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Publication Date: 20th February 2007
ISSUES
The situation is complex, and undoubtedly needs more than just sound bite, cliché responses. GREENJADE's WIZDOM did the rounds of news stations last week, no doubt due in no small part to their involvement with their anti-weapon GUNZ DOWN project, which they have been running for about a year...
I'm smart enough to know to refer
to people who know more about a
particular subject than I do, so I
had a quick chat WIZ to get his
take on what some Christians are
doing about the situation...
I'm smart enough to know to refer
to people who know more about a
particular subject than I do, so I
had a quick chat WIZ to get his
take on what some Christians are
doing about the situation...
Wiz on the BBC
1 O'Clock news with
Sophie Raworth last
week Thursday, 15th
February 2007.
1 O'Clock news with
Sophie Raworth last
week Thursday, 15th
February 2007.
Yinka Awojobi
Content Development
UK Gospel.com
Content Development
UK Gospel.com
Image (C) BBC
Screengrab: Yinka Awojobi
Screengrab: Yinka Awojobi
It made for very grim news. Three gun murders in eleven days, all in South
London.
The victims were young males (including 15 year old BILLY COX, discovered by his 12-year-old sister when she came home from school). These crimes took place in homes.
As the fallout from these developments sweep the UK and all sorts of people offer opinions, I asked Wiz for his take...
APPEARING ON THE NEWS TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS ISN'T A KNEE-JERK REACTION FOR YOU GUYS. YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS PATH FOR QUITE A LONG TIME...
London.
The victims were young males (including 15 year old BILLY COX, discovered by his 12-year-old sister when she came home from school). These crimes took place in homes.
As the fallout from these developments sweep the UK and all sorts of people offer opinions, I asked Wiz for his take...
APPEARING ON THE NEWS TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS ISN'T A KNEE-JERK REACTION FOR YOU GUYS. YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS PATH FOR QUITE A LONG TIME...
Yeah! The whole GunzDown concept has been around for about 3 years now!
A while ago, we were at a show where we were held up at gun point. After that, we felt we had to make some sort of response! So we got together with [the Christian charity] XLP to produce this 1 hour multimedia showcase aimed at year 7-9 pupils (11/14 years olds), although we have done a number of shows for year 10 (14/15 year olds) and above.
I have been on basically every news channel in the country over the last few days and I think it's fantastic that we, the Kingdom, have answers for the world at large!
We are hoping that this will encourage others to get behind our vision so that we can continue to get into these schools and make a difference in the lives of these young people!
A while ago, we were at a show where we were held up at gun point. After that, we felt we had to make some sort of response! So we got together with [the Christian charity] XLP to produce this 1 hour multimedia showcase aimed at year 7-9 pupils (11/14 years olds), although we have done a number of shows for year 10 (14/15 year olds) and above.
I have been on basically every news channel in the country over the last few days and I think it's fantastic that we, the Kingdom, have answers for the world at large!
We are hoping that this will encourage others to get behind our vision so that we can continue to get into these schools and make a difference in the lives of these young people!
AND AS THESE STORIES OF GUN CRIME HAVE CONTINUED TO UNFOLD IN THE MEDIA IN RECENT DAYS AND WEEKS, YOU'VE BEEN QUITE BUSY YOURSELF
I DOUBT ANY ONE WOULD ARGUE WITH THE FACT THAT RECENT EVENTS ARE SIMPLY A CULMINATION OF ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. YOUR THOUGHTS:
I DOUBT ANY ONE WOULD ARGUE WITH THE FACT THAT RECENT EVENTS ARE SIMPLY A CULMINATION OF ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. YOUR THOUGHTS:
The media is interested in big stories, and for most of them they are unaware of the type of lives that some young people have!
This is a terrible situation but I'm glad they are
now giving it some needed attention. There
are a lot of young people who don't know how
to deal with conflict and end up getting
involved with weapons, they think, to protect themselves. Unfortunately this can make them a target.
This is a terrible situation but I'm glad they are
now giving it some needed attention. There
are a lot of young people who don't know how
to deal with conflict and end up getting
involved with weapons, they think, to protect themselves. Unfortunately this can make them a target.
GREENJADE at a GUNZDOWN school appearance
HOPEFULLY WE WON'T FALL INTO THE TRAP OF OVERLY SIMPLISTIC ANSWERS TO A COMPLEX AND MULTIFACETED SITUATION... TWO QUESTIONS HERE:
1: WHAT SHOULD GOSPEL MUSIC BE DOING?
2: WHAT SHOULD THE CHURCH BE DOING:
HOW CAN ANYONE READING THIS GET INVOLVED...?
1: WHAT SHOULD GOSPEL MUSIC BE DOING?
2: WHAT SHOULD THE CHURCH BE DOING:
HOW CAN ANYONE READING THIS GET INVOLVED...?
I'm not naïve. There'll be the people that - quite rightly - believe our best response to this situation is to pray.
Then there are those that will love to do something, but never really get round to it.
We'll also have the 'second agenda' crowd: they'll be happy to get involved, but only on their own terms.
GREENJADE have presented one solution. You can support their work by purchasing their GUNZDOWN CD, part of an intelligent, targeted, Christian solution.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is that we need to engage intelligently here, people.
Do whatever you're going to do, but just do something...
Then there are those that will love to do something, but never really get round to it.
We'll also have the 'second agenda' crowd: they'll be happy to get involved, but only on their own terms.
GREENJADE have presented one solution. You can support their work by purchasing their GUNZDOWN CD, part of an intelligent, targeted, Christian solution.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is that we need to engage intelligently here, people.
Do whatever you're going to do, but just do something...
Exemplify God's love in all you do but realise that just telling people to "get saved" without giving them practical support to get out of their situation can be counter productive!
More! Get behind us. We are already here. Sometimes the church has a tendency to just jump on the bandwagon! Please don't just react; support those who are already there and involved so that we can move forward in a united way!
Buy the single and call your childrens' or siblings school and tell them that they need to get Gunz Down for their young people by contacting XLP on 020 7277 9726.
More! Get behind us. We are already here. Sometimes the church has a tendency to just jump on the bandwagon! Please don't just react; support those who are already there and involved so that we can move forward in a united way!
Buy the single and call your childrens' or siblings school and tell them that they need to get Gunz Down for their young people by contacting XLP on 020 7277 9726.
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