RALEIGH -- As they cast about for ways to honor their pastor on his 20th anniversary at the church, members of the men's ministry at Christian Faith Baptist Church decided to make a statement about what they see as a grave social problem: the state of the black man.
After reading statistics showing that 1 in 15 black adults are in prison and that less than 50 percent of black men complete college, they announced an ambitious goal.
The group is raising $20,000 this year to help a struggling African-American male pay tuition at a historically black college or university.
"Black men are hurting in jobs and education," said James Williams, who leads the men's ministry at the church on Hilltop Drive. "Without education, you can't get a good job."
The goal is to raise the money among the 80 or so men who form part of the ministry. Once the money is raised, the group will pick a school and work with administrators to identify a prospective student for the scholarship.
This weekend, the church is celebrating its 20th anniversary, along with 20 years of leadership by the Rev. David C. Forbes. Like many in the African-American community, Forbes also is a graduate of a historically black college - Shaw University in Raleigh.
"Shaw taught all of its students to their possibility," Forbes said. "The faculty willed the students to fast-track and be prepared to engage life."
Historically black colleges and universities have been particularly hard-hit during the recent recession. Shaw's problems have been compounded by ballooning debt and low graduation rates. It is expected to name a new president in a few weeks, said Forbes, who is also chairman of the Shaw University presidential search committee.
The men of Christian Faith hope their generosity might propel other churches to do the same thing.
"We hope to be a spark of fire for someone else to say, 'Hey, if they can do it, we can, too,' " said the Rev. Kenneth Cooper, assistant to the pastor.
The men intend to make their fundraising goal a yearly one so they are able to help young male students beyond the next academic year.
Black churches have traditionally played a role in establishing colleges and universities and in helping them thrive, Williams said. Each year, Christian Faith donates money not only to Shaw University but also to St. Augustine's College, another historically black college in downtown Raleigh.
The group has set a goal of Oct. 31. Already, it has raised $2,000 since announcing the initiative last week.
