It is with deep regret and sadness that I have joined the rest of America to see
the carnage, the pain, and the anguish taking place in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.
To see what can emanate from hopelessness is a reminder of two things.
First of all, the damage that hopelessness can do, the wrong that can
be expressed by people in their frustration so that they wind up doing
the very thing that they're complaining against. At the very same time, I
recognize this demonstrates the need for the Church of Jesus Christ to offer the
hope that is missing in so many people's lives. It was especially disheartening to
see that so much of the carnage took place at MacDoman because I went to
Douglas High School. I graduated from Douglas High School. I played football,
baseball, and swam for Douglas High School, so to see something happen in a
community I am so connected to broke my heart. I used to be one of those students
who needed to see something bigger, and God brought people into my life who gave
me a bigger vision than the circumstances that surrounded me.
First, He gave me a father and then brought other influences that multiplied
the opportunities that were out there for me to see that there was much more
to life than what I was surrounded with. That's exactly what this generation of
young people need. These young people need to see that there's something
bigger out there than what they're looking at every day or seeing in the
news or on social media. They need men and women to come into their lives who will
give them a bigger vision of the world, of life, of opportunity, of what they can
become, rather than what they think they are limited to.
And when they get that kind of vision, because they get that kind of influence,
they will make better decisions. We cannot just stand on the sideline and
complain. We must now get in the middle and bring about a change. We need more
than a protest. We need a plan. That means that we're going to have to become very
aggressive in rebuilding the family. We're going to be have to become
very aggressive in addressing justice issues that have to do with fairness and
doing that which is equitable and honoring to God. It also means we're
going to have to restore morality to the culture so that people have a standard
of right and wrong. It means that the Church now must become the centerpiece
of mobilizing across racial and cultural lines to do what Jesus said we must do
when He said He came with good news to the poor, the captive, and the
disenfranchised—to offer a Jubilee. That's why at The Urban Alternative
we're offering a three-point plan. First of all, for churches to come together and
to have a solemn assembly, a sacred gathering re-inviting God in the midst
of our lives and our families and our communities. And then to do good works,
primarily through the adoption of schools. We see through these young
people that they need direction, and since so many don't have nuclear
families with mothers and fathers, we have to provide surrogate families so
that these young people get the direction that they need for wise
decision making. And then through that unity of solemn assembly and good works,
to speak with one voice about the changes that need to occur, first of all
personal changes, personal responsibility, but also systemic changes that provides
fairness of opportunity for people who are willing to be responsible. My prayer
is that this chaos will create a renewed vigor and value and call to the people
of God to glorify God through bringing Jesus Christ back to the center of our culture.