Over the weekend, an Atlanta area pastor issued a call to action in the wake of Takeoff’s tragic passing. On Sunday (Nov. 6), Jamal Bryant took to the podium at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia with a powerful message for young Black men. Via footage provided by WSB-TV, images of Takeoff, along with other slain rappers like PnB Rock, Young Dolph, Pop Smoke, and Nipsey Hussle, could be seen behind him as he initiated a prayer for those in the audience:

“Today, I want to pray a hedge fence of protection for our young Black men in this community. I want to ask all of our young men to come to the altar, please, all of our young men. If you’re under 20, all of our Black boys under 20. … Y’all better shout for these champions! Come on, you better shout for these business leaders! Would you open up your mouth? These young men are gon’ change the world!”

He then asked for older Black men in the sanctuary to acknowledge their young counterparts and provide support: “Now I want all of our Black men to come to the alter and surround our boys.”

Following his service, Bryant further explained his feelings on the current violence to WSB-TV’s Larry Spruill:

“I am afraid that this generation is adjusting to a culture of violence with no redress. This summer, this fall, I think we’ve lost six rappers to violence. … Yet we wonder why our people are under stress, under anxiety, under depression… because all of the people that they look up to are now falling below zero. … I want New Birth to really lead the way.”

He continued: “I believe that prayer works, but Frederick Douglas said, ‘I got more prayers answered when I got off my knees.’ So I think that prayer is the beginning, but an actionable, executable plan has got to come behind it.”