Violent Crime has been an issue in America for quite some time, but in recent years, especially through covid, violent crime has increased. Just up the road in in Chicago, IL, for example, there have been over 3,100 shooting victims and 535 homicides this year alone.
In part, I believe that the rise in crime and violence that we have experienced has been due to the
ineffectiveness of the church. This did not merely begin with covid...the church has not been effective and or relevant in the lives of many individuals for a number of years. For example, I would venture to ask, or better yet, ask your pastor, what are the main influences of crime and violence in your church's neighborhood and in your community? Is crime and violence in your area due to drugs, gangs, poverty or a combination of each? How does the breakdown of the family structure factor into this? What is happening at the local school that effects the stability of the neighborhood and community? How is the church positioned to engage and address the issues?
Believe me when I say, I have received more emails regarding Marvin Winan's marriage (God bless him and happy for him) than emails regarding the violent murders that take place every week all over this country.
This tells me that our mission and what gets out attention is misplaced at best...Violence in our communities and the disintegration of the family and destruction of the lives of your youth happen because WE are ineffective and have made ourselves irrelevant to solving the problems. This is not God's fault, nor is it The WORD'S fault. The blame belongs to US. This is why the world viewed the liquor store more ESSENTIAL than the church. While liquor and cigarettes were sold at the highest levels in history during the covid shut-downs, our churches were shut down, told not to worship and or told how to worship and when to worship, and in my opinion, RIGHTFULLY SO!
Off The Soapbox for a second...
I too the time to put together what I call is a topical plan to address crime and violence in my area and community. Although I do not outline "preaching the Gospel" it should be abundantly clear, that we do what we do BECAUSE of the Gospel and who Jesus is, because without HIM we can and will do NOTHING!
I have had this plan for a number of years but was recently sparked into action because the Violent Crime (VC) Rate in my area exceeds 10.4 per 1,000. This is against the backdrop that the State's median is 4.07 and the National avg. is 4.00 per 1,000...so as one can see, WE have a problem!
If you are a pastor or leader, hopefully this can help you and encourage you to develop and implement a plan in your area that will allow you to minister to those hurting in our streets and PREVENT death from taking over our communities and neighborhoods. Remember, this is NOT about building a church name and or reputation, neither is it about promoting your "ministry"...This is engagement that you have to be ready for and directed of the Lord to do. I'll pray for you, and you pray for me...
Read more!
