“Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin [above] said in a jam-packed meeting Thursday that his plan to confront Louisville’s growing violence is to have roaming prayer groups in the West End,” courier-journal.com reports. “Bevin urged faith leaders, public officials and residents to take a 10-block span, walk corner to corner, and pray with the community two to three times a week during the next year.”
I’m not sure what these “prayer patrols” will do to stop firearms-related crime, given that the vast majority of these incidents involve battles for turf/money gained through illegal activities. Will illegally armed gang bangers refrain from shooting someone because they see church members urging them to “put down the gun”?
That said, I’m equally positive that Christian churches can and do have a positive impact on their communities’ moral character. If nothing else, they preach the traditional Christian value of obeying the Ten Commandments (i.e., thou shalt not murder).
What can urban churches do — if anything — to stop firearms-related crime amongst those who inflict it upon their community? Or are they simply preaching to the converted/pissing in the wind?