In light of recent violence and the shooting deaths of several young men within the city, citizens are mobilizing through rallies and public outcry to put an end to the senseless bloodshed.
In addition to those efforts, some church leaders are also gearing up to combat the problem.
During a recent gathering on the steps of the Sunflower County Courthouse, the reverends Adoris Turner, Melvin Matthews, Glenn Donald and Herron Wilson along with organizer Kenneth Featherstone and others voiced their affirmation that the cry to end the violence is a movement and not just an event.
They called the community to action and chanted along with the crowd that people united will never be defeated. They pledged their individual whole-hearted support and the support of their congregations, sealed with the pronouncement “stop the silence, stop the violence.”
In his opening sermon for 2020, Rev. Matthews had already announced to the congregation of the Bell Grove M.B. Church that this year was going to be about Kingdom building. He stressed the need for the members to be more visible in the community with the unified goal of saving souls, challenging each one to reach one.
Seemingly in response to his challenge, member Gwendolyn Milton penned a message, which read in part, “It is apparent that our communities, like so many others, are having some trying times. There is a lot of conversation about what can be done to bring our communities together; and there is a lot that can be done, but it’s not always as easy as it sounds. Everything has to start somewhere.”
Matthews commended her statements and like many of the other ministers who have voiced their opinions on what’s needed, Matthews is convinced that embracing Jesus more is the place to start.
He said, "When you look at it, God ordained three institutions. He ordained the family first, the government second and the third one was the church. And if the family is messed up, then your government and your church are going to be messed up.”
He joined with Milton in her expression that “The doors of Bell Grove Missionary Baptist Church are always open, but this year, in 2020 they are WIDE OPEN. Our doors are WIDE OPEN to all Christians because we need to be the first to show the communities that we can get along, worship, and fellowship together.”
Milton added, “By doing so, we show that we not only care about each other, but can encourage others.” The two concur that all are welcome, especially the youth in the community.
The communiqué further states, “Our doors are WIDE OPEN to persons in the communities who would like to be surrounded by people who care about your life and your salvation. They are WIDE OPEN to the youth in the community who would like to learn that there is a peaceful way to live.”
Her statement concluded with a supplication. “We are extending an invitation for anyone regardless of age, gender, race, or religion to join our effort to unify our communities so that we all can live a peaceful life.”
Matthews said, "Anyone who is looking for a bible-believing, bible-teaching church, we are it. Because I stand on teaching sound doctrine, the doctrine from the Bible." However, he asserts that his focus is not simply about growing the church’s membership, but about growing the Kingdom of God.
Matthews held that he would be delighted if people would come to Bell Grove, but if not, he encourages them to find another church that is bible-believing, bible-teaching. “You come here, you don't like it, go find another church where you are comfortable. Get in where you fit in,” he said.
He characterizes doctrine as a set of true beliefs that define the parameters of a belief system, the Bible. "The principles in the Bible apply to everybody whether you're a saint or sinner," Matthews declared.
He added that based on the Bible, times are only going to get worse, unless people have a biblical view of the world and live up to the morals and standards that Jesus has set forth.
He asserts that it all starts with the family and that the family has to come together as a cohesive unit because right now it appears that in many households, the children are running things.
He feels that parents have catered to the children to the point where the children get what they want. He said many parents are so busy trying to give their children what they didn't have as a child that they neglect to give them what they really had, which was a good upbringing in households where going to church was a given and not an option.
Matthews is also of the opinion that many people stay away from the church because their focus is on other people when their focus should really be on themselves and establishing a personal relationship with God for themselves.
He said, “Take our eyes off of other people, what the pastor is doing and everything and put our eyes on God and we will be fulfilled and hopefully others will see the Christ in us and especially the children.”
Matthew says he has always felt that all ministers should be on one accord. “If you're preaching and teaching from the same Bible, the doctrine should line up,” he said, Matthews acknowledged there would be differences in our conscience. “The way we think or feel based upon where we've traveled, where we've lived, things we've done, educational level, but the thing is, the Bible is the key and that's got to be taught."
Matthews said that it should not matter which church a person attends the doctrine should be the same. Not what an individual minister thinks or feels, but what the word of God says. He alluded to the church mentioned in the book of Acts where in the beginning all believers were on one accord and suggested that's what's needed today.
Although he did not personally conduct the eulogy for either of the young men whose lives ended because of the spike in violence in 2019, the services for one of the victims was held at Bell Grove. Sadly, that same young man’s wedding was scheduled, just days away, for the same spot where his body rested.
So, Matthews has experienced up close the impact that the violence had on the family and on the community.
He noted that even with the church’s large seating capacity, there was not even standing room for the congregants on the day of the funeral.
Yet, on the Sunday following the service many area churches still witnessed only mediocre turnout for regular worship services.
Matthews stressed that what is needed is for the ministers to get together and formulate a plan to address the community.
“We can't go into the schools like I would love to see, but some kind of way we've got to reach these children with a moral upbringing.” He said it's going to require approaching the parents.
One of his goals for the upcoming year is to put more gospel tracts out into the neighborhoods so people can read and see the Word. “I think that will help. We as members of the church have got to get outside of these four walls and not be afraid of kids.”
He further advises, “When you show them (young people) respect, they will give you respect and we can't criticize them, we've got to encourage, edify and uplift these kids to let them know that there is something better,” he said.
Matthews believes that would bring about a desired outcome. “When they see us trying to do better then they will do better.” Ultimately, it’s about getting the families into church.
He said he honestly believes that the parents are the key. He added that even though grandparents are doing the best they can, too many parents are leaving their kids with grandparents to raise. He said children have to be trained and that starts with the parents in the home.
In some cases the parents are basically letting the streets raise their children. “And the streets have never produced anything worthwhile,” he said.
Matthews also declared that parents should know where their children are at all times and who they're with and that's something else that is not happening.
"That's why I am so adamant about people being in the church, at least get some moral understanding and a biblical view and hopefully if you know better you will do better," he said.
He is also advocating for parents to be exposed to parental training classes and held accountable in some way for the actions of the children.
He asserts that the destruction of the family is responsible for the downfall of the children in America.
He also mentioned the abundance of violence in the video games that children play and seemingly many have adapted the notion that if they can reset a game then they can reset life.
“But there is no life reset; in life, dead is dead,” he said.
He asserted how each act of violence destroys two families, the victim’s family and the assailant’s family.
Matthews said, “If we grow the Kingdom, we grow the church and we grow a better community.”
Bell Grove conducts Sunday School every Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m., followed by worship services on the second and fourth Sundays.
In addition, prayer meeting is at 5:30 p.m., on Mondays, youth bible study is at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and adult bible study is at 12 noon and 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
The church is located at 1301 B. B. King Road in Indianola.
