"Part 1: Read Carl Jeffrey Wright’s In Search of Heroes Interview and Become Inspired" by Ralph Zuranski
Click Here to visit Jeff Wright's Heroes Page
check out the links below to the Guardian Line Comics and Urban Ministries
www.TheGuardianLine.com
www.urbanministries.com
Ralph Zuranski: Hi. This is Ralph Zuranski and I am on the phone with Jeff Wright. He is the president of Urban Ministries and also co-creator of the new comic book series called the Guardian Line.
How are you doing today, Jeff?
Jeff Wright: I’m doing very well, thank you.
Ralph Zuranski: Would you be able to tell me a little bit about your company Urban Ministries Inc. and also the Guardian Line comic book series that you guys are working together on?
Jeff Wright: Sure. Urban Ministries Inc. was founded by Dr. Melvin Banks in 1970. He had attended Moody Bible Institute, which is how he originally got to the Chicago area, and later he went to Wheaton College and graduated. He was actually one of the first African Americans to finish both those institutions.
Jeff Wright: While working for another Christian publishing company he got the idea that some specific, unique media targeting African American teens needed to be introduced. So in 1970 in the basement of his home he launched a magazine called InTeen and Urban Ministries Inc. was born.
Jeff Wright: that by the time the full line was complete a church could use the Urban Ministries curriculum as their Christian education or Sunday school curriculum. The product began to be introduced in many, many churches, primarily African American churches around the country.
Jeff Wright: The company went on in the 1980s to develop a Vacation Bible School course to re-introduce the use of video products. I’m talking dramatic stories in videos in Christian education and the African American church. It was upon seeing one of those videos in the mid-80s that I learned of the company.
Jeff Wright: The Guardian Line, which is the newest product line from Urban Ministries, then continues a tradition of the use of innovative media products to reach audiences with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jeff Wright: By teaming up with Michael Davis who was already in the comic world and bringing the many years of church ministry and Christian education product resources developed by Urban Ministries we believe that we are going to do an incredible thing to extend the Gospel into even newer audiences.