Rev. Jamal Bryant, a pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia (close to Atlanta), took to his pulpit with a message to young Black men about violence.
He called the males up to the altar for a prayer that has gone viral.
“Today, I want to pray a hedge fence of protection for our young Black men in this community. I want to ask all of our young Black men to come to the altar, Black men,” said Bryant, according to WSB-TV 2.
The Morehouse graduate presented a powerful message, “I’m afraid that this generation is adjusting to a culture of violence with no redress. This summer and this fall, we lost six rappers to gun violence.”
His remarks come after the tragic death of Atlanta native and Migos founding member, Takeoff. The chart-topper was murdered in Texas earlier in the month.
“Yet, we wonder why our young people are under distress, anxiety, under depression, because all of the people they look up to are now falling below zero,” said Bryant. “Y’all better shout for these young men. Come on, you better shout for these business leaders. Would you open up your young men? These young men are going to change the world.”
“Now I want all Black men to come to the altar and surround our boys,” he also said.
“I believe that prayer works,” the preacher said. “But Fredrick Douglas said I got more prayers answered when I got my off my knees. I think prayer is the beginning, but an actionable executable plan has to come behind it.”