Dear Brothers and Sisters of South City Church,
As one of your pastors, and one who has a father, other family and friends in Ferguson, Missouri, I ask that you pray for the Lord’s peace and rest for the people in that community. We join our prayers to those of churches all over the Saint Louis area. This problem is our problem too, as we are all a part of the Metro Area. Please talk to your children as it is appropriate, address the issues and actions that are being publicized in the media. I personally don’t know all the facts surrounding young Mr. Michael Brown’s shooting, so I also need prayer for my frustration with not having answers to some questions being directed to me as a religious leader.
I would like to challenge every adult in our congregation to be involved with our youth. Please make this sacrifice for the benefit of these young people who are precious to God, and so they are precious to us. This is not meant only for those who have children. We as a church are a family unit, and all the youth are our youth. There is a greater chance of young people resisting the temptation to do wrong if they have learned the power of prayer and the concept of righteous anger; as explained to them from scripture and modeled for them by mentors who truly love them. Church families who forget this will inevitably fail their young people, who will fail to bear fruit among their neighbors.
The Lord knows what it is like to lose a Son to violence. And amazingly, He is a friend of sinners and he restores the fallen. May He restore this falling community. Pray for the police officer involved, as he too is somebody’s son. This is an opportunity for our church to show unity in the midst of circumstances that might otherwise tear us apart racially and politically. But we are The Church of the Living God; we will fall on our knees and hear The Holy Spirit declaring that God’s righteous justice and perfect peace will prevail.
South City Church, please believe that prayer is a powerful and necessary response to this matter. Prayer answers trial with triumph.
May your prayers go up every day for this great city.
Co-Lead Pastor Mike Higgins