Steps to Eradicate Gun Violence

I AM Pro-Maker

Positive Youth Development Group

Steps to Eradicate Gun Violence

 the churches in the Memphis & surrounding areas,

 Your help is greatly needed to revitalize the moral standards, which are the building blocks of our very character. Character above all is quality that has to be safe Guarded by one and all. This alone is God’s desire forever. All are one; we must be alike to everyone. The entire humanity of the word is a single family. Whether you are an atheist or theist, youth or aged, you have to develop human values. Without this you are human merely in form not fact.

Man is filled with qualities such as anger, greed, desire, and jealousy. These are animal qualities. Many animal qualities are rampant in human beings today. This Situation must be corrected. We must go back to the basics and revitalize five core human values: Love, truth, peace, right conduct, and non-violence. Without basic human values guiding us, we become morally bankrupt. Without love as our purpose, we become empty. Without understanding of both of these we become lost.

As Christians our goal is to impart good human values, respect for fellow human beings, the planet and individual self. Our mission is to promote good will, love, tolerance, understanding and learning. We are all guided by our values and belief. Values build our characters and drive our destiny. The way you act reflects you. Values are not vehicles. They’re not supposed to get you anywhere. They’re supposed to define who you are. As a Christian your personal values peace, love, responsibility, compassion, and integrity are the center of your universe. Adherence to moral and ethical principles is the soundness of character and honesty.

Now with that being said, I ask: Are we as Christian doing all that we can do to try to stop some of the senseless killing that happening in our city? Or can we do more to build the moral standards that we spend so much time talking about? When we watch the news about someone that was shot or killed, does the news just provide us a topic for material to talk about on Sunday, or does it merely show those we work with that we keep up with current events in our city? Should not the news of someone being killed disturb us enough to have compassion on the people of our city, to try to save their live and the lost soul of those who are killing people as well? Is not this the great and wonderful service we as Christians should provide? If so, is it not our responsibility to do the right thing? For if we do nothing, are we not the cause of the problem as well? Do we really love our fellow man? Does our integrity reflect who we really are? Are we honest about our real Christian values? I suppose we, who say we are children of God, have failed to use the talents which God has given us, or maybe we have just buried it some place and forgotten it, and that is why those who really need our help never come to us. Because they heard us talking about the problems in our city but never see us doing anything to solve them, or maybe they have heard some of us say,” it’s not my problem,” or “there is nothing anyone can do anyway.”

They could just believe that we just don’t care.

Have any of you ever thought about how all of the above impacts the growth of the church? Any of you believe that the church can increase in membership greatly if we could improve in these core values? Do you know that if we would just do the works, God will give the increase? I can’t begin to imagine the realization of the dynamic influence the church would have on the people in this city, once those of us open the blind eye to all the problems the city have with crime, and begin to address these problems head on .

DO I BLAME THE CHURCH FOR THE PROBLEMS OR SAY THE IS DOING NOTHING? NO; HOWEVER I AM SAYING ONLY THE CHURCH CAN AND WILL BRING ABOUT THE CHANGE THAT IS NEEDED, BECAUSE ONLY GOD CHANGES PEOPLE AND GOD WORKS THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE TO EFFECT HIS WILL. AND IF HIS CHILDREN WON’T OBEY HIM WHO WILL? IF THOSE WO SAY THEY ARE BORN IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD DON’T REFLECT THE WAYS OF GOD, HOW SHALL THEY WALK IN THE LIGHT TO BE A LIGHT TO OTHERS TO SHOW THEM THE WAY TO LIVE?

BETTER YET, JUST HOW FAR DID GOD GO TO SAVE YOU, WHEN YOU WERE LOST AND DOING THAT WHICH YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE WHO CHANGED YOU AND HOW WAS IT DONE?

Knowing that you are the church, are you and your fellow members doing all you can do to stop the gun violence in the city and rebuild the moral standards of the people?

How many of us as Christians will say it is not our race that is creating all the crimes, so why should we care? Let them kill each other as long as it is not one of us. So, it is not our problem.

To use the race of a person as reason not to reach out and try to help is like saying the gospel was only meant to be preached to the Jews (the seed of Abraham according to birth). We understand that our life as a Christian should be an open epistle to all who see us as we try to save people of every race in every nation. The truth is that many of us look for reasons to do nothing when there are none, and that must change.

One of the great things about being a Christian is the knowledge that God has given all of us a purpose. God has given us the talent to fulfill that purpose. It is God who works in you to will and to do His good pleasure. I believe this power to do His will is God’s Holy Spirit that dwells in the Christian. We are the temple of the Holly Spirit which in you, that is if you are truly born of God and is His child.

The service we give to others and the care we offer is a source of great joy. We can rejoice as we practice the submissive mind and heart. The power to accomplish God’s purposes brings us joy. What a tremendous challenge we face as we find the heart of Christ! For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.

We should do all we can to like and encourage everyone with whom we come in contact. We, like others, need compassion, help, forgiveness,

and acceptance. We need to be reminded of two very important verses that should guide us in our life and relationships with others: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you” and “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ” I say if we show love to our brothers and sisters in Christ, the world will have an easier time believing what we teach.

Because we at I AM Pro-Maker believe the things the church teach, we feel sure that you to share our views and agree that many church members can improve on their human values. Many of them should become more involved in solving problems that trouble all of us, plus be willing to win more people to Christ. They should play a major role in the positive development of our youth and molding our young adults as Christian leaders of tomorrow as well as future leaders of our communities, while making our city a much safer place to live in and saving the lives of many.

We are seeking assistance from your youth minister, youth director, youth mentors, youth sport coaching staff and available access to your sports facilities. As time is of the essence, we are also in dire need of interim bible teachers and classrooms for two to four hours per week of bible study for youth and parents or caregivers. This hands-on outreach ministry assistance will be of great benefit by extending hope and guidance for our youth of today. Our primary goal is to direct them into positive life styles whereby they will ultimately have the opportunity to mature into the healthy and successful adults that all children of God are truly intended to become.

I AM Pro-Maker will start an annual citywide all-sports competition in the Memphis, TN and surrounding areas. There are twelve sports competition zones according to their zip codes. The team games consist of basketball, baseball, football, soccer, softball, and volleyball, and also competition in music, song, dance and art.

Check and find out which zone you live in. If your church would like to participate in this event, please contact us at [email protected]

IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF YOUR CHURCH WOULD MANAGE, SPONSOR, HOST A TEAM OR MORE OR JUST SUPPORT THE CAUSE TO SHOW THAT THEY EVEN CARE. We at I AM Pro-maker welcome all the help we can get.

visit our website at www.iampromaker.org and get to know our organization and please support us in our efforts. Thank you very much,

Robert Rayford/ Founder