The head of a national effort to work with urban families through both ministry and education initiatives reminds fellow members of the black community that, like Rev. Martin Luther King, they are a people called to be committed to the truth of God’s Word.
In a recent editorial in the Washington Times, Dr. Deborah De Sousa Owens wrote that the Bible has held a central place in the lives of black Americans since the days of slavery when God’s Word inspired them to endure until they would be freed.
“Though many slaves could not read, some slave masters read the Bible to their slaves,” said Owens, president and CEO of Education for All. “Once Black men and women began to learn how to read, they read the Bible, prayed and sang Negro spirituals to uplift themselves.”
“This commitment to the Bible and its teachings was passed on from generation to generation,” she continued, observing that Rev. King “was able to do what he did because of his strong faith in God and the infallible words contained in the Bible.”
Owens is married to Rev. Bill Owens, the president of the Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP), which this year called for Attorney General Eric Holder’s impeachment over his campaign to normalize same-sex marriage.
“Reverend King fought for what was right, just and honorable. He framed his speeches around the important tenets of the Bible and all of Black America flocked to hear him,” wrote Owens. “His messages reverberated around the nation. He spoke truth: the truth of God’s Word found in the Bible.”
Owens went on to note that King’s unwavering commitment to his faith inspired him as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement, which called for equal rights for blacks in America through non-violent protest.
“I wanted to remind the black community of our heritage and spark a conversation that could lead all Christians to examine their love for God and His Word,” she told Breitbart News. “I truly believe we are becoming a very secular society that is spiraling out of control at break neck speed because we have allowed the government to remove God out of our affairs.”
Owens’ organization has launched a new initiative called Mission: Education, an effort that observes “two critical components are missing from ongoing discussions around national education reform: families and communities.”
Deborah and Rev. Bill Owens note the increasing problems K-12 students face at home, in schools, and in their communities. Observing the push for national education reform, they insist, “Schools can’t fix these problems alone.”
“In order to fully address the non-academic challenges facing many of our students today, we need to utilize a comprehensive approach – one that involves parents, teachers, churches and other members of the community,” they write at Education for All’s website.
“Mission: Education seeks to remove barriers to education for students living in urban areas by forming partnerships with churches, law enforcement agencies, child welfare organizations, and community organizations,” Owens told Breitbart News.
“Those of us who are black Americans are a Bible-led community and we should remember the sacrifice made by those who came before us such as Dr. King and others,” she added. “We need to honor that and most importantly, honor God.”