Our Vision:
The Bringing Black Men Back to Church initiative is committed to getting 10 million or more black men back into the church over the next ten years. We want every black man in America to know that our doors and our hearts are always open to them. By returning to the church, black men will bolster their families against the tides of violence, poverty, moral depravity, and failures that plague the African American community. By re-establishing their connection with the Lord, black men will become better fathers, husbands, members of society and leaders in the community.

Now is the time to protect our community against the many ills that are bringing on its downfall.

If nothing is done, the ever-rising rates of drug use, incarceration and unwed fatherhood will surely destroy the achievements the Black Church has made and tarnish its positive stance as a moral authority.

• In summary
• We want every black man to come back in church.
• We want the Black Church help black men find a job.
• We want every black man get a physical and an AIDS test every year.
• We want every black man have a voter registration card and participate in every election.
• We want every black man to help protect his community from violence and disrespect.

Our Plan:
It is essential that we understand the spiritual, sociological, and psychological factors that keep black men out of the church so that we can understand how to reach them. To do this we must educate and train black men who are already members of churches on how to fish for other black men who are not. The goal is not necessarily to increase church attendance, but to aid black men into their commitment to becoming productive and viable members of society, especially in the black community. We do this by simply reminding them, through the ethics and teachings of Jesus, of their biblical position in God’s kingdom. What many black men have done is voluntarily abdicate their duty and authority to black women. This is not only unfair, but it is wrong. This initiative of Brining Black Men Back to Church would allow African American men to re-assert themselves and reclaim their proper role in the church as a Christ-centered man.

This program is not a part of the Promise Keeper’s Movement, but we have similar values. At its center are the teachings of Christ and the role God wants the black man to play in society, in church and in his home.

We plan to create five Black Men Renewal Centers within large churches within NBCI’s five faith commands (New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and Oakland). The centers will conduct comprehensive assessments for the explicit purpose of making sure that African American men know what direction to turn to in order to receive the proper services for whatever ails them. In addition, the center will serve as an emergency intervention hub for African American males who are suffering from various social-psychological issues. The centers will also provide comprehensive training to churches that want to establish effective science-based black men ministries.

• This includes, but is not limited to:
• Training the church outreach staff, helping with the message the church wants to convey to the black male population of their community;
• Helping the church organize its personnel staff to serve this population properly; and
• Other related services.

The centers will be staffed by a clinical psychologist, pastoral care clergy, three counselors and two administrative support staff.

The projected cost of staffing and operating each center is estimated to be $1 million. The program will be funded by the support and contributions of churches, organizations, private businesses, volunteers and the community at large. We hope not to accept government funding for this initiative because we do not want a government mandate on how to run this program. We can use their money, but we do not want them to delegate its use. Because of the religious nature of this program, government money may not be compatible. Therefore, we need every one who is concerned about this problem to contribute. All donations are tax deductible.

How can your church participate?
This project will not be successful without the help of the Black Church. We are calling on every Black Church in America to participate in the program.

We need at least 10 volunteers from your church to start an outreach group. The group will be active six days a week. We are asking that Monday through Friday your members reach out to men in the community and encourage them to re-establish their relationship with God through Christ. On Saturdays, your group should meet with others from local churches and discuss their progress and the effective approaches they find to reach wayward men. The training will be provided by the Black Men Renewal Centers.

We are asking that your church donate between $25,000 and $50,000 yearly to help establish this program. We are relying on donations and free-will offerings from churches and individuals to make this a success. Re-establishing black men to the church is the chief biblical mission of the church; therefore it should fully fund the project. The return value for the amount that we seek is just pennies on the dollar compared to the lives that it will save and property that it will protect. Is this too expensive to save the lives of 10 million black men?

***Order your Bringing Black Men Back to Church kit today***

In addition to donations and free-will offerings, we ask that every Black Church purchase a Bringing Black Men Back to Church kit. The kit is specifically designed to arm you with the tools and information you need to ensure the success of your outreach program. All donations and proceeds from the sale of church kits will go directly into the operation of the Black Men Renewal Centers. If you order a kit you will receive a discounted membership to NBCI

Each kit includes:

• A press release (with your church and pastor’s name motioned that will go out to your local press).
• A booklet instructing your outreach group on how to effectively win black men back to Christ and establish your Black Man program.
• A sign that can be hung inside or outside your church which reads: This Church Welcomes All Black Men to Our Ser vices. May God Bless You.
• 250 flyers.
• 250 postcards.
• 100 posters.
• 500 buttons.

The kit can be customized to include the name of your church and pastor on the flyers, postcards, posters and buttons. Customized kits also include 200 T-shirts that your outreach group can distribute in the community.

1. Mail:
   Please make your check for $300.00 out to the
   
   National Black Church Initiative
   Bringing Black Men Back to Church kit
   National Black Church Initiative
   P.O. Box 65177
   Washington, DC 20035
   202-744-0184
   
   
2. Click the image below to pay on-line with
   
   

How can your organization participate?
We would like to encourage local, state and national groups and organizations to certify that each of their male members is a member of a black church and that they are committed to the program.

We ask that you encourage your male members to start/join outreach programs at their church. Commit your organization to raising $25,000 and donating it to the Black Men Renewal Centers to aid in the Bringing Black Men Back to Church initiative. All donations will go towards operating the program, both in training volunteers and producing materials for use in the field.

How can individuals participate?
Verify that your church is participating in the Bringing Black Men Back to Church Initiative. It is a simple step, but just by making sure your church is aware of the program, you will not only help ensure its effectiveness in your community, you will be helping us reach our national goal.

Whether you are a man or woman, please make sure that every event your church attends people are aware of the initiative. Encourage your friends and family members to start outreach programs in their churches.

If you are a man, we invite you to join/start an outreach volunteer program at your church and invite other men to participate. As a man you are the cornerstone of this initiative. By speaking to your peers, sharing your experiences and encouraging them to join a church, you will be working to uphold and solidify the strength and leadership of community and fulfill your promise to Christ to uphold His teaching and of winning souls for HIM.

We are asking for individual donations of $500. Your contribution will directly help guarantee the success of outreach volunteer groups throughout the country.

How can black women participate?
This initiative wants to make sure that every black woman is a member of a church as well. How can you ask black men to go to church if you do not? Encourage the black men in your life to go to church! Their attendance will guarantee the initiative succeeds. Bring your husbands, sons, and nephews to church with you. Seeing black men and their families in church together, young black men will be inspired to start families of their own and value marriage. As the heart of African American society, it is up to you to make sure the men in your life know that going to church will help make our community stronger.

We are asking for individual donations of $500. Your contribution will directly help guarantee
the success of outreach volunteer groups throughout the country.

Bibliography
Robert Franklin, Crisis in the Village: Restoring Hope in African American Communities
(paperback)
http://www.amazon.com/Crisis-Village-Restoring-American-Communities/dp/0800638875/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317322124&sr=1-1

Linda M. Chatters, “African American Religious Participation a Multi-Sample Comparison”
(study)
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1387589

Mocha Dad, “7 Reasons Why Men Don’t Attend Church.” (blog)
http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2010/09/01/7-reasons-why-men-dont-attend-church

RB Freeman, “Who Escapes? The Relation of Church-Going & Other Background Performance
of Black Male Youths from Inner-City Poverty Tracts.” (study)
http://www.nber.org/papers/w1656

Jawanza Kunjufu, Adam! Where Are You?: Why Most Black Men Don’t Go to Church
(paperback)
http://www.amazon.com/Adam-Where-Are-You-Church/dp/0913543438

Leo Pinkett, “Why Do Black Men Come to Church?” (PowerPoint presentation) www.c-m-e.org/core/whyblackmencometochurch.ppt Robert Joseph Taylor, “Black American’s Perception of the Socio-historical role of the Church” (study) http://www.jstor.org/pss/2784547 A Religious Portrait of African-Americans (PEW study) http://pewforum.org/A-Religious-Portrait-of-African-Americans.aspx Summary of Key Findings (Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey) http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/report2religious-landscape-study-key-findings.pdf

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