The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) is kicking off a program to try to bring African-American men back to church.
Rev. Anthony Evans, president of NBCI, says that it’s time to end the plague of incarceration, drug abuse and unwed fatherhood among Black males.
“NBCI has no other greater mission than to reestablish God’s order–the first step being to call our men back to church,” Evans said in a statement. “We are committed to devoting a half a million dollars and a million hours of evangelism to get Black men back into our pews. There is something missing from the heart of the Black church–the presence of our Black brothers will heal hearts, minds and families.”
The group says that African-American women church attendance far exceeds that of men, but, they note, there may be extenuating factors keeping Black men from church. The group says that Black men need to atone for their sins and reestablish their relationship with God through Christ.
Evans wants Black men to know they have time to make things right and that the church is willing to stand by someone who is ready to atone. On the day that former Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson pled guilty federal corruption charges, Evans stood by his side.
“When a person has a difficult time in life we don’t abandon,” he said at a May 17 press conference. “The church (is) at its best …when people are at their worst.”
The group will kick off the campaign on Sept. 25, the day when all Black men are being encouraged to return to church.