The following are some of the top reasons youth engage in violent activity.
Lack of Self-Esteem
Peer Pressure
Improper Guidance/Dysfunctional Family Life
Surroundings/Environment
Traumatic Experiences
These topics can be addressed in some form during a:
Youth Activity—Instead of the usual lock-in this year, why not try one with a purpose. Allow youth to plan the event with adult assistance. Consider themes such as: No Violence on My Watch; I Choose Peace Not Violence; My People are Too Smart for Violence; etc. Make it a goal to have at least 100 youth in attendance. Heavily advertise the event. Let the youth design T-Shirts and/or buttons. Hold a contest and use youth and adult judges. Several of the adult judges should be professionals who daily work to end youth violence. The contest is designed to have youth come up with a great idea to lessen youth violence in their community and city. During the lock-in, devise teams of youth—five on each team with one adult—and allow youth who are not members of your church to also serve on the teams with youth who are members of your church. Following the lock-in, give youth two months to devise their idea. The winning idea should be of interest to youth, innovative, doable (all ideas should indicate what parties are needed to implement the idea and a plan for implementation), and the amount of funding needed and sources from which it can be obtained. Then, invite all of the teams to attend a service and announce and provide awards to the winning team during that service which should be heavily advertised and shown on local news stations.
Sermon—Design a sermon that offers alternatives to youth violence and that lifts Christ as the ultimate example that youths should follow. This should not be a sermon just filled with statistics and statements of the problem of youth violence. Offer solutions, which should begin with programs provided through your church.
Bible Study—Instead of the typical Bible Study, bring in professionals who daily work with violent youth. Using the tenets of the Bible, the studies should include professional recommendations for HOW youths can avoid violence. This Bible study should be heavily advertised and made available to all youth in the community and should be offered several times during the year. Separate classes addressing this issue should be held for youth and for adults and some collective classes should be held.
Sabbath Class/Sunday School Class—Select a series of scriptures to teach against violence and to advocate for the principles of a Christ-like life. Teachers should bring in professionals who work with youth. If possible, former gang members who are working to end youth violence should also be present. The classes should allow for a lot of questions and be very dialogical in nature. They need not be held on Sundays.
Please see today’s cultural resource unit for other recommendations to combat youth violence.
1. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) This Little Light of Mine. Negro Spiritual for congregational singing
(b) Lead Me, Guide Me. By Doris Akers
(c) Be Thou My Vision. Ancient Irish hymn. Translated by Mary Byrne. Tune by
Carlton R. Young
2. Spirituals or Traditional Songs (a) I’ll Never Turn Back No Mo’. By Hall Johnson
(b)
I Been Prayin.’ By Mervyn Warren
3. Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams (a) Everyday. By Joel Houston
(b)
Always. By Kirk Franklin
(c) No Limits (Enlarge My Territory). By Israel Houghton
(d)
Back to the Garden. By Jonathan Dunn
(e) Friend of God. By Israel Houghton
4. Liturgical Dance or Mime Music (a) Chains. By Kirk Franklin
(b)
Everything (Part 1). By Tye Tribbett
(c) Cover Me. By Fred Hammond
5. Song or Instrumental for the Offertory Period (a) I Will Bless the Lord. By Byron Cage
(b)
With My Whole Heart. By Nolan Williams, Jr.
6. Alternative and Contemporary Christian Music (a) You Reign. By Steven Curtis Chapman
(b)
Beautiful Love. By The Afters
(c) Someday. By The Afters
7. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a)More Than Anything. By Lamar Campbell
(b) Great Is Your Mercy. By Donnie McClurkin
8. Sermonic Selections (a) Healing. By Richard Smallwood
(b)
He Reigns Forever. By Marshall Carpenter
9. Invitational Songs (a) I Need You to Survive By Hezekiah Walker
(b)
Yes. By Valencia Lacy
10. Benediction Song or Instrumental (a) I Am Healed. By Donald Lawrence
(b)
Incredible God, Incredible Praise. By JJ Hairston
11. Audio Visual Suggestions
Show video clips of young people in violent situations. While these clips are playing, have a narrator say or place the following words on the screen:
Youth violence is at an all-time high. The question is not whether or not God has forsaken our youth, but the question is Why are we so determined to let the devil destroy this age group?
Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed
1. Hymns and Congregational Songs (a) This Little Light of Mine. Negro Spiritual for congregational singing Location
African American Heritage Hymnal. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 2001. #549
(b) Lead Me, Guide Me. By Doris Akers
Location
African American Heritage Hymnal. #474
Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 1987. #168
The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. Nashville, TN: Triad Publications, 2005. #37
(c) Be Thou My Vision. Ancient Irish hymn. Translated by Mary Byrne. Tune by Carlton R. Young
Location
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Bicentennial Hymnal. Nashville, TN: A.M.E. Zion Publishing House, 1996. #461
2. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) I’ll Never Turn Back No Mo’. By Hall Johnson
Location
The Rowan University Choir. The Best of the Hall Johnson Centennial Festival: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Hall Johnson’s Birth. Glassboro, NJ: Rowan University of New Jersey, 2002.
(b) I Been Prayin’. By Mervyn Warren
Location:
Atlanta’s Chorale New Creation. The Jericho Project. Los Angeles, CA: LifeSize Records, 2006.
3. Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) Everyday. By Joel Houston
Location:
Battle, Freda & The Temple Worshippers. Here Is Our Praise. Stoughton, MA: Axiom Records, 2006.
(b) Always. By Kirk Franklin
Location:
Kirk Franklin. The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin. Inglewood, CA: Gospocentric, 2002.
(c) No Limits (Enlarge My Territory). By Israel Houghton
Location:
Israel and New Breed. Alive in South Africa. Mobile, AL: Integrity/Epic, 2005.
(d) Back to the Garden. By Jonathan Dunn
Location:
Another Level. Springfield, OH: Glonklin Music, 2004.
(e) Friend of God. By Israel Houghton
Location:
Israel and New Breed. Live from Another Level. Mobile, Al: Integrity Gospel/Sony Urban/Epic, 2004.
4. Liturgical Dance or Mime Music (a) Chains. By Kirk Franklin
Location:
The Fight of My Life. Inglewood, CA: Fo Yo Soul/Gospocentric/Zomba, 2007.
(b) Everything (Part 1). By Tye Tribbett
Location:
Life. New York, NY: Sony Urban/Columbia, 2007.
(c) Cover Me. By Fred Hammond
Location:
21:03 with Fred Hammond, Smokie Norful, and J. Moss. 21:03 Total Attention. New York, NY: Verity, 2008.
5. Song or Instrumental for the Offertory Period (a) I Will Bless the Lord. By Byron Cage
Location:
An Invitation to Worship. New York, NY: Gospocentric/Zomba Gospel, 2005.
(b) With My Whole Heart. By Nolan Williams, Jr.
Location:
