ESCAPE! - Bringing back morality to J’cans
Published:Friday | July 12, 2019 | 12:00 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
It is widely believed that there has been a sharp decline in morality in Jamaica, leading to concerns being raised by secular and religious society as the crime rate and various other ills continue to plague the island.
Aundrae Wood, senior pastor at Shepherd House International, located in Portmore, St Catherine, said it is widely recognised that Jamaica is in a serious state of moral decadence and, as a result, a large proportion of the population are not living Godly lives.
“There is a vacuum in people’s lives, and this has resulted in the state of affairs as it is today. The Government cannot fight crime because it is a spiritual situation. Other countries have similar issues such as Jamaica, but yet, they do not have the level of violence that we have,” Wood said.
“We need to understand that the blood of innocent people is crying out, and the only way for the violence and crime to end is for persons to turn their lives back to Jesus Christ,” he added.
call to escape hell
In an effort to bring awareness to the importance of salvation through Jesus Christ, Shepherd House International will be hosting an event labelled ‘ESCAPE!’, on Sunday, July 28, at 10 a.m. Wood said the event is an evangelistic call to unsaved persons to escape hell.
“If you do not escape, we believe that you are rejecting Jesus Christ. It is not sin that sends people to hell, but the rejection of the salvation paid for by Jesus Christ,” Wood said.
Shepherd House International the Caribbean arm of the United Denominations of the Lighthouse Group of Churches and was started in Jamaica by Bishop David Gyedu in June 2004 under the directive of Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, founder of the worldwide denomination.
Under Gyedu’s leadership, Shepherd House International has grown from having services on the rooftop of Dermason Plaza in Portmore, St Catherine, to having 18 branches across five parishes. The Rock Cathedral in Portmore is the headquarters for the Caribbean.
“We believe in eternity. There is heaven in the afterlife and hell in the afterlife. The Bible supports that there is a place called hell (Luke 16:22-24), and without Christ, hell will be your eternal destination,” he added.
Wood said that leading up to the event, which will include calls inviting persons to accept Jesus Christ, the church has been hosting a series of marches, themed ‘Jesus March’ beginning on the church premises and ending in different locations.
“Death is a gateway ... . (Hebrews 9:27). The nation, on a whole, needs to recognise the importance of Jesus Christ being the portal into the afterlife. How can we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? More people will escape hell by giving their lives to Jesus Christ,” Wood said.