for ministries in Milwaukee, including Scott Christian Youth Center, Hope Street Transitional Row, Intercession Inc., and Win-A-Soul Ministries.

Launched five initiatives with urban ministry partners, including the urban Ministry Training Institute with the Christian Partners for Urban Action Board.

Held forums to promote collaborative ministry efforts in transitional (transformational) living, healthy youth, Christian event planning and establishing prayer teams.

1996-7

Established BASICS In Milwaukee, Inc., as a Wisconsin not-for-profit and charitable organization in May. Appointed its first Board of Directors, with Art Reimer as chairman. Began serving under-resourced inner city ministries with building repairs to meet building codce requirements.

1995

Arn Quakkelaar retired from Johnson Controls, Inc., to pursue full-time ministry in the city and began studying Milwaukee ministries, demographics and needs on the streets of the inner-city to find out where God was working and to join Him there.