The Church speaks out in the media

[acidblade]

what happens when cricket done ?

good question

[BlackCryptoKnight]

Hyacinth Bennett's caustic criticism of the group of Christians who have volunteered to clean up Kingston and other sections of the island in preparation for next month's Cricket World Cup was yesterday greeted with sympathy and forgiveness by the chairman of the group, Reverend Errol Rattray.

"She has my sympathy; she has my forgiveness," Rattray said in response to Bennett's tongue-lashing of the group at a youth forum on crime held at the Light House Assembly church in Spanish Town on Saturday and reported in yesterday's Sunday Observer.

...

He reiterated that the concept of HOPE 2007 was the church's attempt to seize a moment that was ripe with opportunities. "God has caused Cricket World Cup to come to Jamaica," he said. "We can either let the opportunity pass or we can seize the moment. The moment has arrived for the church. The moment has also arrived for evangelism."

Read more...

[rodalembs]

Well Done Reve Callam

Neville Callam, a Jamaican pastor, theologian, author, media manager and educator, has been nominated to succeed Denton Lotz as general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). Lotz retires in December 2007.

The vote for general secretary will take place during the BWA General Council meeting in Accra, Ghana, in July of this year. If elected, Callam would become the first church leader outside of Europe or North America to head the organisation of 36 million baptised members among a community of 110 million people

Read On

[BlackCryptoKnight]

LEADERS of some of the island's umbrella church groups have distanced themselves from statements by United States gay pastor Nancy Wilson that local church leaders were supportive of a recently established gay 'church' here.

"That which the scripture condemns, and condemns in the strongest words (calling it an abomination), one has to take a stand against," said Bishop Delford Davis, president of the Association of Full Gospel Churches, which represents 42 denominations, including the New
Testament, Church of God of Prophecy and Deliverance Centres.
"I don't see how a person can be a practising homosexual and claim to be a Christian. Those two lifestyles are totally diametrically opposed," added Davis.

Read more

THE East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is a step closer to realising its dream of a "Good Samaritan" inn to help the indigent in the Corporate Area, following the recent purchase of a building in downtown Kingston. The building, which once housed Stanley Motta in Heroes Circle, was purchased at a cost of $30 million, and is also to house a skills training centre.

Read more

[BlackCryptoKnight]

While pointing out that the clean-up activities were not the primary responsibility of the church but the government, Mr. Rattray was quick to acknowledge that "we (the church) believe that we play a very important role in the transformation of our country".

Read the full article.

[BlackCryptoKnight]

For his part, president of the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Pastor Glen Samuels called on the country's political representatives to lead by example.

"The church seeks to make this message clear: There sits on the throne of glory a God who expects you to lead by example, a peaceful, committed and dedicated life; a life that is committed to honesty and the respect of the value of all persons," he said.

He challenged the church to ensure that those who offered themselves for leadership demonstrated moral worth and integrity.

"Those who offer themselves to lead in the process must know that we expect them to lead by integrity, honour and respect," said Pastor Samuels.

Read more ...
.

[BlackCryptoKnight]

Political parties have been labelled as cults by a prominent clergyman, because of the slavish manner in which supporters adhere to party practices.

Bishop C.B. Peter Morgan, of City Life Ministries, said yesterday that as a nation there was a need to get away from this phenomenon.

"We don't talk about political tribalism anymore, that is outdated, but the political parties are cults and we have to break that kind of thing," Bishop Morgan said during a Gleaner Editors' Forum held at the newspaper's North Street, central Kingston, head offices.

Read more ...


.

[BlackCryptoKnight]

She also took issue with persons who have accused the church of being silent.

According to Blaise, the church had been speaking relentlessly, but had "been tuned out in favour of degrading, immoral and violence-promoting lyrics or can't be heard above the screams of families mourning another victim".

"But what if the church was silent? Do we really need to be told not to molest our children? Does someone need to tell us it is inhumane to rape and murder our children?" she queried.

Blaise, however, noted that while many times it seemed that the hand of the law was "short, the hands of the almighty God are not".

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, you don't want to make the mistake of falling into the hands of God for what you have done to his children," she warned.

Read more

Why would people want to hurt children?

[BlackCryptoKnight]

Rev Notice said that theft had become rampant in the country and urged political, business and church leaders to become 'whistle blowers', not for mileage, but for the good of the country.

He said persons who see evil and excuse themselves because they are not involved are only fooling themselves.

"If my colleague pastor, politician, customs broker or policeman are involved in evil, I have a responsibility to expose them," he said.

Jamaica, he added, has departed from a loving commitment to God and questioned whether it was because the leaders have become ashamed of God, who is now relegated to Sunday and Sabbath schools.

"Are we reluctant to place God at the centre because in doing so we can no longer be gods?" he questioned.

Read more

He made some good points, and no doubt, he mashed many a corn.

[BlackCryptoKnight]

A CALL has been made for more parents to get their children involved in Sunday school and other church-related activities, as part of the ongoing effort to cut the nation's rising crime rate and juvenile delinquency.

Children's Advocate Mary Clarke said yesterday there was a need for the mindset of the Jamaican youth to be revolutionised in order to combat the deteriorating moral values affecting the country.

Read more ...

More church for the youth.