Baltimore Stats: A Message from Major Russell of the Eastern District from January 5, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR FAMILY!!! 

COLLECTIVELY WE HAD A GREAT 2010 WITH JUST A FEW INITIATIVES AND SCATTERED ENGAGEMENT. WITH THAT THE EASTERN DISTRICT STILL NETTED GREAT SUCCESS. THE DIFFERENCE FROM BEING ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY HAS ONCE AGAIN HAS PROVEN TO BE DOING JUST A LITTLE EXTRA!

THE YEAR IN SUMMARY:

CITYWIDE THE CITY OF BALTIMORE HAD ANOTHER STELLAR YEAR WITH ANOTHER 4% DROP IN VIOLENT CRIME AND 3% DROP IN PROPERTY CRIME AND 3% OVERALL CRIME DROP COMPARED TO LAST YEARS HISTORICAL NUMBERS! BIG UPS TO BPD AND ITS LEADERSHIP!

LET'S SEE WHO LED THE WAY:

FACT - EAST BALTIMORE HAS ALWAYS WORN THE CROWN OF BEING THE MOST VIOLENT AREA OF THE CITY LEADING IN HOMICIDES AND SHOOTINGS. OUT OF 9 DISTRICTS THE EASTERN DISTRICT HAD THE 2ND BEST DROP IN VIOLENT CRIMES - 14%, 2ND BEST DROP IN PROPERTY CRIME - 8% AND 2ND BEST WITH OVERALL CRIME REDUCTION - 10%!  WE ARE ONE OF ONLY 2 DISTRICTS TO HAVE A DOUBLE DIGIT OVERALL CRIME REDUCTION.

THIS IS IMPRESSIVE WHEN YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT EAST BALTIMORE HAS THE REPUTATION OF BEING THE WORSE PART OF THE CITY.

EVEN THOUGH THE WESTERN DISTRICT HAD A 1% GREATER VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION THAN THE EASTERN DISTRICT IN 2010 THEY HAD 14 MORE HOMICIDE/SHOOTING VICTIMS THAN THE EASTERN DISTRICT!

EVEN THOUGH THE SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT HAD A 6% GREATER PROPERTY CRIME REDUCTION THAN THE EASTERN DISTRICT THEY HAD 1,843 MORE BURGLARIES AND THEFTS!

THE BREAKDOWN:

                                                                    

HOMICIDES

THE FINAL NUMBER IS 39 PEOPLE MURDERED IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT IN 2010.

THIS WAS 3 MORE THAN 2009, BUT NOTE THAT 3 MURDERS WERE CHARGES TO 2010 WHERE THE VICTIMS WERE SHOT YEARS BEFORE BUT SUCCUMBED TO COMPLICATIONS OF THE INITIAL INJURIES. WITH THE 3 ADDED VICTIMS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS THAT GAVE THE EASTERN DISTRICT 3 MORE THAN LAST YEARS 36 PEOPLE MURDERED WHICH EQUATES TO A 8% INCREASE.

I KNOW 39 LIVES LOST IS UNACCEPTABLE AND WE ARE HARDLY REJOICING OVER IT, BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPRESENTS A LOW NUMBER FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT WHICH WAS RECORDING A MINIMUM OF 50 PLUS PEOPLE YEARLY BEING MURDERED FOR THE PAST DECADES!

THE EASTERN DISTRICT FELL OUT OF IT'S 8TH PLACING LAST YEAR AND BACK TO LAST WITH THOSE 39 HOMICIDES. THE WESTERN AND NORTHEASTERN DISTRICTS WERE CLOSE WITH 38 AND 37 RESPECTIVELY.

                                                                   

SHOOTINGS

THE FINAL NUMBER IS 60 PEOPLE SHOOT IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT IN 2010.

THIS WAS 26 LESS THAN OUR 2009 STELLAR YEAR!  26 LESS PEOPLE SHOT IN 2010 THAN 2009 EQUATES TO A 30% DECREASE!

THE EASTERN DISTRICT FINALLY FELL OUT OF LAST PLACE IN THIS CATEGORY AND MOVED UP TO 7TH! THIS IS QUITE A FEAT CONSIDERING THE EASTERN DISTRICT HAD THE MOST SHOOTINGS (AND HOMICIDES) YEAR AFTER YEAR FOR DECADES. 2010 HAS THE WESTERN AND NORTHEASTERN DISTRICTS COMING IN LAST AND 8TH RESPECTIVELY WITH 78 AND 61 SHOOTINGS.

I ASKED GOD FOR LESS THAN 100 PEOPLE SHOT OR KILLED IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT THIS PAST YEAR AND HE ANSWERED MY PRAYER! THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A SILLY PRAYER, BUT NOTE THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THE EASTERN DISTRICT HAD LESS THAN 100 PEOPLE (99 TOTAL) MURDERED/SHOT IN WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE WELL OVER 20 YEARS!  WITH THAT I AM ASKING FOR AN EVEN LOWER NUMBER THIS YEAR. THIS WILL HAPPEN AS LONG AS THE POLICE AND TTT DON'T GROW WEARY AND CONTINUES TO FIGHT BACK!!!

                                                                    

ROBBERIES

THE EASTERN DISTRICT HAD THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ROBBERIES IN THE CITY WITH 250 COMPARED TO THE OTHER 9 DISTRICTS THAT HAD AS MANY AS 586 ROBBERIES.

THE SOUTHWESTERN AND WESTERN DISTRICTS CAME CLOSE WITH 260 AND 290 RESPECTIVELY (ONLY TWO OTHER DISTRICTS UNDER 300).

                                                                  

BURGLARIES

THE EASTERN DISTRICT HAD THE LEAST AMOUNT OF BURGLARIES IN THE CITY WITH 393 COMPARED TO THE OTHER 9 DISTRICTS THAT HAD AS MANY AS 1348 BURGLARIES! THE CENTRAL DISTRICT WAS THE CLOSEST WITH 498 BURGLARIES.

MOST DISTRICTS HAD DOUBLE AND TRIPLE THE NUMBERS OF BURGLARIES THAN THE EASTERN DISTRICT!

                                                         THEFTS AND STOLEN CARS THE EASTERN DISTRICT HAD THE LEAST AMOUNT OF THEFTS/STOLEN CARS IN THE CITY WITH 1367 INCIDENTS COMPARED TO THE OTHER 9 DISTRICTS THAT HAD AS MANY AS 3146 INCIDENTS.  THE WESTERN, SOUTHWESTERN AND NORTHWESTERN DISTRICTS WERE THE ONLY OTHER DISTRICTS WITH NUMBERS UNDER 2000 AS THEY HAD 1427, 1595 AND 1902 RESPECTIVELY.

                                                                   

ARRESTS

CITYWIDE ARRESTS DROPPED BY 13.4% WITH 71,288 ARRESTS MADE.

EVERY DISTRICT DROPPED IN ARRESTS AND THE EASTERN DISTRICT HAD THE 3RD HIGHEST ARREST DROP RATE OF 24.4% WITH 7,529 ARREST MADE. EVEN WITH THAT THE EASTERN DISTRICT STILL GOT THE MOST CRIMINALS OFF OF THE STREET COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE CITY. THE CENTRAL DISTRICT CAME CLOSEST IN ARRESTS WITH THE GREATEST DROP PERCENTAGE OF 28.4% NETTING 5,087 CRIMINALS ARRESTED.

PLEASE KNOW THAT THE EASTERN DISTRICT STAYED AT OR NEAR THE BOTTOM IN ALL THE CATEGORIES I'VE SHARED WITH YOU IN PAST YEARS, SO TO SEE WHERE WE ARE NOW ... BUT GOD!

I'VE SHARED THESE NUMBERS WITH YOU SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT YOUR LABORING IS NOT IN VAIN. OUR PARTNERSHIP THROUGH TTT IS HAVING A  GREAT IMPACT ON OUR CRIME AND IT'S REDUCTION. I GET EXCITED WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW IT WILL LOOK WHEN WE HAVE JUST 20% OF ALL TTT'S PARTNERS FULLY ENGAGED AND IN THIS BATTLE OF TRANSFORMATION. LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF WHAT A FEW BELIEVERS DID! YOUR PRAYER WALKS, COMMUNITY WALKS, OUTREACHING, AND MANY SORTS OF ENGAGEMENT TRULY MADE THE DIFFERENCE!

TOGETHER WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. LET'S STAY TOGETHER!

HERE'S WHAT I BELIEVE IN MY HEART ... IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT WE HAVE ROUGHLY 120 CHURCHES,  18 SCHOOLS, 26 COMMUNITIES, HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES, DOZENS OF BUSINESSMEN, MANY NON PROFITS, 130 POLICE, JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL AND MORE.  LET BUT 20% STEP FORWARD, ROLL THEIR SLEEVES UP AND GO TO WORK AND BY FAITH THE CRIME RATE WILL PLUMMET INTO OBSCURITY. THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL YOU CAPTURE THE HEART OF THIS CITY, STATE AND THE NATION. THIS CITY NEEDS YOU FOR YOU ARE THAT GREAT TTT AND I LOVE YOU ALL. SEE YOU MONDAY.

MAJOR

      ALL EVIL NEEDS TO PREVAIL IS FOR GOOD PEOPLE TO DO NOTHING 

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For more information on Baltimore City's Eastern District's Transformation Team, click here or click here.

God Belongs in My City – Baltimore

It was a beautiful spring day in Baltimore. The air was fresh and crisp and the sky perfectly clear, giving the War Memorial Plaza right in front of City Hall a very peaceful and calm atmosphere. To those passing by nothing seemed strange or unusual. Yet for some reason a pleasant serenity abounded, rather than the constant hustle, bustle, and crowded streets of the city. Something was different about this day.

Then, about mid afternoon, hundreds of people started pouring in from all corners of the city, each humbly clad with a t-shirt resounding their heart cry, “God Belongs in My City.” They flooded into the plaza not with chants or shouting, course gestures or angry fists, but only a silent prayer on their hearts – for God to end the violence that has pillaged their city year after year.

Baltimore – one of the top murdertroplises of the nation, with a high percentage of those crimes involving teens and young adults. But the news on this day will ring of not another young person dying on the streets, but of hundreds of young people standing up for their God, believing in His power to turn the tide of the violence in their generation.

The beauty of the moment reached its climax as nearly no one was left standing on the plaza. Everyone had fallen to their knees in desperate prayer for their city. Could God really move in a city like this? Their answer would be a unanimous, “yes.”

And He is moving-even now, as they each left that plaza changed, on fire, and excited about taking this prayer back to their homes, schools, churches, and places of work. While they begin to lay hold of their newfound call to prayer, a tide will shift and the prayers will become greater than the violence in this city.

God belongs in Baltimore and He will come in response to our prayers. Join the movement and see a city known for its violence become a city known for its change.

Quick Thoughts about a Long Walk

The ministry I've been getting plugged into in Baltimore City, Maryland has a monthly routine of prayer walking on North Avenue on the last Saturday of each month. I haven't missed a single one since I've started coming up to the city to join them in prayer and intercession for God to turn things around and make this city beautiful again. We're believing for a complete transformation in the hearts and lives of every individual, and in return a massive overhaul in the atmosphere of this city.

Image via www.copinthehood.com

A perfect picture of the desolation of this city can be seen as you walk down North Avenue. Many blocks of the street still show the painful scars of the riots that took place in 1968 following the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. At that time, the combine efforts of the city, state, and federal government with their police and military forces, could not bring peace. The solution they finally came up with was to ask the drug lord of that day for help in getting peace in the land.

On that day, the authority over the land was transferred – and we still see the effects of that dark leadership. At one community meeting a young person made the comment that they respect their neighborhood drug dealer more than their neighborhood police officer. Something is definitely wrong with that mindset. But sadly, it’s the reality the majority of our city’s young people live in.

As we ventured out on Saturday, November 28, 2009, we proclaimed the same word God gave Joshua before he crossed the Jordan river to take the land that was ruled by evil men:

“I will give you every place where you set your foot…”

Joshua 1:3

The weather was a bit blustery for us that day, but we pressed on. Then, a beautiful thing happened about ¾ of the way down our 5 mile trek of the entire length of North Avenue. I was in the midst of one of my general approaches to prayer – simply asking God what He wanted me to pray and praying it. A simple chorus came to my mind from Misty Edward’s song “Light of Your Face” (that you can download for free by clicking here). I allowed the melody to pour over me, “Let the light of your face shine down on my heart, and let me feel it.”

No sooner did I finish that line did we crest a hill and the sun came shining brilliantly down upon us. My heart was filled with so much joy. I have no doubt that God has a unique destiny for this city. He only asks that we partner with Him in bringing it to pass.

Teatime Reflections, part 1

Image via giantbomb.com

Memories of New Zealand stream through my mind as I sit down tonight over a nice hot cup of milk and tea, alongside some nice, crisp cookies—or shall I say, “Biscuits?” This evening is much different than those we Teen Maniac missionaries had on that beautiful island nation. I’m finding myself, yet again, holding the status of a missionary, only now I have a completely new context in which to embody that role.

Oh, how beautiful the path God has brought me on over the last two and a half years. I recall a journal entry I wrote on that first day following my high school graduation ceremony. While on the plane traveling to the missions field, I wrote something along these lines:

Wow! It’s really beginning. No more normality for me. My life in ministry has begun and I’m so excited to have every moment be completely unto God.

Each step I’ve taken since that day has been a step into destiny. After spending a month in New Zealand, I packed my bags and hit the road from my suburban home in Severn, MD to a middle of nowhere town called Garden Valley, TX. Why Garden Valley? Within its bounds lay a campus packed with fiery young adults passionately pursuing a call to reach their generation with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. This was my heartbeat. In joining the 800 plus interns and staff members that made up Teen Mania Ministries, I not only had the opportunity to be a part of an effort that daily impacts a generation in desperate need of a savior, but also one that manages to nearly double the size of Garden Valley, TX. Did I mention it was a small town?

During my internship I grew leaps and bounds in my relationship with God and developed a greater missional mindset. When my time in Texas was nearly complete, I found myself on a visit to the International House of Prayer-Kansas City Missions Base. Here I was awakened to a new paradigm of ministry – one where everything flowed out of the place of prayer, rather just adding prayer onto all of the other programs already taking place. I was ruined for anything other way of doing things, and as I completed my internship and traveled home, I took hold of the call to intercession.

Many sleepless nights and long days locked up in my room were to follow as God began to birth something inside of me that I could hardly imagine.

Face to the Floor

“We have nothing to offer these people. Only when we completely humble ourselves and lay our lives down can God then come in.”

These words continue to reverberate through me as I reflect on the events of the last 48 hours.

Image by Erunion via Flickr

Tears

Shaking

Highway

Miles

Hunger

Laughter

Travail

Encouragement

Prayer

Last night proved to be an encounter that will continue to mold my view of ministry for the rest of my life.

“If I never get the opportunity to speak to these people and all I do is pray and intercede in that place, then I’ll be happy,” Pastor Don expressed the determination in his heart to us as we traveled the 99 miles in-between Baltimore, MD and Martinsburg, WV to minister to a group of over 100 people who would be gathering that night to pray and seek the Lord. Our team of 6 intercessors rolled across the Appalachians in our 15 passenger van, praying and seeking the Lord on behalf of this congregation that was stumbling to come to the place of obedience to the Lord.

We responded to their plea for guidance by traveling out to lead them in the Sunday evening prayer service they had recently begun after hearing the Lord call them to prayer. After a few songs by the worship leader, our team was introduced. Stacey opened up with a brief prayer and then passed to microphone to Pastor Don, who would give some brief teaching on the subject before we began to engage with the One we had gathered to meet.

Almost as soon as I returned to my seat, I found myself face to the floor, completely consumed by the heart of God for these people. I could not recall much of anything that was said that night-only the trembling that was within my entire being as I allowed the Holy Spirit to make intercession through me.

“The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene.” Isaiah 59:15-16

I struggle to put the words together to describe the experience any further. It was such an honor to be in that place – partnering with the Lord’s heart and being one who would intercede.

Exactly How the Lord Wanted It - Baltimore BurnWagon09

The BurnWagon...wow...I feel as though I could barely put it into language. : ) But here it goes...

It was AMAZING! I would definitely consider it a success. No flashy lights or huge crowds, but people on the streets of my city were reached with the Gospel & His goodness in the midst of their desperate situations. People were encouraged by our prayers & asked us to continue to do what we were doing that night - worshiping in the streets. : )

Something new has begun in this city. I don't even know what that's going to look like or what my part in it will be.

The team that was traveling didn't even make it to the night for worship in the streets. They got a flat tire on their way to our city, which held them up an entire day. But we went through with the program anyways. : P And I think that's exactly how the Lord wanted it - pushing us to the forefront, a place we probably never would have went without His firm nudge.

I stepped out in faith, from the concealment of my secret place of leading worship for an audience of 1 to a public ministry to that same Person. I definitely stumbled through a few songs, but it didn't matter. God was lifted up. I was amazed at some of the compliments too. Scars still remain from times in the past when I've stepped out & been criticized for my lack of professional quality guitar playing. : / I don't even care any more now though. God's given me an assignment, and I'm going to fulfill it. By His grace, He will equip me to do it.

What is that assignment? The faintest glimpse I have of it in this moment is to continue to contend through worship for Baltimore. Going to the parks & playing my guitar, singing my heart out & proclaiming His promises to the land-and the people.

A large picture was painted for us during the service the traveling team did make it to. It was scheduled to be a Prophetic Worship Workshop. More than having a teaching, I think it was beautiful that any agenda for that service was thrown out. But prophetic worship ensued. And rather than taking notes on the "how-to's" of prophetic worshp, we engaged as they lead us in 4 hours of the beautiful, sweet, and yet militant cries of worshipers who know who their God is and know their authority in the spirit realm as His sons & daughters.

I'm excited to head into Baltimore again tonight (because I live in the suburbs right now-40 minutes away) to really pray out all the Lord decreed over us through the BurnWagon team on Monday night. Oh, it was so beautiful! So so beautiful!

Revival is coming! A small remnant has formed who have already taken hold of it. The Lord has a strategy and an army will form. People get ready.

Partnering With The BurnWagon

A few weeks have gone by since my last post and a few ideas have gone through my mind as to what I could write, but then I had to turn around to focus on the task at hand. Letting those thoughts sit on the back burner while I etch away at all the things already loading my plate.

The thing that has tyrannized my time for the last few weeks has been my role as event coordinator for the BurnWagon’s Baltimore event.

Burn [bern], vt. (burning, burnt or burned). to undergo rapid combustion or consume fuel in such a way as to give off heat, gases, and, usually, light; be on fire.

Wagon [wag-uh n], n. any of various kinds of four-wheeled vehicles designed to be pulled or having its own motor and ranging from a child's toy to
a commercial vehicle for the transport of heavy loads, delivery, etc.

Four teams of worshipers in association with Burn24-7, an international prayer and worship ministry, have embarked on a tour of the four corners of the United States. Their purpose: to carry the light of Christ Jesus throughout this nation. They are on fire with a passion for Him and His passion for His people.

These are the kind of people I want to partner with. And so, I’ve connected with them and they want to come to my city (and many of your's) - Baltimore!

The amazing thing is that God has used this whole thing to open me up to a whirlwind of firy individuals who are crying out for Maryland to be transformed by the Gospel. The Baltimore BurnWagon is just one small part of a bigger picture of what the Lord so strongly desires to do in this region. I feel so honored to be a part of it. : )

So as I continue spinning my wheels to get all the logistics figured out for this thing, please check out the Facebook event page I’ve set up (click here).