My heart is broken…has been for a long time. Here we are almost fifty years after the Civil Rights Movement and while so many positive things have happened there is still so much to do concerning the African-American community. The list is daunting: Mass Incarceration (African-American’s make up 43% of the prison population but only 12% of the US population. 1 out of every 3 black males born is expected to go to prison)–fatherlessness–black women are 5 times more likely to have an abortion than their white counterparts…that’s over 1800 abortions per day in the African-American community–staggeringly low graduation rates–eight million below the poverty level–substance abuse–the list goes on…
Many Christians are not equipped to understand AND lead when it comes to these issues. What we need are transformative servant leaders! People who like Daniel will sacrifice for the sake of their community and like Nehemiah who are able to read their neighborhood as well as their Bible and then respond by washing the feet of the city.
I’m thinking about starting an African-American Leadership Program. Imagine fifteen students over eighteen months being mentored, taught and inspired to understand the times and know what to do. I would lead them through an in-depth curriculum of reading, prayer and conversation as to what it means to receive wisdom from God, practice Christianity, understand their calling and cultivate a willingness to sacrifice as people of the cross.
As a pastor, I always have and always will seek to reach all people–that is my primary calling! But the fact is, there is a huge leadership gap that I see and I’m wondering if God could use me to make a difference.
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