MOULTRIE, Ga. (WALB) — A pastor is using his own criminal history to connect with young men in his community, offering them work and mentorship at his church.

Pastor Wayne Milton moved his church to a new building and noticed a group of young men spending time around the property. He struck up a conversation with them and invited them to spend their summer helping out around the church.

“He said he was going to pay, but we weren’t really worrying about no paying. We were just helping. We were bored. We just, you know, we ain’t got nothing to do, but that’s something to do,” one of the young men said.

Many of the young men say they don’t have jobs, and some don’t have a high school diploma. All of them want to stay out of trouble. Milton says he saw an opportunity to step in.

“I preached several funerals of young men that had been killed. And the only time I seen a lot of young men at the church was during the funeral. And it just breaks my heart that we had to see our young men being eulogized for senseless murder. And we needed change,” Milton said.

Pastor’s past informs his mission

Milton got out of federal prison four years ago after spending 18 years in for fraud-related crimes. He says that the past is helping him reach young people.

When WALB asked if he had truly changed, Milton said, “Let my work speak for itself. Let the works that I do speak for itself.”

Recently, the group spent the day helping around the church before asking for a break to relax. They wanted to use the church’s music equipment to freestyle rap. Milton agreed on one condition — they would keep it clean. The young men ended up freestyling about Jesus.

Milton streamed the moment on Facebook Live. Some viewers criticized what they saw as behavior that wasn’t becoming of a church. Milton sees it differently.

“My heart over bubbled just to see these young black men doing what they doing. And they wasn’t in the street killing nobody, running with no gang, robbing nobody, but they were in the church. And they were fluent. And I loved it,” Milton said.

The group of young men said they brushed the comments off and now believe in something bigger because of his story.

“You can turn around before it’s too late. You can be right here right now and still make it up. Even if you have a setback for 20 years, you can still, you know, have your life,” one of the young men said.

Milton says he knows he can’t drop the ball supporting them.

“I have to be a role model for them. I have to be what their fathers may not be for them. I have to be what their mothers may not be for them. It’s my job,” Milton said.

Milton hopes the group continues coming to the church and getting involved. He hopes to help guide them toward a brighter future.

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