Taking It to the Streets - by Harry Louis Williams II (Paperback)

About the Book

Reverend Harry "OG Rev." Williams from Oakland, California, is called to the streets: to the hungry, homeless, addicted, incarcerated, and vulnerable. Bringing us face-to-face with both the injustices that plague our cities and the gospel of compassion that offers hope to the downtrodden, this introduction to urban ministry will inspire and equip a new generation to bring the life-giving good news of Jesus to our cities.

Book Synopsis

• 17th Annual Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year - Church

There's an urgent need for Christian ministry in our cities--but we need a guide.Known around Oakland, California, as "OG Rev.," Reverend Harry Williams's calling is to the streets: to the hungry, homeless, addicted, incarcerated, and vulnerable. In Taking It to the Streets, he invites us into his world, bringing us face-to-face with both the injustices that plague our cities and the gospel of compassion that offers hope to the downtrodden.Rev. Williams takes on racism, the plight of children in the inner city, gentrification, urban violence, the prosperity gospel, and more, all from the perspective of someone who understands these phenomena from the inside. Whether we ourselves are from the city or not, we need a deep understanding of its social, political, and spiritual realities if we're to minister effectively. Taking It to the Streets offers firsthand accounts of urban life alongside large-scale considerations of its systemic challenges, all in the context of the life-giving good news of Jesus.This is the introduction to urban ministry we need. Filled with both sober truths and the hope of Jesus, it will inspire and equip a new generation of ministers to our cities.

Review Quotes

"Harry Williams has taken his years of work in the streets of Oakland and written a helpful and hopeful guide for those of us who know the gospel centers on the 'least of these.' Read these words carefully but be warned: Taking It to the Streets is a rousing call to action from an 'O.G. Rev' that can't just be read but must be lived."

"Real recognize real. O.G. Rev is a real one that has been serving some of the hardest parts of Oakland. Taking It to the Streets is a wake-up call for the church to go from apathy to compassion. It is filled with helpful insights and solutions for the future of the urban church."

About the Author

Harry Louis Williams II (MDiv, Palmer Theological Seminary) is an ordained minister and the author of several books, including No Easy Walk and Street Cred. He serves the poor, addicted, homeless, and formerly incarcerated in Oakland, California.