THE JAMAICA
Christ For Today 50th Anniversary Edition
December 2014
Established 1874
Christ For Today…
Celebrating 50 Years Of Communicating God’s Word To God’s People
- Dorrett R Campbell
experience the presence of God through your lives… Let the world know that Jesus is alive and well because you are alive and well and remain a witness of what God is doing in your lives,” the JBU President concluded. The anniversary service was broadcast live via LOVE FM as well as streamed live on the websites of JBU and LOVE FM and the Internet radio station, Revive Us Radio. Thousands also got to share in the anniversary church service via the succeeding week’s edition of Christ For Today on Radio Jamaica (RJR) and The Breath of Change (TBC). Timeless Treasure The significance of the Boulevard Baptist Church hosting the landmark 50th anniversary service for CFT did not escape the Reverend Karl B. Johnson, JBU General Secretary, as he gave his reflections.
“With Jesus, there can be no turning back! We must remain committed to, and consistent with the mission of communicating God’s Word; even when we think that he has not answered… even when there’s disappointment with God’s Church and God’s leaders.” The Reverend Michael Shim-Hue, President of the Jamaica Baptist Union, made that impassioned plea as he delivered the sermon at the Anniversary Service to mark 50 years of ministry through the Union’s flagship radio programme, Christ For Today. Hundreds were in attendance at the Service held at the Boulevard Baptist Church on Sunday, August 31. Rev. Shim-Hue used the sermon entitled, The Mission of Communicating God’s Word, to remind Christians of their responsibility to be faithful in communicating the gospel. The JBU President emphasized that Christians should be consistent in declaring the word of truth that would instil faith, encourage hope and give reassurance that God would always be with His people. He urged believers not to be deterred or intimidated by the hostile environment in which we live. Instead, they should remain committed to the mission of communicating God’s Word to God’s world, confident that despite the atrocities, they could depend on the power of His Holy Spirit. “Even when we are criticised; even when we are chastised; remain committed to the mission of communicating God’s Word to God’s people in God’s world,” declared the JBU President. Referencing Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians in chapter 1:1-14, Reverend Shim-Hue stated that responding to the call to communicate God’s Word would cause Jamaicans at home and abroad to have faith in God: “Not faith in themselves,” he explained, “not faith in their money, not faith in their power, but simply put – faith in God: not much or little; not weak or strong, but faith in God - the confidence that God is and that God is for them and will always be with them.” Seize The “God Moment” Rev. Shim Hue encouraged Christians to see and seize every moment as a “God moment” to talk about God and what He was doing in their lives. “Let the world
In thanking all the partners who supported Christ for Today, Reverend Johnson explained that the planter of the Boulevard Baptist Church, the Reverend Luther Gibbs, was also the first Jamaican preacher on CFT when it was first aired on August 1, 1964. He was of the view that the programme’s birth date was significant as it marked Jamaica’s second observance of Emancipation Day as an independent nation. Rev. Johnson noted that CFT represented different things to different people. For many, he explained, CFT was a demonstration of the partnerships forged and sustained with key stakeholders such as RJR; and to others it was a testimony to those who had given their time, talent and resources to the programme. “It is a testimony to our listenership,” he added, explaining that surveys had indicated that few programmes could boast the listenership that CFT enjoyed. The JBU General Secretary added that CFT was a treasure to the JBU with its life-changing capacity, and a timepiece for many who used it as their wake up call on a Sunday morning. Several activities, according to Reverend Johnson, were planned to mark the milestone. Those included a dedicated issue of the Jamaica Baptist Reporter in celebration of CFT, the publication of a compilation of sermons preached on CFT and honouring several CFT volunteers and partners at the JBU’s 165th General Assembly; slated for Montego Bay, St James in February 2015. Standard Bearer Dr Hopeton Dunn, Chairman of the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica, accompanied by his wife Leith; also shared in the worship. Dr Dunn added his voice of endorsement to CFT, hailing it as the standard bearer for religious broadcasting in Jamaica. He stated that the programme had to its credit, the irrefutable fact that Jamaica had listened for fifty years and that it was not easy to keep a programme running for such a long time. He commended the Union for its foresight and suggested that they consider taking CFT to another level - a radio station, for which the Commission would be willing to consider granting a licence. A fitting tribute If that was not sweet music to the ears of those who listened, the Boulevard Baptist Choir, directed by Deacon Joseph McIntyre, delivered an extraordinarily impressive rendition of the popular hymns, Great is Thy Faithfulness and Thanks be to God. Arlene Henry, JBU Programme Director, paid tribute to the many pastors and lay preachers who ministered on CFT. She presented a radio feature that included snippets of CFT sermons from Reverends Luther Gibbs and Sam Reid; the late Reverends A. E. Brown, Azariah McKenzie, Dennis Millwood, John Bee; and the lone female, Deacon Marine Cunningham. This was interspersed with testimonials from several listeners islandwide. The Reverends William Edwards and Karen Kirlew, former and present CFT announcers, led the Scripture readings. Christ For Today, which is of half-hour duration, is broadcast on RJR and internet-streamed from that station’s website at 6:00 every Sunday morning. It presents a blend of music, preaching and information on the activities of the JBU and related agencies. An abbreviated version of the programme is also carried on Sundays at 9:30 am on TBC radio and 10 am on Revive Us Radio.
President’s Message
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY OF CHRIST FOR TODAY
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he Christ For Today Sunday morning “service of worship” is a weekly, timely and welcoming reminder to all who attend the service, that despite the many tests of our faith, Christ is still for today. This service is in fact held bearing in mind the Baptist tradition of the centrality of the Word of God in our services of worship. And ours has been the intent to proclaim the interpreted and applied Word of God for your living today as the people of God in this world.
On behalf of the Jamaica Baptist Union Executive Committee and all 332 congregations of our blessed Union, I express profound gratitude and sincere appreciation to those ministers and members of our churches; friends of the JBU; and, employees at the JBU Centre, who have given selflessly to Christ For Today. In this the fiftieth year of existence, it is true to say that all of us who have been tremendously blessed by the service each Sunday morning live each Saturday evening with great anticipation and expectation for the offerings of the service in the morning. We are so happy that even when we are away from Jamaica we can still join the CFT service online as those in the Diaspora are able to do. Mention must be made of the invaluable contribution of the Tarrant Baptist Church in creating another opportunity on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m., on their radio station, The Breath of Change (TBC), in the programme, “Moments of Inspiration.” Many are those who benefit from CFT, through TBC’s freewill gift.
of God in The Jamaica Baptist Women’s Federation (JBWF), The Jamaica Council of Churches (JCC), The United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI) and many other departments and committees of the Union. She was married to Rev. Clement Gayle, retired JBU Minister and former Baptist Warden of UTCWI. Let us pay tribute to her at this time for her dedication and commitment to CFT. It may not mean much but something ought to be said about the social stability of Jamaica. Fifty years on the same radio station speaks much about the stable political climate that fostered the stability of RJR and by extension, the JBU’s CFT. May I express a word of commendation to our political parties and governments over the past 50 years for the stable climate of the country. Christ For Today is of the JBU, but it is certainly not only for Baptists. I therefore extend heartiest appreciation to all friends of the programme. You continue to remind us that there is much about our church traditions that are similar than not. Maybe one day the Lord will lead us to host an ecumenical service together each week as an expression of the visible unity of the Church of Jesus Christ Today. I entreat all of you to consider, Christ For Today, as your early Sunday morning service of worship at 6:00 a.m. on RJR. Join in the hymns by singing; participate in the prayers by saying Amen; be touched by the sermons by noting the points; and, be attentive to the announcements for your active participation. May we all remember Christ For Today in our prayers.
During the 50th Anniversary Service of CFT, that the Boulevard Baptist Church so graciously hosted and facilitated in August 2014, it was a pleasure seeing so many of you who have been listening and who have contributed in some way to CFT. There was someone missing. Absent because our Lord has called her home. She is our sister, Rubye Gayle. For those who might not know, Mrs. Gayle was one of the women of faith of the JBU who gave selflessly to CFT, for over 20 years as a Presenter. She also served the Mission
EDITORIAL
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ongratulations to the Jamaica Baptist Union for founding and sustaining Christ For Today for five decades and for affording thousands of Jamaicans an opportunity to experience spiritual nurture and growth through the programme. Commendation also to the dedicated presenters, producers and technical operators over the years who have contributed to the remarkable success of the programme. The longevity of CFT is testimony to God’s awesome power. Praise the Lord! CFT is also an important signal of the commitment of the JBU to quality programming which supports its mission of the uncompromising proclamation of the Word of God. CFT preceded the birth of the Internet and the mobile phone revolution, which have changed the face of how we communicate in Jamaica and the world. The social networking website, Facebook; video sharing sites such as the GodTube and YouTube; as well as the crossplatform mobile messaging facility, WhatsApp; have become permanent fixtures in the life of many of us. One lesson that we should learn as we celebrate CFT’s 50 years of existence is that our God has called us to a creative, multi-pronged approach in the dissemination of the gospel. If we are good stewards, we will realize that engagement in radio, face-to-face and pulpit evangelism alone cannot be the best use of our resources for the spreading of the gospel. As Christians, we need to also practise telephone and social media evangelism. Both allow us to inspire and
Michael Shim-Hue (Rev.)
engage others with the gospel at anytime, anywhere and under any circumstance. They make us more accessible to the lost and hurting or those who just need a motivational video, visual story, text or email to brighten their day. I urge churches not to be afraid of delegating personnel to start and or manage their social media sites. Let us not lose focus, however, as to the role of media in the life of the church. The traditional and social media are no substitutes for the face-to-face, hand-in-hand and hands-on work Christians need to do in: evangelism, discipleship, outreach to the less fortunate, church planting, establishment and growth of missions; as well as collaborations among churches and mission organizations. The church also has a mandate to assist in community development and empowerment of families. Most of all, we are called to live out Christ and His values in our everyday life, speech and actions. Let this anniversary of CFT be a time for us to reassess our commitment individually and collectively, to Jesus and His ‘Great Commission’ (Matt. 28:18-20). Let us build a culture of evangelism in our churches so that more people may find the hope, peace, love, forgiveness and purpose that we have found in Christ. The time is ripe for intensifying our efforts to reach persons who need to experience the saving love and assurance of Jesus Christ. Onward march in being purveyors of the gospel, by any godly means necessary!
THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER Official publication of the JAMAICA BAPTIST UNION 2B Washington Boulevard Kingston 20 Telephone: 969-6268 Fax: 924-6296 Email: info@jbu.org.jm Website: www.jbu.org.jm Editorial Committee Erica James-King (Editor) Dorrett R. Campbell Sophia Williams Arlene Henry (JBU Programme Coordinator)
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From the Desk of the General Secretary
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ilestones are more than simply ‘nice to mark’ moments in the rhythm of our lives. They provide unique opportunities for reflection and repentance; renewal and recalibration. That is the backdrop against which we have been contemplating this fifty-year milestone in the witness of our flagship radio programme, Christ for Today. In keeping with that thrust, we have dedicated this special edition of our Jamaica Baptist Reporter to the five-decade achievement of CFT. • • •
Other celebratory activities already completed include: A 50th Anniversary logo which was placed on the 2014 JBU calendar A special Anniversary jingle An Anniversary church service on August 31, 2014.
The editing of a book of select CFT sermons is well advanced and we hope to have it ready for the upcoming 165th General Assembly, where we will also honour some of those who have been involved with the ministry. Several words and images have come to mind as I thought about CFT and I share three of them with you: Treasure – CFT is a valued and valuable instrument in the life and ministry of the JBU as it provides another medium through which God’s message of liberation is proclaimed. Through this thirty-minute time slot many sermons have gone into the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, cars, and workplaces of thousands of ordinary Jamaicans. This treasured vehicle has sought to be consistent in its presentation of the “treasure we have in earthen vessels” and we are grateful that CFT is the most listened to religious programme in Jamaica, according to the last MRSL All-Media Survey! Employing a simple format to CFT over these years, it perhaps, challenges us never to confuse “sameness” with “staleness”. When CFT started, radio was still a novelty in Jamaica and religious programmes were an oddity. Words are insufficient to celebrate the vision and foresight of those who took the establishment of this radio ministry from idea to implementation. Persons like Dotson Mills, Roderick James, Billy Kerr and other co-founders of CFT hold special places in the annals of the history of the programme. We are surely standing on their shoulders today!
Testimony – CFT is a testimony to the power of God and the partnerships we have forged and built up over the years. Numerous have been the testimonies of how listening to a broadcast has had a transformative effect on people’s lives. God, in God’s own way, has used the hymns/songs, scriptures and sermons to impact for good; persons we have never met and likely will never meet. It is also testimony to the partnerships established with key entities/stakeholders over the years. For the entire life of the programme it has been aired on RJR on Sundays between the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. This is, in fact, a highly coveted slot and we are thankful that in an increasingly competitive media environment; RJR has not seen the need to suggest or effect any time change for the programme. In more recent times, we have been in partnership with the Tarrant Baptist Church owned and operated radio station, The Breath of Change (TBC), to carry the CFT programming on Sundays. This partnership has widened our reach as hundreds more now have the opportunity to listen to the programme at another time slot. Timepiece – I have always marvelled at the number of persons who indicate that the programme is their “alarm clock” which signals that it is time not only to listen but to get going! There is another way that I have been seized by this image; and that is, the timer is ticking and each tick conveys the increasing urgency and imperative of spreading the gospel in a country and world that are in great need of hope and salvation. CFT was birthed by that realization. Are there other strategies, media and avenues that now beg our exploration to reach more people with the gospel? In closing, I want to pay tribute to Arlene Henry, the team member at the JBU, with the responsibility of ensuring that the programme is aired each Sunday. It is an extremely arduous task made even more challenging by its time-sensitive nature but she discharges her duties in the fine tradition of those who went before her and with the grace that God endues. Happy Anniversary CFT and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones! Karl B. Johnson (Rev.)
Delighted To Render Christian Service Through Christ For Today
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authoritative source of the mind of Christ while retaining the prophetic edge.
My formal association with CFT began with my employment as Assistant General Secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union with responsibility for youth and training in June 1994. I gave weekly oversight to the production and airing of the programme. My task was to ensure the preparation of scripts for the weekly recording and interface with all the persons who were scheduled for a particular broadcast; then record all of these aspects carefully, leaving clear instructions for Maurice Anderson or James Kerr who would then work tirelessly to produce the final product. The programme had to be ready no later than Thursday night, for delivery to RJR either that same night or early on Friday morning. In later years I had to manage and execute the entire process.
I will never forget the time when Radio Jamaica indicated that they were planning to significantly raise the cost of all religious broadcasts on Sundays and to reschedule these programmes on air. There were consultations at all levels of the JBU and I was asked to communicate with the other religious groups and coordinate consultations with these church groups in advance of a meeting with Radio Jamaica. I remember that Rev Callam, R. Karl James and I were the Union’s representatives at the meeting. This was a fascinating encounter that resulted in a review of both contemplated actions. The programmes, including CFT, have all retained their positions on air since then and the proposed increases were done incrementally over a longer period of time.
always had fascination and respect for Christ For Today, for as a Baptist I had grown up with the programme. It was common practice for us as children to awake to the alluring sound of the theme song; to sit still, or stop talking during the prayers and to also show reverence during the scintillating preaching that followed.
It was a thrill to work with some wonderful persons in our Union during my stint as executive producer for Christ For Today. It gave me access to the entire Baptist constituency. I will not forget the smooth and comforting voice of Eula Coke, the demanding perfectionist Ruby Gayle, the calm and captivating voice of Rev. William Edwards and the command and control of persons such as Revs. Allan Lewis and Jeffrey McKenzie. These were the main persons who worked as on-air announcers each week over a 10-year period. They were reliable, serious, jovial, flexible and committed to the task. Then, there were the preachers - some fantastic persons who are committed to the task of preparing and rightly dividing the Word. This, in my opinion, was what distinguished the Christ For Today product over the years. It was its capacity, by God’s grace, to remain an
I am happy that I was able to serve and bring honour to the name of Christ through JBU’s flagship programme, CFT. All of us in the “Christ For Today building” must choose with care how we build. My course is now history and the Master Builder will ultimately judge its quality. It is my hope that we will continue to take care how we build. Peter Harding (Rev) Former Assistant General Secretary, JBU Former Executive Producer, Christ For Today.
THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
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From the Archives
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THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
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THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
From the Archives
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Historical Overview
½ CENTURY OF JAMAICAN BAPTIST MEDIA EVANGELISM CFT— A Proud Legacy of Mission & Evangelism
- Erica James-King
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he Jamaica Baptist Union partnered with the Southern Baptist Convention of the United States of America to give birth to Christ for Today on August 1, 1964 — the anniversary of the freedom of enslaved people of African descent from chattel slavery. This pioneering missional initiative by the Baptists ensured that CFT became the first and longest running, indigenous gospel programme on morning radio in Jamaica. THE GENESIS OF CFT R. Karl James, a member of the inaugural planning committee for CFT, reflected on the genesis of the programme: “JBU had the idea for the radio programme and they discussed it with Dotson Mills, a Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) missionary to Jamaica. A local committee was established to spearhead the process of establishing CFT, and determining its format and weekly content.” Mr James highlighted some other early developments with regard to the programme, “Dr Allan Compton who had responsibility for broadcasting with regard to the SBC made several trips to the island and trained speakers and technicians for CFT. Compton also helped us decide on the type of equipment needed for the radio programme. He was joined by another SBC representative with the International Mission Board, Nicky Siercy, who also assisted with training. Dotson Mills played an important role in getting the programme off the ground.” NEW CHAPTER IN MEDIA EVANGELISM Hundreds in the Christian community hailed the establishment of CFT as a bold and ambitious undertaking, w h i c h encouraged and strengthened their commitment to the dissemination of the gospel. This weekly half-hour programme aired at 6 a.m. on Sundays, inaugurated a new chapter in media evangelism and discipleship in the island and embraced the strategic vision of helping to change lives, communities and the nation through the sharing of the Word of God. It is not surprising then that the Baptists became pacesetters in spreading the gospel, and the denomination was seen as one to be modelled and emulated. “It became very popular among Baptists and non-Baptists. All over the island I went, people would ask about the programme and comment on it, that they enjoyed it and it had inspired them,” said Mr James. “If you want to know how popular the programme was, if it came on late one morning or didn’t come on, then we would be flooded with queries; many of those queries would come from non-Baptists.” PIONEERING PERSONEL The first few editions of CFT were produced and recorded in the United States by the SBC, who used their preachers and delivered the packaged programme to JBU. However, shortly after, the programme’s establishment, its weekly planning, production and recording took place in Jamaica by Jamaicans. Among the production crew in the early years were presenters Reverends Luther Gibbs, Azariah McKenzie, William Edwards and C. Sam Reid; as well as R. Karl James. Announcers included Gerry Gallimore, Eula Coke, Allan Lewis and Ruby. Among the technical operators were Al Hall and James Kerr. The programme’s first local preacher was Rev. Luther Gibbs, who was at that time JBU General Secretary and Pastor of the Hanover Street Baptist Church in Kingston. “My previous training overseas prepared me for some of the activities on Christ For Today,” Rev. Gibbs related in a recent interview with the Jamaica Baptist Reporter. “While I was in England, I benefited from training in broadcasting. I also had experience at the British Broadcasting Service. This might be one of the reasons why the JBU thought I should play a role in Christ For Today.” STRATEGIC TRAINING & ESTABLISHMENT OF JBU STUDIO For over twenty years, Rev. Gibbs was a regular preacher on CFT. He reflected on the work of one of the strategic partners in the early years of the programme: “Dotson Mills felt he
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could offer us the support which the programme needed. He was instrumental in the start up of Christ For Today. He was very interested in that area of ministry.” Exposure to training in media techniques for CFT production personnel was ongoing during the formative years of the programme. R. Karl James expressed the view that it played a significant role in his life and that of the other members of the production team. He recalled that he and other team members attended training workshops locally, in Florida, the Bahamas, St. Lucia and other Caribbean islands. Such workshops often had trainees from other Baptist churches in the region and it allowed for networking and friendships to be forged between Caribbean Baptists. When CFT started, recordings were usually done at the studios of Radio Jamaica, at least three days before the airing of the programme. Just over two years later, the JBU established its own studio at Bethel Baptist Church on Hope Road, which would be the new home for producing the programme. Mrs Beryl Gibbs, wife of Rev. Gibbs, informed the Jamaica Baptist Reporter, “Dotson Mills led the Southern Baptist in assisting the JBU to finance the building of the studio at Bethel Baptist Church grounds and he also helped to source the equipment. He got people to come down from the US to train persons who were involved in the programme.” CHRISTMAS CFT-STYLE Mrs Gibbs reports that Christmas was always one of the exciting times on CFT. “I remember our young people at Hanover Street Baptist staging Christmas plays in studio, for the CFT programme,” Mrs Gibbs informed. “Some church choirs performed in studio for Christ For Today and delivered inspiring music.” Mrs Gibbs pointed out that on special occasions she would also be a presenter in her capacity as the then President of the Women’s Federation. She would also deliver the message on the anniversary of the Federation or during family month. Commenting on the impact of CFT over the years, Mrs Gibbs emphasized that the programme “has been a wakeup call and source of meditation and inspiration for many Jamaicans” including Baptists and nonBaptists. PUBLIC IMPACT Since it began, the half-hour format comprising music, preaching and information on the JBU activities has become a hallmark of the programme. It has afforded thousands of Jamaicans the chance of worshipping in the comfort of their homes and or preparing them for worship in their own churches. CFT has elucidated many topical issues and matters relating to the Christian faith. Also, Jamaican Baptists are convinced that CFT is a powerful tool in building public awareness on the history, work, beliefs and practices of the denomination. “Had it not been for CFT, many non-Baptists might not have been aware of the important role our denomination played in helping to bring slavery to an end and fighting for the rights of oppressed peoples. They have also been exposed to our Christian beliefs through this programme,” stated Mr James. One ground-breaking feature of CFT is that it allowed the Baptist church to be the first denomination to ask individual churches to sponsor specific broadcasts, as a way of ensuring the programme remained on air while engaging the interest of churches. It made the churches feel ownership of the programme and solidarity with it and its presenters. Some other denominations now follow that procedure in their gospel programmes. Mr James shared that CFT has given him the opportunity to extend his Christian service, as well as developed in him urgency for spreading the good news of salvation to a wide cross section of people. “I am one of those persons who was actively involved in several church activities. However, being involved in the ministry of CFT, gave me a wider vision of the world and the responsibility of the Church to reach the lost and to strengthen the brethren. It gave me the ability to serve in a much broader way.” JBU PRESSURED TO CHANGE CFT BROADCAST SCHEDULE And what has been one of the major challenges facing CFT? During the 1970s, the management of the host radio station and some of the anti-Christian public lobbyists
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Greetings / Messages
Congratulatory Messages Message RJR Communications Group
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Message Chairman of the Broadcasting Commission
Professor Hopeton Dunn
n opportunity for meeting someone even for a brief moment, becomes a privilege, particularly, when on reflection, fifty years later, the association 50 Years of Influence from that initial meeting is still going strong. Such is the situation with Radio It is my pleasure to share in this special occasion marking the 50th anniversary of the airing of Jamaica Limited and the Jamaica Baptist Union through its production of the the Jamaica Baptist Union’s radio programme, Christ For Today. programme CHRIST FOR TODAY. The programme was first aired on RJR 94 FM on August 1, 1964, on what is now documented and recognized as Emancipation Day. Radio Jamaica Limited, through its Board of Directors, Managing Director, Senior Managers, and members of Staff, wish to congratulate all those persons who continue to give of their time and talent in the planning, production and delivery of the programme for broadcast on the station in its 6.00am slot every Sunday. Fifty years for any kind of association is indeed a long period of time, and we are happy to know that we have served and continue to serve in a manner that is still appreciated by our clients and enjoyed by the vast number of listeners to the station. We wish for the Jamaica Baptist Union continued growth and the opportunity to continue to air CHRIST FOR TODAY. Every blessing to you all!
Commendation From Boulevard Baptist
50 years is a long time and this programme has to its credit the fact that generations of Jamaicans have been exposed to its life-giving message since 1964. Christ For Today has been a triumph for sustained delivery of the gospel through a popular medium, to the wider public. To God be the Glory!
As someone who has been involved in the electronic media sector as a practitioner, educator, regulator and academic, I truly appreciate and understand the significance of JBU’s foresight in using radio to engage Jamaicans on a wider scale and am in awe of your remarkable effort in keeping one programme going every week for 5 decades. Standard Bearer The programme has added value to Jamaica’s electronic media landscape, nourishing the spirit and minds of many Jamaicans. In short, Christ For Today is the standard bearer for local Jamaican religious programming. As the Jamaica Baptist Union celebrates this special milestone – readying itself for the road ahead – it does so with the encouragement and support of many well wishers, including the Broadcasting Commission. I am aware that the JBU has already extended its mission to other media platforms, including the Internet, and that, too, is also to be commended. We also know that the time, energy, capital and faith that you have invested in the radio programme and in other media initiatives will continue to redound to the benefit of Jamaicans from all walks of life. Indeed, it is not far-fetched to hope one day to hear of not just Christ For Today, the radio programme, but also conceivably Christ For Today, the radio station. To the leadership of the Union and members of the church community, I extend my congratulations and that of the Commission, and I convey every good wish for an even brighter future. Thank you.
BAPTIST MEDIA EVANGELISM cont’d from page 6 pressured JBU to remove the programme from its morning slot to night-time, contending that the morning slot would be best suited for secular programmes. However, the JBU Media Committee reports that it held consultations with the station and stood its ground that the Word of God should be preached at that time of morning and should not be rescheduled from its 6 a.m. slot. Thank God, the desires of the JBU prevailed.
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he members of the March Birthday Group of the Boulevard Baptist Church, congratulate Christ For Today for Fifty (50) years of faithful ministry and salute our March born brother, Rev. Luther Gibbs , one of its founders. May God continue to bless this ministry and those who direct it! Birthday Group 3 Boulevard Baptist Church August 2014
Bill McDonald, member of the Boulevard Baptist March Birthmonth Group presents a contribution on behalf of the group to Rev. Karl Johnson in support of Christ For Today.
For decades, CFT has been the premier Sunday morning radio programme and has captured the lion’s share of the listeners. Its large listenership is reflected in the Market Research Limited (MRSL) Survey, which is respected as the leading research entity, which has its pulse on media trends in Jamaica. PROCLAIMING The JBU’s CFT is proactive and responsive to the changing needs of the nation and its people. It relates the gospel to the issues of life, but is uncompromising in its proclamation of the Word of God. The programme has undoubtedly contributed to the individual and collective spiritual growth of Jamaicans and Jamaica. THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
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Mr Maurice Anderson (former announcer) and Mrs Anderson
Rev. Karl Johnson greets Professor Hopeton Dunn and Mrs Dunn.
Mrs Sharon Shim-Hue, Rev. William Edwards and Mrs Edwards
Boulevard Baptist Choir ministers in song
Boulevard Baptist Choir praises God through the rendition of a hymn.
Rev. Jeffrey McKenzie (former announcer) and Mrs Esmilda McKenzie, Women’s Federation President Rev. Robert Campbell, JBU Vice President and JBU Mission Director Rev. Dr. Learoy Campbell.
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Mrs Dorrett Thaxter, Captain Lincoln Thaxter, Custos of Portland and Rev. A.B.Lewis
Section of congregation THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
Rev. Karen Kirlew, current announcer, reads a scripture lesson
Soloist Mr Damion Scott
Section of congregation Rev. Karl Johnson, JBU General Secretary, brings greetings
Rev. William Edwards, former announcer, reads a scripture lesson
Professor Hopeton Dunn, Chairman, Broadcasting Commission, delivers a congratulatory message.
Miss Arlene Henry, current announcer, leads the prayer of thanksgiving and intercession.
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The Church and Media —Eron Henry
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hough understated, and often unacknowledged, communication provides the chief tools for transmitting the gospel of Jesus Christ.
One may question the meaning and relevance of communication and its tools, but whether broadly speaking or narrowly defined, communication is the means, which transmits information. Therefore, communication is at the heart of the presentation of the Christian message. In the first half of the 20th century, radio, and later television; became competitors to the written text. The dominance of television – both free-toair and subscriber (cable) TV in the last two decades of that century, met a new and fierce foe, the Internet. The new foe has grown dramatically in strength during this the 21st century. In speaking of communications tools, one may argue that there is no pure communication system. Hybrids of text and broadcast media have existed for decades, and such hybrids are clearly manifested in New Media with the combination of text, broadcast and electronic mediums. Billy Graham, and the many televangelists who followed him, have demonstrated the power of the broadcast medium. Gospel broadcast experienced its zenith in the 1980s, when personalities such as Jimmy Swaggart gained cult figure and celebrity status. Both the rise of the peculiarly American phenomenon of televangelism, which has since become commonplace in many countries, and its troubled past, are clear indications of the centrality of communication to the gospel of Christ. The Internet has led to the collapse or near-death of certain industries, such as newspaper and magazine printing. Many publications have faded out of circulation, as advertisers and readers flee to the Internet due to its reach, cost and convenience. The Internet and its spawns – the World Wide Web, email, instant messaging, social media, etc. – has been a decentralizing force. Diverse Internet cultures have developed, and it is yet to be determined the effect such cultures have on the various expressions of Christianity. One dominant feature of Internet culture is that youth, who are among its major users and consumers, have little interests in “joining,” or attaining membership, in anything. They, rather, are more interested in “connecting,” forming distinct but malleable groups that are not grounded in loyalty or permanence, but on interests. This culture runs counter to congregations and churches which thrive on building memberships and which calls for commitment and planting of roots in a particular place or to a particular faith. Older and more seasoned church folk and institutions have had to come up to speed with new digital media trends— some more successfully and effectively than others. These new digital media trends are second nature to young people. Those born since 1990 are digital natives or citizens. In their experience, there was never a time when there was no Internet. Older folks are digital immigrants. The Internet became a reality after they had come of age. Some digital immigrants adapt to the new culture better than others. Other persons are much less acquainted, only becoming digitally engaged occasionally, perhaps to fulfil a mandatory need or situation. One may call these persons digital tourists or visitors. There are still some members of the population who are so disengaged that they are in the shadows of the digital divide. Blogs are an expression of the Internet that has the potential to disturb, disrupt, and even overturn a centralized structure. So are other forms of social media. Churches and Christian organizations, while acknowledging the value of blogs, treat them with wariness because of the potential to disrupt, to create a counterculture within the movement, and to push agendas that are deemed unwelcome or even unwholesome. Social media, for some an effective
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substitute to congregating and “fellowshipping,” creates its own set of challenges. But the church is an old hand in coming to terms with new developments in media, even those that threaten core values and practices. Already, all major church organizations have a significant web presence. An Internet strategy has become an important component in mission, evangelism and fundraising by mission and aid agencies, congregations, denominational bodies, Christian institutions such as colleges, and parachurch organizations. There are even points of agreement, or more properly, convergence, between media generally, and the Christian Church. In reference to the United States, Quentin J. Schultze said, “No matter how much the media and religion in America appear to be at odds with one another, they borrow from each other cultural forms, rhetorical styles, and message strategies that reflect shared modes of understanding the world.” Schultze implies that the confluence is in the utility of media by Christians and Christian groups as distribution points or options, limited to forms, styles and strategies, rather than in content. But there are suggestions that such forms, styles and even strategies take on the power of symbols, often colouring, many times defining, the message. It can be fairly argued that the pulpit became the earliest dominant medium used by the Church. From the outset, advocacy for and by the Church has been by and through the pulpit, by which is meant not the piece of furniture that adorns houses of worship, but the position of authoritative declaration occupied by pastors and other preachers. “Pulpiteers” have facilitated and provided moral and other instructions; notices and information; criticisms and judgments; calls for action; as well as the formation of civil and even political groups/ movements. What started in the pulpit has found its way in print, over the airwaves, and in New Media. So central are media to Christian witness and presence that no self-respecting church body of reasonable size will fail to have ownership in or operate its own media. In the United States, which is the universal example of the use of media by Christian organizations, “A greater number of adults experience the Christian faith through Christian media such as radio, television or books, than attend Christian churches.” The Jamaica Baptist Union joined with other church bodies to partner in the formation of the country’s leading religious media organization, the National Religious Media Company, operator of LOVE FM and LOVE TV, which started radio transmission on February 14, 1993. This was the JBU’s second major foray into the broadcast medium, following on the founding of the Christ For Today programme in 1964. Aired on RJR, and in more recent year on the Tarrant Baptist Church’s TBC FM, Christ For Today was, during at least the 1990s, the leading religious programme on radio, peaking at more than one million listeners in 1994 in a then national population of 2.6 million people. The JBU has the Jamaica Baptist Reporter, a quarterly newspaper; the Baptist World Alliance publishes the magazine, Baptist World; while there is the Associated Baptist Press, an independent news wire service in the US. The widespread ownership of media by Christians is demonstrated in the many radio and television stations, newspapers, magazines and millions of websites. Organizations similar to trade associations exist to group, represent, advocate for and train Christian media practitioners. They include the World Association of Christian Communication; the Religion Communicators Council, which is not limited to but dominated by Christian media practitioners; the Baptist Communicators Association; and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, which groups and represents Christian book publishers; among other trade groups. While areas of tensions and misgivings remain, church and media are synonymous with each other. But it is not an equal relationship. While media can and do thrive without the church, the church can but thrive only to the extent that it utilizes media wisely and effectively. 1
In 2006, the election of South Carolina pastor Frank Page as president of the Southern Baptist
Convention was credited to an internal revolt led by bloggers Wade Burleson, Marty
Duren, Benjamin Cole and others, over Southern Baptist policies and practices.
2
Quentin Schultze, Christianity and the Mass Media in America, page 2
3
See Shane Hipps, The hidden power of Electronic Culture: How Media Shapes Faith, the Gospel and Church
4
Barna Research Group, http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/77-christian-
mass-media-reach-more-adults-with-the-christian-message-than-do-churches
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Market Research Services
THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
VOX POP & TESTIMONIALS
Christ for Today vox pop How Has Your Life Been Touched By Christ For Today?
Albertha Hill - Buckingham Baptist, St. James
I have been listening to Christ for Today for more than 40 years. I always look forward to it every Sunday morning and when I go to church I always question my brethren on whether they listened to the programme. I receive tremendous blessings through CFT. The speakers are also very good. Pernell Crossman - Lucea Baptist, Hanover
I really enjoy the programme. The theme is very clear and has helped my growth and development as a person of faith. The preachers are inspiring. I enjoy listening to few of the younger preachers these days and some of the ladies. Our Jamaica Baptist Union President is very deliberate and no one can miss the points he makes. The programme has been my inspiration throughout the years. On a Sunday morning I listen to CFT because it gives me what I need for the rest of the week. Glastone Rowe – Ulster Spring, Trelawny
Since about 1970 I have been listening to Christ For Today. It means a lot to me. I do not sleep soundly on a Saturday night because I must wake up by 5:00 or 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, turn on the radio and listen to other programmes until it reaches 6:00 am for the CFT programme. It is very interesting and informative. The inspiration you get from the programme keeps you alert and lets you know what is happening in Baptist circles and as far as the Church universal is concerned. Overall, the sermons have been very good and I enjoy the programme and am inspired by it.
Ivy Scott - Eltham Baptist, St. Catherine
Two score and ten years on air is indeed a very memorable milestone worthy of celebration and thanksgiving. The radio programme, Christ for Today, is a welcome voice on the airwaves taking the gospel to people in their homes all over Jamaica. I recall vividly, the voice of the late Sister Rubye Gayle as she prayed for God’s guidance during the 30-minute-programme. There were powerful sermons from the late Rev Azariah McKenzie, Dennis Michael Millwood, Albert Edward Brown and many others. Inspirational hymns rendered by the excellent choirs of the faith gave glory and honour to the Most High God. On Sunday mornings, I await the signal tune with anticipation. May the good Lord continue to provide sponsors for the programme. We give Him all the Glory.
Oregio Alexander - East Queens Street Baptist, Kingston
I have been listening to Christ For Today for about 20 to 25 years. In recent times, I also listen to the programme on TBC. It has really always been my Sunday morning devotion. I look forward to it and used to listen to it with another lady from the East Queens Street Baptist Church; she died. She always regarded CFT as a blessing. For me, it is Baptist worship and fellowship on the radio. I like the programme and I am satisfied with the manner in which it comes over. It blesses many hearts and it blesses me because of what I get out of it. CFT is doing marvellously well. Continue the programme. Inez Fraser - Ocho Rios Baptist, St. Ann I congratulate the Jamaica Baptist Union on 50 years of the Christ for Today broadcast. I have listened to the programme since its inception and it has played a significant role for me over the years. I look forward with great anticipation to CFT each Sunday as the inspiring music and the preached Word set the stage for my day of worship. Many thoughtful and challenging sermons presented on the programme by our pastors and other church leaders have enriched my faith. I am grateful to God that as Baptists we have been able to present the Word of God to our nation through this medium each week and in so doing have impacted the lives of many. CFT is also an avenue for fellowship. It has been a very helpful means of keeping us abreast of what’s happening in the Baptist family locally, in the Caribbean and the world. In this way we are able to pray about and participate in the various planned activities and opportunities.My family and I have been tremendously blessed as a result of CFT and we pray that God will continue to guide this programme as it seeks to help our country be what it ought to be.
Paul Messam - Methodist, Kingston Christ For Today has certainly touched my heart and warmed my soul in the early hours of Sunday mornings. I have learnt and grown spiritually through the act of just listening intently. From the start to the end of each programme, over the past years; the choice of hymns, the spirit-filled anointed messages and the soothing prayers have all brought me to a different level and touched the very core of my being. The prayers have especially walked into and within the imagination of my heart. CFT is like fresh water to my mind and has opened my mind and touched my heart. The Word of God delivered each Sunday through the programme reminds me that the Creator’s Word is food for the soul. When I hear I continuously submit to God and the devil flees, because I resist in the name of Jesus Christ, appreciating and welcoming my BLESSING. Congrats CFT! Keep it moving.
Happy y r a s r e v i n Golden An CFT!
THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
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Reflections Christ for Today 50th Anniversary Interview with Rev. William Edwards, Former CFT Announcer “I had to give my best for the radio audience, the image of my denomination and the glory of my Lord.” When did your involvement with Christ For Today begin? I was involved in the programme from its inception and worked as a standby announcer to Gerald Gallimore, whom I succeeded. Explain what led you to serve as an announcer on the programme? I was selected to serve as a founding member of CFT from a group that attended a broadcasting workshop conducted by the Southern Baptist Convention, from the United States of America. Was it something you were excited about or were you reluctant? Very excited. What kind of training in broadcasting did you receive? I benefited from a broadcasting workshop, which equipped me in the use of the microphone, voice intonation, presentation styles and pace, and recording technique. Did you experience any anxious moments during your maiden presentation on the programme? My first time on Christ For Today was not my first time on radio so I had no jitters. How long did you serve? Over 5 years — I’m not sure of the exact number of years. What impact did your duties as a CFT announcer have on your life? I had to make weekly visits to the JBU office/studio to do recordings. The activities helped me to develop a sense of commitment and awareness of ministry; and facilitated my interaction with the JBU staff. I had to give my best for the radio audience, the image of my denomination and the glory of my Lord. Name some of the persons with whom you worked. Rev. Dottson Mills (American missionary) and Al Hall (producer/JBU staff member). Who succeeded you as an announcer? Mrs. Rubye Gayle In this the fiftieth anniversary of CFT, what kind of improvement would you like to see to the radio programme and or its production personnel? I think JBU should facilitate the periodic upgrading of the CFT programme producers.
Christ For Today: Outlet For Creativity & Skill Development
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will always be grateful and appreciative of the time I spent working on programmes for Christ For Today. I found it an outstanding opportunity for service as well as an outlet for creativity and the development of a valuable skill set. I learnt the art of producing full radio programmes with the required levels of precision and finesse for commercial broadcast. The timing had to be so precise because if you got it wrong the radio station would truncate your production. The equipment in the early days was challenging but as time went by, the upgrades made life easier. The current studio is far more modern since the introduction of digital computer based audio workstations. I got the opportunity to interface with some remarkable people. I was able to participate in the creative processes that gave rise to compelling, entertaining and informative drama presentations, in addition to soul-stirring music from the various choirs and groups, which I have recorded over the years. The opportunity to play a part in the broadcast ministry of the Jamaica Baptist Union is something I will always treasure. James Kerr Former Technician/Producer Christ For Today
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I
Delighted To Have Served Christ For Today Media Ministry
served as the announcer for Christ For Today for about nine years during the 1970s-80s. It was a thrill to be a part of the Gospel outreach of our denomination to the nation. The programme also acted as a rallying point for our Baptist constituency with news and information of important happenings within our Baptist family. We produced CFT in the JBU recording studio on Hope Road. Mr. Al Hall was the studio technician. During recordings we had to turn off the air-conditioning as it interfered with the sound quality. Invariably, the studio became uncomfortably hot by the time the weekly recordings were complete. CFT was one of the earliest locally produced Christian broadcast programmes in our nation featuring Jamaican preachers, musicians and announcers -breaking the then prevailing pattern of denominations importing media programmes from the United States of America. One of the highlights that I recall is when we produced a full-length Easter radio drama with the help of personnel from the Southern Baptist Convention. This programme was aired for several weeks to the nation. I wish to pay the highest tribute to Bro. Al Hall (now deceased), who was then an engineer with Jamaica Public Service Company and a Deacon at Bethel Baptist Church, for his expertise and his faithful dedication over many years in recording and producing CFT and meeting broadcast deadlines. Being out of Jamaica for the last 25 years I am no longer able to hear the programme. I celebrate with everyone the 50th anniversary of CFT and salute the men and women who continue to serve in this important ministry. To God be the glory great things He has done! Dr. Gerry O. Gallimore Former CFT Announcer & Retired Sr. Pastor Methopolitan Baptist Church, Florida.
Christ For Today: A Humbling Sense of Responsibility
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have been involved with Christ For Today as a speaker on several occasions and as coordinator and director for at least five years. As coordinator, I was responsible for ensuring that the programme was produced weekly and delivered to RJR for broadcast each Sunday. The process was sometimes smooth. At other times, it could be tense and difficult, especially with the archaic production technology with which we had to work on occasions. I am grateful to God that I had the support of a very reliable and dedicated team; including the late Rubye Gayle, James “Billy” Kerr and Maurice Anderson. It was a humbling experience knowing that I was responsible for a programme, on which so many people depended and which was a source of blessing to thousands of lives. There were times we considered pulling the programme as the host station increased the cost of airtime to an exorbitant level; but we found creative ways to keep CFT on air. The Baptist constituency wanted it. Thank God we found a way. As a preacher, it was always heartening and refreshing to meet and hear someone comment that he or she was blessed by a CFT sermon. It was also a blessing to receive calls from colleagues within or outside the denomination, saying that the message impacted them positively and expressing the desire to receive copies of the script. May God continue to bless the ministry of CFT. Rev. Trevor Edwards Former Coordinator and Presenter Christ For Today.
THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
PICTORIAL – IN STUDIO
Rev Karl Henlin - Chairman, JBU Electronic Media Committee and Pastor, Gregory Park Circuit of Baptist Churches
Rev. Dr. Devon Dick - Chairman, JBU Media Commission and Pastor, Boulevard Baptist Church
Rev. Everton Jackson - Secretary/ Treasurer, CBF and Pastor, Calvary Circuit of Baptist Churches.
Rev. Luke Shaw - Immediate Past President, JBU and Pastor Linstead Circuit of Baptist Churches.
Arlene Henry - Producer and Studio Technician
Rev. Marvia Lawes - Member, Linstead Baptist Church, Miss Moya Thomas - Member, Bethel Baptist Church HWT and Rev. Dr. Stephen Jennings - Pastor, Mona Circuit of Baptist Churches.
Now Then
The JBU Studio at 2B Washington Boulevard has been the production home of Christ For Today since July 2006. THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
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Snippets of sermons Free to Love! Christ For Today Sermon on August 14, 1966 Preacher: Rev. C. Sam Reid, then Pastor, Bethany Circuit of Baptist Churches
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ddressing the theme, Free To Love, the Reverend Sam Reid, then Pastor of the Bethany Circuit of Baptist Churches, condemned some prevailing notions of love, including one which had its origins in the American society which stated, “Love who you want, when you want; it is nobody’s business.’” He also lamented one of the perspectives of love, which advocated, “If you love, do it without reserve, what suits you or brings pleasure to you, that is what is right for you.” Cautioning that we are not animals, so we should not behave like animals when it comes to man-woman relationships and love; Rev. Reid pointed out that when we love God with all our heart, all other relationships would be positively influenced by that love. Using Luke 7:36-47 as his reference text, Rev. Reid indicated that true joy and satisfaction are found in a relationship with God. He outlined three sets of relationships, which need to be controlled by God: 1. Relationship between the sexes 2. Relationship between the races 3. Relationship between the classes Rev. Reid expressed concern that too frequently in Jamaica it seems that when man meets woman the prevailing interest is personal sexual satisfaction with no further commitment and no willingness to accept responsibility. Men, he opined, are often engaged in a war of conquest against the female population. Rev. Reid further stated, “For when man and wife should be engaged in a united partnership to build on a foundation of lasting love the sexes are involved in a furious battle destroying the best in each, being torn and consumed by lust that knows no love but parade of love.” He advised that love is free but those who are slaves to lust are not free. “God has to enter our hearts and purify our thoughts and intentions and then He who made us male and female will teach us how to love,” Rev. Reid explained. Expressing unease that a major current problem is the division and hostility between races, the preacher warned that if we accept and harbour racial prejudices, we are not free to love. He appealed to the people to allow God to free them from racial prejudices and liberate them to love unconditionally. Referring to the animosity between the rich and poor, educated and uneducated, the then Pastor of Bethany Circuit of Baptist Churches urged members of the public to love their neighbour as themselves; in obedience to God and out of love for Him. Rev. Reid declared, “Whatever the nature of your bondage, seek Jesus whose desire is to make men free. If the Son makes you free you are free indeed; free to love!”
Christ At The Centre Christ For Today Sermon on February 15, 1970 Preacher: Rev. A. E. Brown, then President, JBU
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n his sermon preached 7th February 1982 on Christ For Today, Reverend Azariah McKenzie, painted a grave picture of a sick world which had spiralled out of control and healing was desperately needed for those who were mentally, psychologically, morally and spiritually sick. He contended that some people were well placed in society and seemed to be financially healthy, but beneath the façade, they were spiritually dead. Families, he said, were falling apart and social challenges were driving others out of their minds. According to the Baptist Pastor, the world was desperately crying out for “a balm in Gilead – someone or something to deal with the problems of alienation and loneliness; the disappointment and despair; the brokenness of the world; pain, suffering and death.” He offered Jesus as the Balm, noting that Jesus’ mission involved healing and reconciliation and that He had committed the same mission to the Church. He suggested three ways in which the Church ought to execute the mission entrusted to it by the Lord Jesus Christ himself: Firstly, the Church ought to employ a method of fellowship and friendship in a world that was sharply divided by suspicion and misunderstanding and characterised by alienation, displacement and loneliness. What was most needed he stated, was “a genuine expression of human companionship… and a sense of worthwhileness and hope…” In this regard he noted that the Baptist World Alliance was instrumental in creating opportunities for the building of bridges of friendship, through its mission initiatives especially in war-torn countries. Secondly, Rev. Mckenzie challenged the Church to employ effective fervent prayers for those who were suffering, but urged that the prayers should be supported by a practical outreach ministry in which the needs of the suffering were addressed. He pointed to millions of people who experienced and or died of hunger across the world on a daily basis. He mentioned the several activities in which the Baptists were engaged in helping to feed starving nations and support rehabilitation programmes. The third suggestion he gave was that the Church should employ the method of proclamation and practice. He explained that the ministry of Jesus was a ministry to make men whole and that went beyond giving food to the hungry and healing the sick, to re-establishing right relationships with God. He challenged the Church to accept its inescapable responsibility to declare that message loudly, clearly, convincingly and uncompromisingly to everyone everywhere. “However, what we declare with our lips we must not fail to demonstrate in our lives,” he concluded.
Building Community: Serving One Another! Christ For Today Sermon on March 3, 2002 Preacher: Rev. Neville Callam, then President, Jamaica Baptist Union
C
hrist For Today carried the closing ceremony of the 120th Annual General Assembly of the Jamaica Baptist Union on the February 15, 1970 edition of the programme. Rev. A.E. Brown, then President of the Jamaica Baptist Union, delivered the sermon themed, Christ at the Centre of our Personality. He charged Baptists islandwide to be humble, honest, truthful and unselfish in their dealings with others. Rev. A.E. Brown stated that each Christian must put aside prejudices, narrow-mindedness and be reminded that God is the father of everyone on earth, therefore the Church ought to have a welcoming attitude to everyone. He referenced Ephesians 3: 14-19 to make the point that divisions and disunity in the world and the Church could only be countered by the love of Christ. Pinpointing that the fundamental principle, which bonded all saints, was the immeasurable and incomprehensible love of Christ which surpassed knowledge, Rev. Brown, challenged the Church to extend love to all; in spite of their weaknesses and personalities. He charged Christians to accept their responsibility as the proponents of Christ’s love or accept the consequences of their actions, noting that they should not allow themselves to become victims of passion, but must learn to master and control their actions. Reverend Brown encouraged the people to allow the Holy Spirit to discipline and illuminate their consciences because only through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit would they summon the strength to overcome their vices and avoid perversion.
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Jesus Christ: Source of Healing & Reconciliation Christ For Today Sermon on February 7, 1982 Preacher: Reverend Azariah McKenzie, former General Secretary, JBU
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he Reverend Neville Callam delivered the presidential address to the 152nd General Assembly of the Jamaica Baptist Union on Sunday, February 24, 2002. The sermon which was themed, Building Community: Serving One Another was carried on Christ For Today, on the ensuing Sunday (March 3). Reverend Callam noted that in the face of social and political disturbances, Baptists in Jamaica should not allow hard times to force them to engage in naïve analysis and foolish responses to a turbulent environment, but to concentrate on building community. He explained that in order to build community, Christians had the inescapable commission to serve one another. However, if they were to do so effectively, then God required them to commit to three imperatives: (1) cultivate collective memory, with all its treasures; (2) contemplate the contemporary moment, with all its demands; and (3) concentrate on the mission to which God had entrusted them, with all its opportunities.
THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
Cont’d on page 15
SNIPPETS OF SERMON & INTERVIEW Building Community: Serving One Another cont’d from page14
In developing his first point, Reverend Callam stressed that believers should not allow technological advances to cloud their interpretation of tradition and history because both were significant in analysing what was really important in informing the decision-making process. He maintained that Baptists in Jamaica had not lost faith in the potential of the people becoming what God had intended for them to be. As a result, he believed, the church had made significant contribution to empowering, supporting and advocating on behalf of the vulnerable and had engaged in ministries; which promoted the dignity of people. He further asserted that the church had sought to maintain the prophetic edge in its ministry and had continued to speak out boldly against injustices, always declaring the truth without fanfare or fear of censure; to both the powerful and the perceived powerless, many of whom had listened and responded. In supporting his second point - contemplating the contemporary moment - the then President of the JBU impressed upon his audience that the present was God’s time and under God’s control. Therefore, he pinpointed, the agenda of the Church was not set by the society but by God Himself and the methods employed in witnessing were inspired not by the world, but by our Maker and Lord. He exhorted Jamaican Baptists to retreat from self-centredness that is empty and self-defeating and take up residence in “the house of God’s love.” Rev. Callam challenged members of the denomination and other believers to speak the Word of God’s peace to the architects of murder, mayhem, antagonism and injustice; as well as to the hopeless, about the unshakeable hope that we have in Christ Jesus. The then JBU President declared that in spite of several challenges, Baptists were not scared; not hopping mad but were waiting patiently for the inspiration to discover and seize the opportunities God had made available to the Church, “secure in our knowledge that the Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is still our firm foundation and our fortress.” Pointing out that the future is a “privilege awaited”, Reverend Callam exhorted Baptists to concentrate on the mission that Christ had entrusted to them, with all its blessed opportunities.
Commemoration of Calabar Day Interview aired on Christ For Today on October 12, 2011
Rev. Duncan: In what ways do you think the Calabar legacy lives on today and influences you as a minister of the gospel? Ms. Buckley: As a second year theological student at UTCWI, I firmly believe that I’m a beneficiary of the Calabar legacy. Though the College itself no longer exists, the purpose, intent and traditions of Calabar remain in tact for it is still visible in this ecumenical institution. The Calabar legacy lives on in and through the Ministerial Training Programme owing to the following reasons: 1. Firstly, the training programme remains contextual in nature. The training offered over the years cannot be described as static but has evolved to suit the demands of an ever changing and developing country, territory and world. Even with these changes, the programme has remained true to its original intent without becoming diluted or impoverished. 2. Secondly, the training programme is liberating. As I said at the outset, the purpose of CTC was to train natives for pastoral work in Jamaica and later in other Caribbean territories. Later it developed to the point of facilitating training from and for other territories. This tradition lives on through the JBU Ministerial Training Programme, which has four Caribbean students under its care in this school year. Last school year there were seven. We see clearly that this kind of thinking still undergirds the operation of the training offered by the JBU within the context of UTCWI. 3. Thirdly, the training programme is missional. Calabar was born out of a desire to send persons to Africa to serve as missionaries. Though we facilitate the training of men and women from neighbouring islands and countries for the pastoral ministry, we continue to partner with them by sending beneficiaries of the Calabar tradition to serve as missionaries and interim pastors. In recent times, we have had persons going to Panama, Haiti and Turks and Caicos islands; just to name a few. The content of the training offered, I believe, conditions and prepares us to go to all places as proclaimers of the gospel. Rev. Duncan: Frantz Duklin Camille, you are a Haitian Baptist student at UTCWI. Share with us your perspective on CTC and its impact on Haiti. Frantz Duklin Camille: Today, being part of this great celebration of the founding of the CTC is the result of what I call a cross-nation legacy based on a mission executed in immense dedication by men and women in true partnership. It all started in 1843, when the Baptists of Haiti made overtures to the Baptists of Jamaica; such attempt was unsuccessful but only for a time, because in December 1845 Ebenezer Francis and his family were in Haiti especially in Jacmel. Some time later, he fell ill and died but today the church he founded, Ebenezer Baptist Church, named after him, is still a place of worship. In order to continue what was started, another Jamaican missionary, William Webley, was sent to Haiti. He was a student of CTC. He worked unstintingly on the construction of a chapel, which was completed and dedicated in Jacmel on March 13, 1853. Rev. Duncan: Tell us Frantz what lessons can be learnt from this about the mission of the church?
Interviewer: Rev. Deonie R. Duncan, then Secretary, Ministerial Training Committee, JBU Interviewees: Student pastors of United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI)
Mr Duklin Camille: It is amazing that challenges did not stop Jamaican Baptist missionaries from going to Haiti. God in God’s wisdom used people like: George Angus, William Webley, Daniel Kitchen, to be faithful workers in God’s vineyard and models to us so that this legacy of mission, commitment, and partnership can live on. From this kind of dialogue between Jamaica and Haiti, many Haitians were sent to CTC for studies. God’s mission continues, and in the (Editorial Note: Calabar Day is observed annually on October 6. However, this years 2001 and 2002 Reverend Nicanor Obtenu sought a closer relationship with the Jamaica interview in commemoration of Calabar Day was broadcast on October 12, 2011; the Baptist Union. From that relationship, one of the two Baptist Haitian students was sent for Sunday following the celebration.) ministerial training. Rev. Deonie R. Duncan: Ms. Buckley, as a Baptist minister in the second year of your Rev. Duncan: Gareth Irvin, tell us how you believe the legacy of CTC assists in fostering training, you would have been familiar with the history of the Calabar Theological ministerial formation of applicants for the ministry of the church? College. Please share some of that information with us. Gareth Irvin: It assists in creating an avenue through which persons who struggle with the Racquel Buckley: The Calabar Theological College (CTC), a pioneer theological call to ministry may pursue it, being given proper guidance in the process. You see, it has institution, was established by the Jamaican Baptists on October 6, 1843. This took always been a tenet of CTC to shape the whole person and as such structures were put in place place five years after full emancipation was granted in Jamaica, at Rio Bueno, Trelawny. to systematically test the soundness of the call. It is for this reason that the Ministerial Training CTC was created to educate and train natives of African ancestry for two reasons: (i) Committee was formed and still exists today. to be pastors for the new Jamaica (ii) to serve as missionaries in Africa. It is the first theological college to have been started in the western hemisphere with this as its Rev. Duncan: Gareth, what do you think are the things we should most appreciate about the primary purpose. CTC legacy? Calabar evolved with time, and began facilitating the education and training of men from and for neighbouring Caribbean and Central American countries. In 1966, it was merged with seven other denominations to create the ecumenical institution called the United Theological College of the West Indies where we now train our ministers.
Mr Irvin: Though the journey doesn’t end here, when one graduates, is ordained or even 20 years down the line, two things are certain: you develop an appreciation for the legacy of the process left by the Calabar Theological College and the faithfulness of you, our listeners, who through your tithing and offering are investing in the future ministers of the church.
THE JAMAICA BAPTIST REPORTER DECEMBER 2014
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In what ways can the JBU use the media more effectively in enhancing the work of its mission and ministries? Rev. Dayne Grant (Pastor): The JBU can make more effective use of media through (1) consistent advertisements via the TV and Internet. These advertisements should not for event promotion but for Baptist awareness; where ministries and missions are emphasized. Also, effective use of media can be achieved through (2) the creation of a media company; the shareholders being participating churches and associations. Anna-Kaye Mighty (Church Administrator): I’m thinking along the lines of improved promotions and visibility. JBU could become more visible by using some social media trends, such as hash tags, and statuses. The organization should also create videos and take pictures of some of the missions and ministries of the organisation. There is need for revamping the website of the JBU. Allison Hall (Civil Servant): JBU should redesign its website, use social media more effectively, redesign Christian education materials to make them more attractive and train its personnel in media skills. Francine Dallas (Teacher): Young people love to send a lot of text messages via social media. Therefore, this medium can be used to send out motivational messages. Joseph McIntyre (Warehouse Supervisor): Invest in the use of technology in all our churches. Haughton Grant (Businessman): Provide a wider airing of the programme, Christ For Today. Hugh Reid {Business Executive): Establish an entire facebook community that will publicize its work and engage the young people on facebook Maria Campbell (Supervisor): Ensure that the messages preached within the JBU churches are posted daily on facebook and twitter. Kadeem Gray (Human Resource Dev. Consultant): One should bear in mind that audiences for information can be classified by different demographics. As a result it is important to use the appropriate medium to reach the relevant audience.
CHRIST FOR TODAY CELEBRATES 50 YEARS Listen us on Radio: RJR—6:00 am Sunday Mornings TBC—9:30 am Sunday Mornings Listen us online: JBU Website—www.jbu.org.jm Revive Us Radio at 10:00 am —reviveusradio.com PRINTED IN JAMAICA BY BCNSPRINTERS