Local ministry aims to train mentors for young men

A local church is looking for men willing to do their part in reducing violence in their community.

On Saturday, Light Oak Baptist Church will host an event with Mighty Brothers Mentoring Ministry. Organizers hope to gather at least 50 men and train them to mentor to Black youth and young adults.

"We want to get these young African American men to stop killing each other," said Jonathan Boyd, pastor at Light Oak Baptist and co-host of the event.

Boyd said the event was inspired by recent shootings, some of which were fatal in Mecklenburg and Gaston counties.

"This is something that is spreading. Everyone is going to have to deal with this," he said. "We are signing up men to train them, teach them how to be a mentor and then sending them back out into the community."

Boyd is partnering with John Barnett, a civil rights advocate and founder of a similar mentoring ministry.

"The majority of African American men in prison today did not grow up with a loving father at home. One of the remedies to this problem of gun violence is to mentor these men and give them that kind of figure in their lives," said Barnett.

Boyd said he and Barnett have plans to extend their mentoring ministries to 10 other cities in the region over the next year.

Saturday's event starts at 10 a.m. at Light Oak Missionary Baptist Church, 2311 Oak Grove Road. For more information call 803-412-6854.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Local ministry aims to train mentors for young men