History

While serving as an instructor at Bethany College of Missions in the mid 90's, Steve Harrison, developed a vision for reaching urban communities and the least-reached peoples of Minneapolis. In response to the call to reach their “Jerusalem,” Steve and his family moved to the urban core in 1998 and established a ministry base for student ministry activities and cross-cultural community service projects. It was at this time that B.U.D. developed its mission to serve the urban poor and immigrant/refugee populations of Minneapolis.

In 1999, B.U.D. rented a former pornographic video store in the Phillips Neighborhood. This became a storefront outreach center in the poorest and most ethnically diverse neighborhood in the state of Minnesota. The facility provided help to local residents through spiritual, educational and social programs. A year later they became a founding tenet of the Nehemiah Center , a facility that was to become a cooperative ministry resource center of prayer and evangelism for the greater Twin Cities faith community.

B.U.D. has always been active in forging partnerships among those reaching out to the refugee/immigrant populations living in the Twin Cities area. In 1999 and 2000 B.U.D. became a founding organization for the Tibetan and Somali Partnerships and has since facilitated evangelistic and church planting efforts among these two least-reached people groups. They have also started a variety of kid's clubs and social outreach programs such as ESL and citizenship classes.

In 2002, B.U.D. opened a coffee shop called “The Urban Jungle” as a means of serving the community and providing a place of hope and refuge in an at-risk neighborhood. The coffee shop has served as an entry point of ministry to those from the streets who have become trapped in drug and alcohol abuse and prostitution.

Today BUD continues to reach out to the Phillips Neighborhood and expand its ministry in greater Minneapolis community.
 
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