DETROIT (WXYZ) — It's the first time he'll be on such a large stage in front of millions, but Pastor Lorenzo Sewell says it's not about him. On Monday at the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, Sewell will be thinking about his community back home and a big dream.
On Sundays, you can find Sewell at 180 Church on Detroit's west side. The church welcomed Trump in June for a roundtable while on the campaign.
"As he was leaving, I want you to imagine, over 100 Black Americans going toward him getting things signed. We gave him a cake," Sewell said, describing the moment.
Sewell says he prayed for the president on the spot and that same day, Trump gave him a promise.
"He said you prayed that way for me, at the inauguration, you'll be there," Sewell recalled.
Since then, Sewell say spoken at the Republican National Convention, hosted get out the vote events and prayed at rallies for Trump. He also hoped one day the promise would be fulfilled.
Watch our July 2024 report when Pastor Lorenzo Sewell Republican National Convention in the video below:
"When I received the phone call, I started crying. I cried because I feel like Jesus wants me to do something Monday. I don't believe this is about me. I think this is about people that are hurting in Detroit," Sewell said.
He feels like Detroit has been forgotten and overlooked for a while, and that's who he wants to speak up for.
"It has nothing to do with Lorenzo. It has nothing to do with my church or my relationship with President Trump. It has everything to do with those who are voiceless. Now, they get a voice," Sewell said.
Watch more from July 2024 when we spoke with Pastor Lorenzo Sewell in the video below:
He is one of four religious leaders scheduled to give the benediction.
Sewell says his prayer will be for Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to be fulfilled.
"For me, I believe that the most important thing we can proclaim and believe Jesus to proclaim over our great country is Dr. King's dream," Sewell said.
He wants Black Americans so see a part of that dream coming true on the stage Monday.
