As Bahamians gear up to go to the polls to elect the next government, Church of God members were encouraged to pray for a peaceful and uneventful process by their national overseer/administrative bishop, Moses Johnson, during their annual convention.
Johnson encouraged them to also pray for politicians. He said that everyone should show respect to one another by demonstrating a higher level of maturity that befits 50 years of majority rule.
"Register early and be prepared to vote for the candidate of your choice," said Johnson at the church's 96th annual National Convention at the William Johnson Convention Centre on Joe Farrington Road.
"We don't presume to advise you how to vote and for whom you should vote, and we do not support spoiling your ballot. You know the philosophy and principles of Church of God and what we stand for. Become more knowledgeable about the key issues that affect the future of the country and the welfare of the Bahamian people, and be guided to the best of your understanding according to the scripture which says, in Proverbs 29:2, 'When the righteous are in authority the people rejoice: but when the wicked rule, the people mourn'."
Other than the upcoming general elections, the administrative bishop said the plague and fear of crime is probably the number one issue Bahamians face.
"The society, it would appear, has gone mad," said Johnson. "It is evident that there is a major decline in moral values in this country. There are so many senseless killings, it is difficult to fathom; and robbery and personal assault also appear to be on the increase."
Johnson commended the members of the police force for their response and follow-up efforts following the committing of a serious crime, and noted that they could use additional resources and help. But he noted that reports from the police department don't match the perception and fears in the community.
"Their statistics don't soothe our fears or put the society at ease," said Johnson. "The country, Nassau particularly, needs a real decline in the committing of crimes for a sustained period of time."
The Church of God national overseer said what the church body is doing is providing a better coordinated, combined effort, with everyone coming together for a single focus.
He noted that criminals don't attend church to hear the anti-crime message from the pulpit.
"There are many programs that can be imitated, and some have already been developed, that can be successfully implemented. But these need to be better coordinated by a combined church body coming together for that single focus," said Johnson.
Johnson said laws relating to murders and guns must be enforced. And the church needs to find ways to support government initiatives dealing with the root causes of crime and the sources of guns in the country. The establishment of programs designed to disincentivize crime, he said, is paramount.
"We need to get to the young people early, and try to influence the emerging culture. For example, I believe that in the long run, Urban Renewal will prove to be a most useful program in principle. It may need periodic tweaking and refinement to keep it relevant over the years, but it is something the church can support. Such programs help to shape and influence young lives, which is urgently needed in this war on crime," he said.
The bishop said the church must develop and support more appropriate home mission programs among other initiatives.
"We must join hands in supportive, fervent prayer," he said. "The scripture says in 2 Chronicles 7:14: 'If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land'."
Johnson told his members that God is able to do everything He promised His people, which was also the theme for this year's convention, and one he said was timely.
"One of God's names tells us that He is able to do whatever He pleases, a name He first revealed to Abraham. He had promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation, and naturally Abraham needed a son in order for that promise to come true. He thought that Hagar's child, Ismael, would be that son, but God told him that Sarah would bear a son named Isaac through whom the promise would be fulfilled. Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was 90, and humanly speaking, there was no possible way they could have a son. But God helped them to believe it by the way He introduced himself that day. Genesis 17:1, says, 'When Abraham was 99 years old, God appeared to him and told him, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless'. In Hebrew, the name God Almighty is El Shaddai, the Almighty Strong One, or the Almighty Power. The word 'shaddai' means almighty, and the word 'el' means the strong one or power. El Shaddai is God Almighty, the god who is able to do anything He wants to do."
Johnson told members that because they know that God is able, that they need not let their hearts be troubled, no matter what is going on around them, even though it is natural to be concerned.
"We saints of God should not become troubled by life conditions. We know in whom we believe and our God is able to see us through, come what may," he said.
Bishop Johnson said he knew that everyone was looking forward to new growth this year after a fairly long period of drought and recession.
Adding that technology is changing the way people live, work, communicate with and relate to each other, he said people should not regard technology as either good or evil. Johnson said the church needs to find creative ways to use new tools.
"The Internet, Twitter, Whatsapp, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook have become mainstays, and the church needs to find creative ways of employing the new tools, [because] technology is neither good nor evil. In the Old Testament, technology [skills, knowledge and know how] was used both for good and evil. For example, the building of the ark in Genesis 6, was good; on the other hand, the building of the Tower of Babel, in Genesis 11, was evil. Therefore, the focus should not be so much on the technology itself as on the philosophical motivation behind its use," said the administrative bishop.
Johnson also addressed immigration and the fear by some Bahamians of the country being overrun by outsiders and the growing Chinese presence in the country. These, he said, are issues of legitimate concern that deserve appropriate attention without panic. He told members that they must be cognizant that many countries in the world are seeking, accepting and welcoming Chinese investment, and that people need to exercise a wise and balanced approach.
"Romans 13:1-7, makes it abundantly clear that God expects us to obey the laws of the land. The only exception to this is when a law or the government forces us to disobey a command of God. [Acts 5:29] Illegal immigration is the breaking of a government law. Therefore, it is rebellion against God to unlawfully enter another country. Illegal immigration is a sin. We must protect our national domain, but we must do so in a humane way."
With Cuba's borders opening up to Americans, the bishop said tourism industry practitioners are not unaware of the competitive impact on local tourism that the growing normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba will have. He said this is an opportune time for Bahamians, with appropriate support from the government, to become more involved in new product development opportunities, including additional things to see and do around the country.
"While Bahamians may not own big hotels, there are many other branches of tourism in which we can establish some ownership," he said.
With the National Health Insurance Plan set to roll out, Johnson called on church leaders to help their members fully understand their entitlements and apply its implementation toward their needs.

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