Ministers say church active in fighting crime

WESTERN BUREAU:

Several ministers of religion, who were in attendance for the media launch of the Supernatural Encounter religious campaign's inaugural staging in Jamaica, have declared that, contrary to some beliefs, the Church is playing an active role in combatting crime in Jamaica.

The Reverend Al Miller, head of the Kingston-based Fellowship Tabernacle, told attendees at the event, which was staged at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James last Thursday, that the Church has done more than any other entity to sustain the nation.

"There's no agency of government, or anyone else, doing more to sustain the activities that are keeping the nation afloat, than the Church," said Miller.

"At the end of the 1970s and in the 1990s, what saved this nation was the preaching of this gospel."

Miller continued: "Whenever there is moral and spiritual decline in a nation, then social and economic decline will follow. It is for that reason that we are calling the nation back to refocus on the moral and spiritual and, as those are restored, the social and economic will follow."

Collaboration

Pastor Mark Mullings, head of the Emmanuel Chapel in Montego Bay, said the Church cooperates with other stakeholders while fulfilling its own mandate of sharing the gospel.

"There is more collaboration with the Church, among various entities, than may be well known. Against the background that there are a number of things happening in the nation, we will continue to do more," said Mullings.

"The Church has a mandate to carry the Word of God to the nation, and it continues to carry out its responsibility."

Last month, the Jamaica Council of Churches urged Christians to tackle crime and violence by starting anti-crime initiatives, including youth development programmes and the revival of neighbourhood watch programmes in their respective communities.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com