As they cast about for ways to honor their pastor on his 20th anniversary at the church, members of the men’s ministry at Christian Faith Baptist Church decided to make a statement about what they see as a grave social problem: the state of the black man.

After reading statistics showing that 1 in 15 black adults are in prison and that less than 50 percent of black men complete college, they announced an ambitious goal.

The group is raising $20,000 this year to help a struggling African-American male pay tuition at a historically black college or university.

“Black men are hurting in jobs and education,” said James Williams, who leads the men’s ministry at the church on Hilltop Drive. “Without education, you can’t get a good job.”

The goal is to raise the money among the 80 or so men who form part of the ministry. Once the money is raised, the group will pick a school and work with administrators to identify a prospective student for the scholarship.

This weekend, the church is celebrating its 20th anniversary, along with 20 years of leadership by the Rev. David C. Forbes. Like many in the African-American community, Forbes also is a graduate of a historically black college – Shaw University in Raleigh.

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Source: News Observer | YONAT SHIMRON