I was just curious as to what your perceptions are regarding this issue and what role the church should play in violence prevention.

-- Anonymous, June 30, 2001

Answers

In my area crime does not decrease.Every day in this country there are bank robberies ,hijackings (car). We live by the GRACE OF GOD.I minister in a community that is synonymous with gang warfare.This does not stop the church from worshiping. Because the church does not have programs locally, I work for the goverment in asocial crime prevention project.We have learner support officers who fetch Truant Learners from home and helps them with their issues.The LSO's have to risk their lives knocking on doors in gang infested townships.The teachers of the learners would not risk walking beyond the school gate. The main issues of children and youth in our community committing crime is poverty and unemployment. The number of sodomy cases we deal with has increased and it is horrifying. God has called me to do this work beside pastoring a congregation.It gives me insight into the community God has called me to serve. I always challenge pastors to get involved in the community so that they can understand and that our ministries can become relevant.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

I live in the country, a very conservative area. Most, if not all of us are gun-owners and users. This tends to keep crime at a very low level. We still have to deal with drugs and sexual predators, those sneaky ones. But the juries have little mercy and sentences are long from Johnson County Texas. Our crime rate is increasing as more people are moving in, but it is not our greatest problem. About 40 miles north in Fort Worth, violent crime is increasing at an alarming rate. In fact several churches have been raided in the past 4 weeks, one of them was hit twice. They took a VCR one night and came back for the Monitor! Can you believe that?

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

We are seeing an increase in crime in my area. More and more people are moving here and alas comes crimes. But it really is Not as bad as in the city. When we moved here nine years ago, people did not have to lock their cars. Those days are over;-) Pastor Paris you mentioned people have guns in their homes. Great many montanans also have guns for this is a hunting state. Guns for the most part are kept locked up. The reason I posted the question is because the news often reports that crime and violence is decreasing. I just wanted to get a sense of what is going on around the country and the world. Thanks

-- Anonymous, August 19, 2001