Baptists and Street Pastors welcome Archbishop’s knife crime comments ahead of anti-violent crime conference
Wednesday 09 July 2008
Organisers of an anti-violent crime conference being held in Brixton on Saturday have welcomed the Archbishop of York’s comments that the Church of England should be reaching out to young people in knife crime.
Bite the Bullet, jointly organised by the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Street Pastors, aims to increase awareness around factors that lead to knife and gun crime, to help young people resist it, and equip church leaders to support young people in an increasingly violent world. Wale Hudson-Roberts, BUGB Racial Justice Co-ordinator and one of the organisers of Bite the Bullet, believes that Dr John Sentamu’s comments during his presidential address to the General Synod on Saturday should be taken on board by all Christians. “Finding a solution to gun and knife crime is not only the responsibility of the Church of England, the Baptist Union or any particular denomination. It is the responsibility of all Christians to engage with young people, to listen to their needs and show viable alternatives to gang culture and violence, that there is another, more positive way to live. We all should be praying and working together towards a safer society for young people to grow up in.”
Les Isaac, founder of Street Pastors, believes that Bite the Bullet will enable those that attend to understand the issues and formulate a plan of action. “I strongly believe that God is going to speak to all those that are there on this vital issue of violent crime amongst young people and he will give us direction and purpose to respond. Much good work is already being done by church youth workers, by organisations to tackle the issue, and Bite the Bullet will give us the opportunity to share that work and come up with new ideas. It needs to be more than discussion, it must lead to action. If Bite the Bullet is just a talking shop then it will have been a waste of time.”
Bite the Bullet takes place this Saturday (12 July) from 1030-2100 at Brixton Baptist Church, Solon Road, Brixton. For more information visit www.bitethebullet.info.
