CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – MINISTER OF HEALTH the Hon. Hensley Daniel and Leader of Opposition Federal Government the Hon. Mark Brantley urged worshippers on Sunday (Oct. 18) at the Shiloh Baptist Church to enlist in the fight against crime.
The two leaders were speaking at the Ramsbury, Charlestown church’s 35th Anniversary Church Service.
Minister Daniel, who read from the book of Isaiah chapter 59, likened some of today’s youth involved in crime to people in Isaiah’s time who were in a haste to shed blood. He said the Federation was faced with a situation where the youth are breaking down the social fabric by engaging in anti-social behaviour.
According to the Minister, what was needed in the contemporary society was “not more churches but more church”. He said the youth were involved in committing iniquities and called on churches to establish community-based bible studies during the week.
The Health Minister, who also holds the Social Development portfolio, said churches should leave their four walls and see what is happening in the real society. “Early believers left their villages…and so did the biblical Apostle Paul.”
The Minister called on Christians to respond to the Macedonia call and engage in mission-oriented evangelism which is “outside the four walls”. He said people were engaging in evil practices because the church was not on the war path.
“People of evil will are spending their time effectively and people of goodwill should do the same,” he said.
The Minister said Desmond Tutu and Martin Luther King had impacted the society and the world at large by engaging in real issues. He said he had not received any proposals from churches indicating that they wish to be involved in real issues. “We owe it to the young people,” he said, and called on the church to reinstate its past role of being the moral voice and the moral guardian. “Wage war on anti-social behaviour.”
“Prayers should put evil people at risk with the master.”
The Hon. Brantley termed the anniversary as “momentous”. He described the newly-built sanctuary as a “magnificent edifice” and said he was in solidarity with the worshippers in acknowledging that 2009 has been a difficult year.
Brantley said Nevisians should renew their commitment to making the island better, pointing out that “crime affects us all”.
He said he had great admiration for Shiloh Baptist Church because of the diversity of its members and had reflected as he drove to the service that God did not create different nationalities…“He created people”.
“We should promote unity and the thread that unites us…the things that bring us together,” Hon. Brantley said.
The visiting Pastor, Rev. Charles Hurlston, said he concurred with Minister Daniel that professing Christians were growing lukewarm and could not be distinguished from non-believers. “We cannot sit on the fence,” he said.
Rev. Hurlston said churches must accept the reality that there is a second generation of teenagers and youth who no longer go to church. He said only the prayers of steadfast and unmovable Christians who avoid church divisions could pray effectively for the youth involved in anti-social behaviour. He also said divisions were contrary to the desires of Jesus Christ.
