MACON, Ga. — Javonte Owen's dedication to his church, Mt. Calvary Baptist, goes beyond volunteering his time in the sound booth.
"Being a black young man in today's world where police -- not just police -- but we are killing each other, I wanted to go a different route, so I chose the Lord," said Owens.
Owens says Pastor Bobby Brown was instrumental in that journey.
"Everybody be like, 'Who your father?' and I say, 'Pastor Brown' off the top. He taught me how to cut grass and how to change a pipe when your water bursts," said Owens.
At 94, Lillie Lowe says she loves this church. She has seen it go through decades of rebuilding and says Pastor Brown is moving the church in the right direction.
Owens says Pastor Brown encouraged him to go to Central Georgia Technical College, which was a far stretch from what he imagined for himself when he joined the church at 7-years-old.
"They are the church of today and tomorrow," said Pastor Brown.
Brown says he focuses on changing the lives of young people, like teaching kids how to read and giving them role models to look up to.
"You don't get men like that in the world today. I count Pastor Brown as a blessing," said Owens.
People at Mt. Calvary say he made a lasting impact on them, so they wanted to say thank you by renaming the road the church stands on after him.
"He raised me into the man I am today," said Owens.
He says Brown is inspiring others to follow in the way of the Lord.
Bibb County Commissioner Larry Schlesinger joined the church at their celebration on Sunday, and let the pastor know the commission approved the renaming of the road.