A Manual for Men Mentoring Men
Pastoral Care through Male Mentoring for the African American Man
by
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Chapter I - Introduction and Rationale
The purpose of this project is to develop a mentoring manual that equips African American men to mentor other African American men.
Overview
The church has a historical role in the life of African American men: it was a place where they could exercise authority, educate themselves and their children, practice entrepreneurship, seek employment, and engage in politics. Considering these significant historical contributions, the lack of male membership in present day churches is disturbing and discouraging. However, this absence is so common among congregations that it has seemingly become the acceptable norm. With this in mind, what now can be done about the decline of male attendance and participation in the church?
This is the development of a mentoring manual targeting directed at African American men. The purpose of the manual is to focus on African American men in an intentional, personal, and relational approach that will lead to a positive change in behavior towards the church and within the community.
Rationale
This book is written in response to a dilemma observed by the writer who is a member of American Baptist Churches. This dilemma is one of social, biblical, theological, and historical significance. The dilemma refers to the significant disproportion of African American males not in attendance of church compared to women and children.
The writer, from observations and discussions with urban African American pastors, has concluded that the increase in active participation and attendance of African American men will also lead to advancing social opportunities. Such opportunities include the strengthening of the African American church, strengthening of African American families, and the renewal of communities. The increase in attendance and participation, on the part of African American males, also leads to positive economic and social implications. This book addresses many of those issues in its application and implementation in the various contexts.
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About the Book
The purpose of this book is to develop a mentoring manual that equips African American men and boys with wisdom and understanding as they navigate the challenging waters of the American cultural landscape. The lack of this kind of knowledge can be life-threatening at any moment in many contexts for our men and boys. Historically, it has been recorded, research shows that African American men and boys are more likely to be killed by those in authority when their responses are not according to the learned script taught by their parents and elders.
The church has played a critical and historical role in the life of the African American family in America. The church was the single place where African American families could act out their potential without resistance or rejection. It was a place where they were the leaders, teachers, shakers, and movers. The African American males could aspire to become the leader of the church when other doors were non-existent or closed. It was the church where African American men and women could feel free to be themselves, and feel valued in a hostile culture where they were considered less than human and were devalued as a person.
This book is written in response to a dilemma observed by the author who is a member of the church. The plight and conditions in which the African American male must survive is not that different from those of the slave era when one looks at the statistics regarding incarceration and the lack of education in today’s culture. It is more likely for African American males to go to prison than to a place of higher learning and education. The African American male is still the last hired and the first fired in many places of employment.
About the Author
The author, Jerome P Stevenson, Sr., was born in Birmingham, Alabama. His family migrated north to Detroit, Michigan, in the 1950s for jobs. He and his twin sister, Judy, completed high school in Detroit, Michigan.
He later attended Wayne State University and Ashland Theological Seminary.