By Patrick Fearon
By Patrick Fearon
FREEPORT, Bahamas--The Worldwide Church of God in the Caribbean looks quite different than it did a decade or so ago.
The new look includes a more intimate walk with Jesus, more meaningful inreach and outreach involvement, smaller church size, and a more hands-on practical involvement on the part of the general membership of men, women and children, who are actively making a difference for the kingdom of God.
It is an encouraging picture of new spiritual life and vitality--in spite of the fact that the region has experienced its share of birth pangs during our passage from where we were, to where we are now.
A prominent presence in our congregations today is small, solid, Christ-centered, core groups around which a healthy church can thrive.
These have taken root and are sprouting healthy shoots across the region. They include healthy prayer groups as well as other small, service-oriented groups.
Ministries are growing as more and more members are finding and using their gifts to further the role of the church in the lives of members and in community life.
This is true irrespective of size of individual congregations--be they in the hundreds as in Bridgetown, Barbados, or an average of 30, as in Kingstown, St. Vincent.
An active prayer group of nine members in the Roseau, Dominica, congregation faithfully meets each Wednesday, and is well into its second year of active prayer ministry.
In Freeport, Bahamas, the congregation has consistently provided about 50 meals for needy people in the community one Sunday each month for the past 12 months.
The new face of the WCG in the region includes greater warmth and friendliness in congregations. In St. George's, Grenada, Peter Hosten, who returned to the fellowship, attributed his return to a genuine warmth that is evident in the congregation.
It is not surprising then that the same congregation also sees new people coming to services through relational evangelism. Family members and friends are seeing something that is positively drawing their attention and their presence to the fellowship.
Relationships are sprouting both intradenominationally and inter-denominationally. Within the past year, groups of WCG members from the French Caribbean have visited their counterparts in St. Lucia and Dominica. The French-Caribbean members have in turn received visits from their fellow Christians from Trinidad and Tobago.
Jack Brunet, who pastors congregations in Martinique and Guadeloupe, has played a key role in the development of this bond.
Interdenominational bonds are thriving in the region. WCG members in Nassau, Bahamas, participated in a family day activity April 13 with All Saints Church on New Providence Island. The event, which included a game of volleyball as well as Christian fellowship, was aired live on an area radio station.
In Hamilton, Bermuda, pastor Cecil Pulley has spoken at a Methodist church.
In Freeport, Bahamas, pastor Patrick Fearon has spoken at a Presbyterian church on several occasions. These two Freeport churches have also met for joint services on a few occasions for both Saturday and Sunday services, and were mentioned at an April 21 meeting of the Grand Bahama Christian Council as being in the forefront of fostering unity among denominations.
Women's ministry is having a powerful effect on the lives of many throughout the region, and most of the congregations have an active women's ministry program.
The women's groups are a great source of support within and without the church. In St. Lucia, a women's group conducts an outreach ministry that ministers to the needy in the community. In Grenada, the women's team meets each Tuesday for prayer. They also conduct fund-raising activities--from which half of the proceeds go toward the Grenada church-building fund.
The Freeport women's ministry supports the children's ministry through fund-raising activities and lends its services to organizations such as the Red Cross. The pattern is similar in other churches throughout the region.
Eighty women in the southern Caribbean attended an inspiring women's retreat in Barbados, June 5 to 7. Joining the women from Barbados were women from Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago.
A few women from other Christian denominations also participated in the event, which included evenings spent in praises and prayer, personal testimonies and the sharing of God's awesome goodness--all of which inspired many. Old friendships were rekindled, others were newly made.
Some of our congregations now have their own buildings, while others are embarking on this path toward a more visible and permanent presence in the communities. From these bases, much evangelism and community involvement can be launched.
In Arima, Trinidad, 1,000 community members of all ages participated in a grand fair put on in May by the Arima congregation at the church's building.
On the day of the fair, about 30 WCG youths and parents kicked off the activity at 7 a.m. with a walkathon around a stadium. During the walkathon the youths carried a banner advertising the church.
Flyers that invited people to the fair later that day were handed out. Radio and the print media also advertised the event. Area churches were also invited. The event was so successful that the members plan to make it a yearly event.
The Nassau church also has its own building. Properties have been acquired in Bermuda and Jamaica. In Antigua the church is negotiating the acquisition of property.
A British-Caribbean magazine is distributed among hundreds of readers throughout the Caribbean. A Caribbean edition of The Worldwide News is also shared among members in the community by some of our congregations.
In Barbados, Clifton Charles, who pastors several congregations in the southern Caribbean, presents a weekly radio program on Sunday mornings. A theme of the program is "Life Is a challenge! Don't be overwhelmed by it. God's Word provides direction and support for facing the challenge."
Other developments in the region include greater emphasis on team ministry and continued training for salaried and nonsalaried leaders in the region.
Greater team cooperation among congregational leaders is especially visible in several of the islands that do not have a full-time pastor, and where teams of nonsalaried leaders do much of the work.
In July, 12 leaders from the region attended a pastors conference in Pasadena. During the past year, leaders from the region also attended major U.S-based conferences on evangelism and church development.
These include conferences sponsored by Willow Creek Community Church, Billy Graham School of Evangelism and Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church.
The WCG in the Caribbean does look different than it did a decade ago. Thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who, through his grace, mercy and love is drawing us closer to him and leading us into greater accomplishments for the kingdom, in spite of our imperfections.
One way to summarize what has been happening in WCG congregations is to look at what regional director Charles Fleming emphasizes at subregional conferences.
This involves our churches seeking to know what our Savior, Lord and Master--Jesus Christ--is now asking of us as a denomination. Based on Jesus' letters to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus is showing us (a) things to hold fast to, (b) things to let go of and (c) things to acquire.
As the churches are seeing what Jesus now desires in the new covenant walk with him, many are responding to his exhortation, and a refreshing new WCG is emerging.
Fund-raising car wash in Freeport, Bahamas
Church hall in Arima, Trinidad
Youths in Bridgetown, Barbados
Chorale in Nassau, Bahamas
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1998