WHEREAS, Rev. Derrick Johnson
of Wilmington’s Joshua Harvest Church has recently been named national
spokesman for “Life Project” a national prison outreach program of “Inspired
by…The Bible Experience,” an audio dramatization of the Scriptures which
utilizes a celebrity cast of more than 200 black actors and musicians in
spreading its Gospel message; and
WHEREAS,
among the film’s cast are such luminaries as Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding, Jr.,
Samuel L. Jackson, Bishop T.D. James, Blair Underwood and Denzel Washington; and
WHEREAS,
it is expected that “The Bible Experience” and Life Project, with Rev.
Johnson’s powerful message, will exert a strong positive influence on members
of the prison population to turn their lives around; and
WHEREAS,
Rev. Johnson will attend the NAACP’s national Image Awards program in March to
receive an award for “The Bible Experience”; and
WHEREAS,
Rev. Johnson is uniquely qualified to bring this message of faith and
nonviolence into the nation’s prisons, having been imprisoned himself during
the 1970s after being convicted in a fatal shooting; and
WHEREAS,
he has turned his own life experience into a ministry of positive affirmation
with which to motivate others in prison to turn their lives around; and
WHEREAS,
in recent weeks Rev. Johnson has worked in conjunction with prominent actor and
comedian, Bill Cosby, in seeking to reduce violence in inner city
neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Cosby and his family are themselves victims of violent crime, having lost a
son, Ennis Cosby, to a senseless act of violence in 1997; and
WHEREAS,
Rev. Johnson and Mr. Cosby met on January 15, 2007, in Philadelphia, near the
scene of a recent fatal shooting, where they spoke with people in the
neighborhood in an effort to bring residents their message of nonviolence; and
WHEREAS,
Rev. Johnson is planning to host Mr. Cosby in the City of Wilmington in the
near future on a similar visit to a high crime area in our state; and
WHEREAS,
Rev. Johnson is preparing to carry the message of the Life Project into prisons
across the nation;
NOW,
THEREFORE:
BE
IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 144th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring
therein, that the members do hereby commend Rev. Derrick Johnson of Wilmington for his ministry and for his efforts to bring
his message of nonviolence into America’s
prisons.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the General Assembly extends a warm
welcome to Mr. Bill Cosby, as he prepares to bring his message of non-violence
to Delaware’s largest city, and commends him for his efforts to turn his own
tragic loss into a positive message with which to reach out to others.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the General Assembly extends
heartfelt congratulations to Rev. Johnson upon having been chosen to be the
national spokesman for the Life Project.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the
General Assembly hereby requests that the Delaware Division of Libraries
purchase sufficient copies of “The Bible Experience” to make them available to
each of Delaware’s prisons so that Delaware’s inmate
population can benefit from this important positive message.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, upon its passage, suitable copies of this Senate
Concurrent Resolution be presented to the Delaware Division of Libraries; and
to Rev. Derrick Johnson of Wilmington and to Mr. Bill Cosby, together with the
thanks and best wishes of the membership for their efforts.
