Ferguson, Cleveland, and Baltimore have one thing in common: recent riotous protests against racism. But there was none of that in Sanford, Seminole County, Florida, where Trayvon Martin was shot to death by George Zimmerman in February 2012.
Pastors, politicians and police officers who gathered at that time just a few miles away from the scene of the shooting that sparked a refocus on modern-day racism, concluded that what kept Sanford from disintegrating into chaos were the faith leaders and pastors who participated actively in their community and who formed the first line of defence to prevent people's anger from spilling into the streets, Charisma News reported on Monday.
"I think the establishment of a moral community is paramount to being a fundamental solution to the problem," said Charles Lacey, Mayor of Winter Springs in Seminole County, Florida.
Lacey's view was backed by Winter Springs' response to Martin's shooting three years ago.
"Our first line of defence in the community is our pastors," said Ed Allen, the incident commander during the shooting and Zimmerman's trial. Allen pointed out that the men and women of God were the ones who dedicated themselves into promoting His Word in their respective communities, not the police or other residents. They were the ones who kept the communities together, Allen said.
Joel Hunter, a senior pastor, echoed a similar conclusion, saying: "It is imperative, probably more imperative than it has been for a long time, for faith leaders to take the initiative to get involved."
Hunter said that when faith leaders, who used to be the default representation of moral voices in communities, are absent from the public eye, society's morality starts to wane.
He also said faith communities must prove to the younger generation, who are no longer automatically loyal to such institutions, that involvement is an advantage and that there are benefits beyond tradition.
Mayor Joe Deruso of Longwood, Florida, maintained that the presence of faith leaders makes communities feel safer and enhances the pastors' leadership.
"If you have an active faith community in your community, you can't help but notice that," he said.
"To return America to its godly foundation, and perhaps launch a Third Great Awakening, requires people of faith to stretch beyond their comfort zones of church auditoriums and take a pro-active role in their communities," Charisma News commented.
