Local leaders host forum on Ferguson riots

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Across the nation, and in middle Georgia, dozens of leaders stand undivided after riots in Ferguson, Missouri continue to spark. 

The death of 18-year-old Michael Brown-the unarmed teen killed by a suburban St. Louis police officer-prompts Uniting God’s Kingdom Life Church Pastor Troy Wynn to bring eight Christian leaders together to discuss topics relative to their community, and the Ferguson case. 

“The thing that concerns me the most is that people are taking sides,” Wynn says, “Are you on Brown’s side, or are you on the police’s side? Well, I think the side to be on is the side of what’s right.”

Wynn believes the incident should not completely focus on race relations, but also aid change in the Warner Robins community.

“We have the power to dictate what this moment becomes. Often times in history tragedy has been the catalyst to some great moments when people step up,” says Wynn.

As host of the forum, Wynn poses several topics for the leaders to discuss. He says the most important is focusing on building a relations between local law enforcement, youth and parents. 

He wants parents to learn from Brown’s case they must “get involved with all youth and teach them how to respect the police.”

“The flip side of that is we want to start working with our police officers to help them understand that we are with them…that we are there for them, and that we want to be a part of the solution,” Wynn says. 

Fellowship Bible Baptist Church Youth Pastor Jonathan Lowder says he wants to extract lessons from the Ferguson riots teaching his kids to respect authority, regardless of the circumstance.

“That shows the law enforcement that this generation is not what society already portrays them to be,” says Lowder. 

He adds, “I believe disrespect plus disrespect equals more disrespect, but respect plus disrespect lessens the one who is being disrespectful.”

“We’re not trying to work against each other,” Lowder says, “We’re trying to work with each other.”

Pastor Wynn says a groups of Christian leaders plan to host a rally event in front of Warner Robins’ City Hall Thursday, August 21 at 7:30 p.m. discussing the Ferguson riots, and how middle Georgians are impacted.