Jose Rodriguez went from gang life in North Tulsa to helping transform cities through Jesus, coaching, and the power of presence. In this episode, Zach sits down with Jose, founder and CEO of Rescue a Generation, to talk about what it actually looks like to love and disciple kids from hard places for the long haul.

You will hear Jose’s wild story of growing up around drugs, gangs, and chaos, finding unexpected family through a bus ministry, and how a youth worker named Nancy refused to give up on him. Together, Zach and Jose unpack:

How to have thick skin and a soft heart with students
Why “giving up on giving up” matters in mentoring
How gangs often disciple better than churches and what we can learn from that
The ministry of presence and earning the right to be heard
Why changing a young person’s mind can change their entire life
The power of calling out identity and potential, even in the “worst” kid

If you mentor or work with urban or at risk youth, this conversation will fill your tank and sharpen your approach. Learn more about Jose and Rescue a Generation, and walk away reminded that love is a universal language, relationships change lives, and yes… you can mentor.

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To find out more about Rescue A Generation, check out their website - https://www.rescueageneration.com or @rescueagen
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