Here's What Happens When Church Become Proactive In Their Communities
Churches fight gangs for youths
By LEE HIGGINS
TheState.com - South Carolina
lhiggins@thestate.com
A.V. Strong was a 17-year-old member of the Bloods gang in south central Los Angeles in 1976 when he stopped by a church to visit his mother on the way to a drive-by shooting.
He found God and quit the gang.
“That night, I was finished. I’m telling you my whole life changed that one night. I know the power of the influence of church.”
Strong, who now helps teenagers statewide get out of gangs through Project Gang Out, thinks churches play a major role in combating the gang problem.
They provide discipline, teach leadership skills and give children a sense of belonging, he said.
“A lot of these young people are missing that peace in their lives.”
Strong hosts gang workshops on Mondays at Calvary Outreach Ministries, a church on Shop Road.
He provides counseling and helps teens set goals and understand how being in a gang can interfere with their dreams.
“Some of them are tough, but you know what? Everybody’s got a heart,” he said, “and if you can hit them where it counts, in the heart, you’ll win them over every time.”
Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said churches can’t fight the gang problem alone. He said some parents are too friendly with their children and don’t provide the discipline they need.
“I don’t think there is any replacement for the family, but if the family is failing, we have to have these surrogate groups,” Metts said.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said churches give teenagers “some loving attention from some positive role models,” which is all they need to stay out of gangs.
It’s important church leaders communicate with each other about what works and what doesn’t, Lott said.
Sherri Caldwell, director of youth development at Bible Way Church on Atlas Road, a church that draws more than 1,000 children ages 13-19, agrees that children simply need attention.
“They’re looking for love,” she said. “We’re living in the age of a lot of latch-key kids. Parents are working all the time. So you have to be connected to something whether good or bad.”
By joining a church, teenagers can see that not all their peers are involved in gangs, using drugs or having sex, she said.
“I think teenagers reach out to the negative things when they feel like they have no hope.”
Reach Higgins at (803) 771-8570.
By LEE HIGGINS
TheState.com - South Carolina
lhiggins@thestate.com
A.V. Strong was a 17-year-old member of the Bloods gang in south central Los Angeles in 1976 when he stopped by a church to visit his mother on the way to a drive-by shooting.
He found God and quit the gang.
“That night, I was finished. I’m telling you my whole life changed that one night. I know the power of the influence of church.”
Strong, who now helps teenagers statewide get out of gangs through Project Gang Out, thinks churches play a major role in combating the gang problem.
They provide discipline, teach leadership skills and give children a sense of belonging, he said.
“A lot of these young people are missing that peace in their lives.”
Strong hosts gang workshops on Mondays at Calvary Outreach Ministries, a church on Shop Road.
He provides counseling and helps teens set goals and understand how being in a gang can interfere with their dreams.
“Some of them are tough, but you know what? Everybody’s got a heart,” he said, “and if you can hit them where it counts, in the heart, you’ll win them over every time.”
Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said churches can’t fight the gang problem alone. He said some parents are too friendly with their children and don’t provide the discipline they need.
“I don’t think there is any replacement for the family, but if the family is failing, we have to have these surrogate groups,” Metts said.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said churches give teenagers “some loving attention from some positive role models,” which is all they need to stay out of gangs.
It’s important church leaders communicate with each other about what works and what doesn’t, Lott said.
Sherri Caldwell, director of youth development at Bible Way Church on Atlas Road, a church that draws more than 1,000 children ages 13-19, agrees that children simply need attention.
“They’re looking for love,” she said. “We’re living in the age of a lot of latch-key kids. Parents are working all the time. So you have to be connected to something whether good or bad.”
By joining a church, teenagers can see that not all their peers are involved in gangs, using drugs or having sex, she said.
“I think teenagers reach out to the negative things when they feel like they have no hope.”
Reach Higgins at (803) 771-8570.
posted by Braye Cloud at
8:16 AM
1 Comments:
Certain churches only focuse on negative things that they see outside of the church. Because when most teens see the negative things going on that is the only part that they focuses. Some churches have many gang converted teens that some teens/children have no choice but to be in a gang. When some former gang members come into the House of God they talk about how they were in a gang to the teens. But the teens really don't listen how they were reformed or what they did while in a gang. They just listen to them being in a gang and some teens still think that they are in gangs. Most children only join gangs so they can stand out or so they will not feel left out. If most people know how the teens feel instead of thinking that they feel this way or that way and put the truth maybe they can put a stop to the gangs. Or if the parents or anyone ask the teens how they feel about it maybe they will know. Cuz me and my friend went around asking teens from our school why they are in a gang or why they want to be in a gang and most of them really dont know they just think they have to be in a gang cuz other students are in the gangs. See if most people stop being so smart and think they know everything they will know more things. If they get 3 people a person that was in a gang a person who is in a gang and a person who wants to be in a gang they will stop thinkin they know everything because one solution don't work for everybody. For example you say that this person is mentally ill and need medicine that don't mean that they next mentally ill person needs medicine they just could be acting or need comfort. Or another example for gangs they say that they need a person for guidance (because their mother of father isn't there) and they think it will work for everyone but it will not most teens will just do what they want until they experience something that they won't like for example a life or death situation.
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