Pastors as Public Mediators

As conflict continues in Flint between its city council and its mayor, an unlikely group has stepped in to mediate: concerned pastors. That’s actually the group’s official name: Concerned Pastors for Social Action. They are a group of local pastors who has worked for years “to ensure that the voice of the people is heard loud and clear among those wanting to hold public office.” The Concerned Pastors have been quite active as Flint’s water crisis unfolded, and they continue to be an influence in their city. They held a news conference at Flint’s city hall this week calling for an end to the “bickering” between the mayor and the city council regarding trash service. They complained that the city government was “dysfunctional,” and recommended that City Councilman Scott Kincaid apologize to Mayor Karen Weaver for belittling comments he made about her. Not many cities have pastors united to help the city government work well, to the point of trying to hold individuals accountable for their public actions. It’s risky business, but these pastors believe it’s part of their calling. May God bless their efforts!