PM Calls on Church to do more for Social Renewal

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is calling on the Church to extend its religious ministry and outreach programmes to more Jamaicans and help bring about change within the society especially among the youth and young males in particular. He said too many youth are growing up without a sense of right and wrong and the Church will have to step in and make a difference in areas where it can be most effective.
Mr. Golding was speaking on Saturday (Jan. 5) at the Praise, Reunion and Thanksgiving Service of the East Jamaica Conference of Seventh Day Adventist at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston to recognize the tremendous sacrifice given by members of the security forces. He brought greetings to the congregation and was joined by his wife Mrs. Lorna Golding and Minister of National Security, Derrick Smith.
In his challenge to the church to do more to bring about social renewal, Mr. Golding said that if people will not come to church then the Church should go to them. He recalled the story of Simon who Jesus told to cast his net on the other side of his fishing boat, and said if the Church preaches the powerful word of Christ with the prophetic authority that only it can command, then many persons who fire the gun today would grab the nearest bible they can find.
“We can do it the Church can do it. Let us look at 2008 and take onto ourselves a new mandate to carry the gospel of Christ in a way that we have never carried it before to ensure that this nation our ours can really be lifted up to God,” Mr. Golding said.
He said the youth should not be left out as too many of them were growing up without a sense of decency or understanding about behaviour and respect, while others do know Christ. He said the churches are powerful and should step in and help where they can.
Mr. Golding thanked the Seventh Say Adventist Church for focusing its prayer and thanksgiving service on the men and women of the security forces who, on a daily basis, put their lives at risk for the sake of others. He remembered those who lost their lives in the line of duty during 2007 and said the police deserve extra blessing and the kind of protection that only the power of God can provide. He called on Jamaicans to give support to the security forces, as this would make their work easier and more effective.
Minister of National Security Derrick Smith read the evening’s lesson followed by the message given by Pastor Cornel Jackson. Pastor Samuel Lewis offered a prayer for the leaders of Jamaica.