(September 28, 2008)
By Ira W. Luke, III

The youth of Kensington have found a solid rock to lean on and that rock is Jesus Christ.

The Bible says you shall, “Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not only on your own understanding but in all of your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.”

That path has led over 2,000 youth between the ages of 10 and 22 to come through the doors of the Rock Ministries of Philadelphia located in Kensington. Their mission is to provide male juveniles, at risk, in the inner city of Philadelphia, pointing them to Jesus Christ through sports programs.

Rock Ministries was started by Paul Orr and Buddy Osborn from weekly Bible Study at the House of Corrections to the young people that were incarcerated. In 2004, Osborn and Orr gained ownership of the building that houses the ministry. The boxing background of Osborn and the bodybuilding background of Orr were incorporated into the facilities and were two focuses of sport within the ministry.

The idea of having a safe place for young people is one of the main influences for the Rock Ministries, affectionately called ‘The Rock.’ “It is 25 feet away from one of the highest targeted drug corners in the city,” says Osborn, a Kensington native.

Knowing that he did not want to be a product of his environment in a negative way, Osborn, he wanted to give back to his community. “There is really nothing I haven’t seen, heard or done as a kid that they [the youth] have told me.” He wants to raise the young people who come into Rock Ministries to run the group and to give back to the community.

When the kids come in, they know it is a place where people share similar views. According to a volunteer, mentoring is a big part of ministry. Romenzo Canada, a group leader at Rock Ministries says that “it feels good to fellowship with other Christian brothers and learn more about Jesus.” ‘The Rock’ is a place that can save that wayward child from destruction or help a teenager who is getting persuaded by peers to join a gang or get involved in criminal activity by allowing one to find their spiritual path in life.

One 12-year old participant states that if he did not participate in activities at Rock Ministries, that he would “be involved in the streets.” Getting to know who you are with the Lord can come at an early age and can help change lives. Canada, who was once mixed up in street life learned that it “does not offer much but jail or death.”

Rock Ministries believes each child should have strong morals and be honest. Each youth’s commitment to the program shows by how dependable and how reliable they are. “If someone says that they will be at the gym at 3 pm, I expect them to be here at 3 pm,” says Osborn. There are penalties for not committing to your word such as benching for one week or a push-up penalty in order to show discipline. Also, there is a 10 push-up penalty for using profanity when entering ‘The Rock.’ “We do not allow profanity in this building, if you do then there will be a consequence.”

Though it looks like a work in progress walking around Rock Ministries, the old building on Kensington Avenue has a locker room, boxing ring, equipment and a weight room to use to train for the many programs that occur. Osborn welcomes all young people including the ones who consider themselves as ‘tough-guys.’ “I want the so-called tough-guys to come visit so we can break them down physically and then we build them up with the gospel of Jesus and their lives will change forever.”

A 16-year old Golden Glove Champion believes in the mission of Rock Ministries though he got in a lot of trouble when he was younger. “It led to me finding my Lord and Savior and nothing was better than that.”

Rock Ministries also helps others outside of their building. They deliver presents to children and sponsor between 20 and 30 families during Christmas. In addition, they provide groceries and cleaning supplies that have been donated to help those who are in need. “We go out and clean the streets and participate in block cleanings and outreach in the park to get our message out there and spread the word of God”, proclaims Osborn.

While trying to create a bright future for youth, the building that houses ‘The Rock’ is creating a future for itself through renovations. They will add to the completed office space and locker rooms by creating different rooms throughout the two-floor building. “We want to continue to improve by incorporating a library, art room, music room, and a chapel that could seat up to 225 kids.”

The thought of a perfect neighborhood may be too much to ask the drug dealers and gang members that peruse our neighborhoods finding ways to infect the community. But each young person deserves to have a safe space like Rock Ministries to transform their lives and accept God in their life. Osborn concludes that “each kid is a gift from God and each kid can be all they want to be if they understand that God has a plan and purpose for their life.”

The Rock Ministries of Philadelphia is located at 2755 Kensington Avenue. Find out more about the history, programming, latest news and how to donate online by contacting Paul Orr and Buddy Osborn at 215-739-3927or visit their website at www.rockministry.us.