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NBCI Calls on all Christians |
National Black Church Initiative
P.O. Box 65177
Washington DC 20035
202-744-0184
dcbci2002@gmail.com
www.naltblackchurch.com
Contact:
Rev. Anthony Evans
202-744-0184
May 20, 2013
For Immediate Release
NBCI Calls on all Christians to Get Rid of
Their Guns ---Unless You have sinned
Who is going to protect you - God or your Gun?
Washington DC - The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African Americans churchgoers, calls on its membership to get rid of any weapons in their homes. The black church believes that having a weapon is a sin; as Christians we are asked to put their faith in God. God says that He will protect us even until the ends of the Earth. So if God is going to protect you, why would you need a gun?
According to the American Journal of Epidemiology,
"Those persons with guns in the home were at greater risk than those without guns in the home of dying from a homicide in the home. They were also at greater risk of dying from a firearm homicide, but risk varied by age and whether the person was living with others at the time of death. The risk of dying from a suicide in the home was greater for males in homes with guns than for males without guns in the home. Persons with guns in the home were also more likely to have died from suicide committed with a firearm than from one committed by using a different method."
The experts say that having a firearm in your house increases the likelihood that someone in your house will either die from homicide or suicide. The Scripture says, "Thou shalt not kill." This applies to killing yourself as well as to killing others. Therefore, a gun does not have any place in a Christian's life. Nothing can offer salvation except for our God, and you cannot live a righteous life by preparing for a violent end. Our weapon is prayer, not violence.
The Rev. Anthony Evans, President of the National Black Church Initiative, says,
"Our community has been devastated by guns. They have caused so much pain and destruction in African-American lives. Why we think that guns are the answer is beyond me. One should strive to have a non-violent personality. We will have much to say about this issue in the coming press releases. The heart of the Christian faith lies in having faith in God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and, as followers of Christ; we should never put anything above our Lord - not the Second Amendment or our guns. Our faith should be rooted in the Lord and will save us in the end, not a gun. So this is why the church is speaking clearly against a gun that can only kill the body and stain the soul. If you have a gun for protection, it is a sin and you must get rid of it. Your faith must prevail."
So if you have any weapons in your house, the church is decreeing you to rid your home, life, and soul of guns and their associated violence within fifteen days of reading this edict. You have a choice to keep your guns because of free will, but also remember that the Scripture states, "Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword."
About NBCI
The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) is a coalition of 34,000 churches working to eradicate racial disparities in healthcare, technology, education, housing, and the environment. NBCI's mission is to provide critical wellness information to all of its members, congregants, churches and the public. NBCI offers faith-based, out-of-the box and cutting edge solutions to stubborn economic and social issues. NBCI's programs are governed by credible statistical analysis, science based strategies and techniques, and methods that work. Visit our website at www.naltblackchurch.com. |
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NBCI Identifies Race as the Culprit for Cleveland Four Sluggish Rescue |
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National Black Church Initiative
P.O. Box 65177
Washington DC 20035
202-744-0184
dcbci2002@gmail.com
www.naltblackchurch.com
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Rev. Anthony Evans
202-744-0184
May 10, 2013
NBCI Identifies Race as the Culprit for
Cleveland Four Sluggish Rescue
Racial Indifference Prompted Poor Police Work
Washington DC - The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African American churchgoers, is crying foul on poor police work amiss in the rescue of the Cleveland Four. Calls of concern regarding the Castro residence have been reported repeatedly over the past 12 years, and respondents failed to address these genuine concerns properly. It seems law enforcement can't be trusted to conduct the basic points of investigation. NBCI believes that if they had given proper attention and care to the case, Ariel Castro's name would have came up repeatedly directly and indirectly based upon his family relationship to Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus.
Rev. Anthony Evans, President of NBCI, says "Of course we are elated that these women were found virtually healthy and alive. The black church is even more elated that everyone is giving credit to God, through Christ Jesus, that they have been miraculously found. Praise be to God for his loving kindness. But we are equally disturbed as we hear more information on the investigation. A comedy of errors has occurred alongside a striking lack of concern about the fate of these young Latino women. As you know the mothers of these women never gave up hope in God, but it seems as though there has been a sense of racial laziness concerning the task force to recover the Cleveland Four. Of the 800,000 children and adult that goes missing every year, Blacks and Latino are the less likely to be vigorous investigated from white-controlled law enforcement agencies especially in Cleveland”
One of the most basic points of any investigation is to not only question the immediate relatives of those who have been kidnapped, but every layer of suspicious interactions. We've seen this investigative practice work--consider the swift application of justice in the Boston bombing case or after the attacks of 9/11. This is a true and tested investigative tool that the FBI is famous for using.
Yet we in the African American and Latino communities know that when our children go
missing, that largely white law enforcement agencies all across this country develop "racial
laziness" and forgo the most sophisticated investigative tools - Cleveland is no exception. In
fact, the entire city is permeated by the vicious air of racial inequality.
Consider the black couple in 2012 killed by a hail of 137 bullets by a mainly white police squad.
Or the pair of young black corporate executives who in 2010 were threatened and beaten by
Cleveland police during a night out in the Warehouse District. Cleveland Heights’ police chief
who assigned police officers to target the Myxx’s African American customers for selective
enforcement of the city’s ordinances to discourage them from coming enjoying meals and
entertainment in the Cedar & Fairmount business district this year. NBCI condemns this and "all
racial laziness" with the utmost conviction.
About NBCI
The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) is a coalition of 34,000 churches working to
eradicate racial disparities in healthcare, technology, education, housing, and the environment.
NBCI’s mission is to provide critical wellness information to all of its members, congregants,
churches and the public. NBCI offers faith-based, out-of-the box and cutting edge solutions to
stubborn economic and social issues. NBCI’s programs are governed by credible statistical
analysis, science based strategies and techniques, and methods that work. Visit our website at
www.naltblackchurch.com.
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JUST ADDED: BISHOP T.D. JAKES' ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL INDUSTRY ICONS AT 2013 INTERNATIONAL PASTORS & LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE |
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JUST ADDED: BISHOP T.D. JAKES' ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL INDUSTRY ICONS AT 2013 INTERNATIONAL PASTORS & LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Theme, "No Church Left Behind" allows leaders to groom leaders for effective, more relevant churches
April 15, 2013, DALLAS -The International Pastors & Leadership Conference, hosted by Bishop T.D. Jakes announces new additions to the high-impact speaker lineup to provide pastors, lay ministers, church executives and their administrative staffs with strategies to transform their churches and communities.The conference returns to Dallas on April 25-27 at the
Dallas Convention Center.
GENERAL SESSION SPEAKERS:
- Bishop Joby Brady, Charged to challenge the Body of Christ out of complacency, Bishop Brady travels extensively throughout the world ministering in conferences, and leadership seminars. His gifting and leadership is recognized by many national and international leaders of the faith.
- Pastor John Jenkins-Senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Glenarden, trustee at Bethel University and board chairman for Project Bridges and The Skinner Institute. He is recognized as a catalyst to help individuals grow into lifelong Christian disciples.
- Sarah Jakes- Take- An on-air television personality, Senior Editor of eMotions, an online inspirational magazine and oversees the women's ministry at The Potter's House of Dallas, a multicultural, non-denominational church led by Bishop T.D. Jakes. She is also the daughter of Bishop T.D. Jakes and Mrs. Serita Jakes.
- Dr. Cynthia James- Christian psychologist who pastors two congregations in Oakland, Calif., and provides oversight for the credentialing, counseling, and pastoral care of approximately 140 pastors and ministers serving 60 Church of God congregations in the Northern California, Northern Nevada, and Hawaii area.
- Mayor Alvin Brown- Senior member of the Clinton-Gore Administration beginning in 1993, leading the administration's $4 billion overall community empowerment initiatives. Brown went on to serve as the executive director of the Bush/Clinton Katrina Interfaith Fund and has been chairman of the National Black MBA Association.
- Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr.- Senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Glenarden, he is a trustee at Bethel University and board chairman for Project Bridges and The Skinner Institute. He also serves as a board member for the Greater Prince George's Business Roundtable, National Association of Evangelicals and a local hospital.
- Dr. Steve Perry- Founder and principal of what U.S. News and World Report has cited as one of the top schools in the country, Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut. He is a contributor for CNN and MSNBC, an Essence Magazine columnist, best-selling author, and host of the #1 docudrama for TVONE," Save My Son."
-more-
Panelists and Moderators:
- Pastor Chris Hill- Senior Pastor of The Potter's House of Denver and a passionate and compelling speaker, author, professor, activist, and an international evangelist. He began ministering at The Potter's House of Dallas in 1997 as youth and associate pastor.
- Pastor Shaun Rabb- A news journalist at Fox4 news for over 16 years in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex, Shaun also delivers the "Good News" on Sundays at the New Light Church in southeast Dallas.
- Pastor Vanable Moody, Founder and Senior Pastor at The Worship Center Christian Church in Birmingham, AL, growing from 20 members in 2006, to well over 7000 today. He is the author of four books including: The Blueprint for Your Prosperity, Basic Training: The Seven Essentials for Spiritual Maturity, The Living Word for Living Life: God's Path to Success in Every Situation, and his upcoming book published by Thomas Nelson.
- Pastor Paula White- A Pastor, Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author, Philanthropist, international TV Personality, Mother, Preacher and Teacher with a story of tragedy and triumph, poverty and prosperity.
- Pastor Robert Morris- Founding Senior Pastor of Gateway Church in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex with more than 26,000 active members. He is the bestselling author of eleven books including The Blessed Life, From Dream to Destiny, The God I Never Knew and The Blessed Church.
- Pastor William McKissic, Sr. - Founder and Senior Pastor of the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas and founder of the Cornerstone Academy. He is a much sought after guest speaker, seminar leader and author of three books: Beyond Roots: In search of Blacks in the Bible, Beyond Roots II: If Anybody Asks You Who I Am and Moving from Fear to Faith.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Bishop T.D. Jakes, First Lady Serita A. Jakes, Bishop Walter Scott Thomas,senior pastor of the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, and acclaimed leadership trainer, Dr. John C. Maxwell.
For more information and a list of sessions, please visit: http://www.pastorsandleaders.org/
B-ROLL OF 2012 CONFERENCE AND INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
About The Potter's House
Located in Dallas, The Potter's House is a 30,000-member nondenominational, multicultural church and humanitarian organization led by Bishop T. D. Jakes, twice featured on the cover of Time magazine as "America's Best Preacher" and as one of the nation's "25 Most Influential Evangelicals." The Potter's House has five locations, The Potter's House of Dallas, The Potter's House of Fort Worth, The Potter's House of North Dallas, and The Potter's House of Denver and a Spanish language church, Casa de Fe. www.thepottershouse.org |
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NBCI Opposes Illinois Medical Marijuana Bill |
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Contact:
Rev. Anthony Evans
202-744-0184
April 11, 2013
For Immediate Release
NBCI Opposes Illinois Medical Marijuana Bill
Black Church Condemns Legalization of Gateway Drug as Dangerous
Washington DC - The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) strongly opposes Illinois’ Medical Marijuana Bill. The passage of this bill is a dangerously slippery slope toward legalization. The science that governs the issue of Medical Marijuana is conclusive - it is not safe and effective as medicine. Passage of this legislation has serious socioeconomic and cultural ramifications, and should be reconsidered by lawmakers who are erroneously giving into popular messaging that this illegal drug is a suitable substitute for sound medicine.
NBCI has over 3,700 member churches in the State of Illinois - many in Illinois. As concerned constituents, we are urging lawmakers to vote against the Medical Marijuana Bill. Marijuana has ravished the African American community to the point of destruction. It is chief poison causing our African American men to sit in city, county and federal jails and prisons. By voting for such a bill elected officials will be sending a message that marijuana is acceptable to be utilized for ambiguous medical purposes. This is the wrong message to send when over 65% of our young men and women who have either used or is presently experimenting with marijuana. It will lead to addiction, poor school scores and attendance, involvement with gangs, and decreased motivation.
Rev Anthony Evans, NBCI President says “Marijuana is a gateway drug and the Medical Marijuana Bill is no different. The Black Church is not in the business of creating an environment that gives our children an excuse to get high. Presently, there are so many societal roadblocks for African American youth. Giving them access to medical marijuana is the nail in the coffin, killing their chances of becoming a contributing member of society, a wife or a husband, a father or a mother and someone who can maintain steady employment.”
One of the chief reasons why African American youths cannot find a job is that they cannot pass the urine test. The Black Church is not about to stand by and give them an excuse to get high and to wreck their lives and harm others. We will not let you and other pseudo-scientists produce
a generation of pot heads. The evidence underpinning medical marijuana’s detrimental impact on
society is strong:
While each state medical marijuana law differs, in Colorado a state with a population of 5.1 million there are 108,000 card holders-2% of the population. Michigan with 9.8 million residents has 130,000 medical marijuana users. Illinois has 12.8 million in population and, while states’ cases vary, Illinois is likely to end up with at least 200,000 individuals high school senior age and older consuming excessive amounts of marijuana, an illegal drug under state and federal law. Hundreds of thousands more will buy or receive marijuana from these card holders, and states run the risk of gangs and illegal drug cartels selling greater amounts after this step towards legalization. Furthermore, there are FDA approved drugs including a marijuana pill, Marinol, available for patients with special needs which erases the need for wholesale marijuana legalization. NBCI urges lawmakers to consider these dire consequences before passing legislation that will further endanger African American Youth.
Vote No on HB1.
About NBCI
The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) is a coalition of 34,000 churches working to eradicate racial disparities in healthcare, technology, education, housing, and the environment. NBCI’s mission is to provide critical wellness information to all of its members, congregants, churches and the public. NBCI offers faith-based, out-of-the box and cutting edge solutions to stubborn economic and social issues. NBCI’s programs are governed by credible statistical analysis, science based strategies and techniques, and methods that work. Visit our website at www.naltblackchurch.com. |
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AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE FUND ANNOUNCES |
2013 ANNUAL AWARDS GALA - "CELEBRATING LEGACIES"
WASHINGTON (April 9, 2013) - The African American Experience Fund (AAEF) of the National Park Foundation (NPF), will host their Annual Awards Gala, "CELEBRATING LEGACIES: Visionary Leaders & Landmarks," on Thursday, April 18, 2013, at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC, including a reception at 5:30 pm, dinner and awards ceremony at 6:45 pm and a live performance by Grammy nominee jazz recording artist Gerald Veasley and Band at 9:00 pm.
AAEF's 2013 honorees are: Congressman James E. Clyburn (South Carolina) who authored legislation to preserve and protect the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor through our national parks; Julieanna L. Richardson, founder of The HistoryMakers (owners of the largest collection of digital stories of African Americans who have made history); and Shelton Johnson, interpretive ranger at Yosemite National Park and historian on the Buffalo Soldiers.
Past honorees include: Congressman John Lewis; General Colin Powell; Ambassador Andrew Young; the Little Rock Nine, historian (late) John Hope Franklin; civil rights attorney Fred Gray, African American Civil War Memorial and Museum founder Dr. Frank Smith, Jr.; the Walt Disney Company (Robert Billingslea); Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Marian Wright Edelman and Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African American woman astronaut.
Proceeds from the Gala support the AAEF and grants to national African American historic sites for student internships, educational programs, youth programs and community events. AAEF is a program of the National Park Foundation, the official charitable partner of the National Park Service. AAEF is the only national partner that makes charitable contributions and provides program support to sites across the country to preserve the full spectrum of African American history, and to ensure these untold and under-told extraordinary stories are told to future generations. AAEF has contributed more than $1.3 million in grants to national park heritage sites over the past 11 years.
More than 300 guests attend this event annually: civil rights, business and academic leaders; Congressional members, White House staff, US Interior Dept. and Nat'l Park Service officials, youth, and journalists.
To purchase tickets, please visit: http://aaexperience.org/connect/news/aaef's-annual-awards-gala-save-date
About AAEF:
The African American Experience Fund (AAEF) was established in 2001, as a program of the National Park Foundation (NPF), a Washington, DC - based Foundation chartered by Congress as the official non- profit partner of the National Park Service. AAEF supports and preserves African American history and historic sites in our national parks, including 23 national landmark sites such as the Martin Luther King National Historic Site, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Boston African American National Historic Site, the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and Gullah Geechee National Cultural Heritage Corridor. For a list of all sites and more information on AAEF visit: www.aaexperience.org.
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