ST. LOUIS (ABP) – The NAACP and National Baptist Convention are gathering together Nov. 10-12 in St. Louis to co-sponsor a conference on “Faith, Family and Community Empowerment.”
Speakers include NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous, who was scheduled to give a Friday address at the Millennium Hotel in St. Louis.
“The NAACP is proud to partner with the National Baptist Convention to not only shine a light on the problems and struggles our nation is experiencing today, but also find real, practical solutions," Jealous said in a press release.
This is the first time the two organizations have co-sponsored the event, a decision shaped by the political, social and economic forecast for 2012 and beyond.
In addition to exploring the faith connection between the African-American church and the NAACP, workshops will address the economic, educational, incarceration and social realities of people of color.
“We hope that this conference will awaken the social conscience of the church to the 21st century social and economic challenges we are facing,” stated Charles Mock, executive secretary of the National Baptist Convention’s Home Mission Board. “We are looking forward to tackling these key concerns with the NAACP.”
A description of the event on the National Baptist Convention website lists objectives to:
— Explore biblical texts that reveal the solidarity of evangelism and social missions for the purpose of implementing new practices in the local church and community that lead to family empowerment.
— Provide additional resources for employing evangelistic and social mission strategies.
— Present evidence-based instruction and tool kits for difference-making church leadership development and community empowerment.
— Awaken the social conscience of the church to 21st century social and economic challenges affecting church relevancy.
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Bob Allen is managing editor of Associated Baptist Press.