Lurone JenningsEditor’s Note: This is the second in a series of four commentaries about faith-based efforts to help correct social problems in Chattanooga.
Lurone “Coach” Jennings casts a large shadow across our community, heightened by his years as a teacher, football and track coach, and principal at Howard High School; pastor at Bethlehem United Methodist Church; and, now a Department of Youth and Family Development administrator on Mayor Andy Berke’s staff.
He is a wise man and considers his words carefully before answering my questions. His replies reflect confidence that we can overcome many problems such as crime, illiteracy and poverty with a renewed spiritual presence coupled with other government and civic programs.
Jennings has no problem being both a faithful government servant and an unapologetic Christian. In fact, he thinks the two roles go hand-in-hand. He points out, for instance, that Mayor Berke recognizes that government alone cannot solve our city’s social ills, and has called upon the city’s faith-based organizations for assistance by hosting interfaith prayer breakfasts and asking the city spiritual leaders to pray for him and our city government.
Like his boss, Jennings believes faith-based organizations can change our city’s future.