UrbanDreamers, a program of UrbanPromise Honduras, is an arts-based youth ministry that, by promoting creative and critical thinking, challenges and inspires the youth of Copán Ruinas to live as people transformed by the truth of the gospel.
We envision a future in which Christians diligently and discerningly seek truth by looking at themselves, their faith, their relationships, and the world around them in new and creative ways.
Create Courageously
Copán Ruinas abounds with talented young people, but many believe that their creative talents don’t matter. Such beliefs lead them to give up on their dreams or neglect to develop their God-given gifts that have the potential to revolutionize the world.
UrbanDreamers seeks to promote the creative arts as a powerful force for the Kingdom of God, encouraging youth to develop their artistic abilities, whether by working in an area in which they are already highly skilled, or by taking the risk of trying something completely new.
Connect Relationally
UrbanPromise has the potential to bring together teenagers from different schools, neighborhoods, and churches for the purpose of forming a unified group of servant leaders who, by the power of Christ, can change their communities for the better.
One of the strongest powers of the arts is its ability to unify people from diverse backgrounds, as the very essence of art is recognizing and commenting on the common human experience. Intentionally embedding the arts into the UrbanPromise model, UrbanDreamers multiplies the opportunities to exhibit the unity that Jesus brought us through his death and resurrection.
Serve Wholeheartedly
The greatest commandments, as Jesus told his disciples, are to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbors as ourselves. One of the simplest yet most powerful ways to do these two things is to invest our time, skills, and resources in service to others.
In UrbanDreamers, we look for any opportunity to serve, but we especially value chances to utilize our creative gifts for someone else’s good. We love to show our youth that their gifts and abilities are bigger than themselves, giving them opportunities to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Grow Spiritually
Our ultimate goal is to lead the youth of Copán Ruinas toward an ever-growing, transformative relationship with Jesus. We constantly seek and take advantage of opportunities to teach students about his character and his kingdom.
Some of these teaching moments come through identifying and elaborating on artistic themes that naturally point to the Bible. Others arise by way of serving and creating together. Intentional mentoring times provide yet another vehicle for leading our youth toward Christ. In everything we do, we want to make disciples and see lives transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
What We Do
The UrbanDreamers program consists of two cycles per year that take students from their original inspiration to final art projects. For each cycle we select eight youth, who throughout four months participate in workshops, arts-based devotionals, service activities, group outings, and a final exhibit. Through it all, we focus on the ability God has given us to create and re-create, as well as our responsibility as artists representing the Kingdom of God.