If you're a teen or youth leader in the city, you probably think that teens in the burbs or the country can't relate what you go through. Or, if you're a teen or youth leader in the burbs or "cow country", you probably think that you have nothin' in common with kids in the hood.

Well, your thoughts about are about to do a "180". It's called the 180° Prayer Hook Up.

First off, if you're in the city, hook up with a youth group in the burbs or better yet, in a town where there are more cows than people. Your youth pastor probably has a friend from college or a relative to hook up with. If you're in the burbs or country, hook up with a youth group from a city church. Then every week during your youth meeting, set aside time to write down your prayer requests and send them off to your 180° Prayer Hook Up partners. You can include your first names and be straight up with the issues that are heavy on your heart. Next, put all of your prayer requests in an envelope and mail them off to your 180° partners. Oh yeah, include a stamp.

When your 180 Hook Up Parnters receive your prayer requests, they will pray for you, but that's not all. They will hook you up with their prayer requests from their neck of the woods, or uh, hood.

You will be surprised when you read the 180 requests, how much in common you have with different teens. Messed up homes, problems with school, and having loved ones in jail aren't just happening in your zip code, but are happening to teens everywhere. You will discover that the lives teens everywhere aren't really a "180" from yours, it's just the way you think about them.

But that's not all. As you continue to build a relationship with your 180° Hook Up Partners, try planning a get together with them. Get your youth leader to plan an overnight retreat with your 180° Hook Up Partners, whether it's bringing city kids to a dairy farm to do a little milking, or to bring the suburban kids to the city for a bit of out reach. All in all, 180° Prayer Hook Up Partners is a lot of fun.

Want another fun outreach idea for urban youth ministry? click here