The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Christian Council yesterday announced initial plans to kick-start its ‘Year of Repentance and Restoration - 2018,’ spearheaded by youth and male-driven initiatives, sectors BCC President Bishop Delton Fernander acknowledged as sore points in society.

During a press conference held at Assemblies of God’s Warwick Street headquarters, Bishop Fernander, flanked by several senior BCC members, said the church thought it necessary to lead the country back to a point of prayer and repentance in the face of crime.

Bishop Fernander, who has remained outspoken on national issues since ascending to the post of BCC president earlier this year, added that the church has “acknowledged” that young men in The Bahamas were falling victim to gun violence more so than any other sector of society.

“If we don’t focus on the problem, it will continue,” he told reporters as the organisation announced its upcoming events.

“But (youth and men) are the areas that we feel as a council, need immediate attention. So we applaud Bishop (Gregory) Minnis and our Men’s Department. We applaud Pastor (Diana) Francis and our youth student movement.”

His comments come on the heels of several recent shootings and the arraignments of several young men for serious crimes. He gave as an example a 21-year-old man being charged with the murder of his father and the ongoing trial of three young men in connection with the 2015 murder of a school teacher.

Bishop Fernander continued: “Nationally…. we are going to tackle the prayer focus; we are going to tackle something as church; we are going to focus in our teaching and preaching to those who want (the help) in our congregation and then we are going to hit the ground and try to have initiatives like the panel discussions and meetings with key supporters…. that we can make a difference.

“And so, it is just the journey of the church, we can’t be anything else than what the church is. The church believes in prayer. The church believes in transformative ministry,” he said.

The BCC, through its Student Christian Movement (SCM) initiative, on Wednesday held prayer drives at various school centres across the country.

On Saturday, the BCC, through its Men’s Department, will hold it ‘Men’s March’ and its first prayer drive.

Bishop Fernander added: “This is what the church does best and we are engaging in that for one year and that we hope that it will end in a national revival in November of next year and we are hoping to make a difference in our society.”

Saturday’s march will start at Windsor Park at 8am and conclude in Rawson Square. The BCC will also hold its annual Christmas tree lighting programme on Saturday.

The BCC’s ‘Year of Repentance and Restoration - 2018’ aims to re-establish peace, push for the restoration of a culture of discipline, stiffer gun laws and to advocate for capital punishment by way of the electric chair.