Bishop Neil Ellis said he doesn’t have to tell how much money was given Evangelist Prophetess Juanita Bynum during Seven Days Ablaze and also called for ending the distinction between church and state.
He was responding Tuesday to questions about finances for the recent revival at Clifford Park.
“I have really been so focused on the results of the revival and where we go from there. I’ve really not paid much attention to what was said because I believe what was done, was done in decency and in keeping with the scripture and I am very comfortable with what was done with the finances, as a result of what was paid,” said the bishop at a press conference held at the Mount Tabor Full Gospel Church to report on the revival.
He said money remaining from Seven Days Ablaze will help stage future events, and send 40 teams to the Family Islands to conduct services.
“And we will be bearing the traveling and promotional expenses of those teams, in addition to that we have give $10,000 to The Bahamas Christian Council; that was our way of making a contribution to all of the churches here in the country and once the traveling expenses have been taken care of, we’ll be broke again.”
Bishop Ellis said that a social partnership must exist between the church and the Government to bring about social impact.
He said he attended a service at Zion South Beach where the Prime Minister said he will partner with the church.
“What concerns me is that there seems to be a whole lot of people who appear to be anti-partnership, with church and Government and you hear a lot of talk as to whether or not the Government is working too closely with the church. I don’t see where that could ever be a consideration,” he said.
Bishop Ellis said perilous times can be expected if the church and the Government do not come together.
He said the church ought to have a role in the social, political, educational and economic arenas, which are all branches for the extension of the Kingdom of God.
Bishop Ellis said a committee is putting together strategies for followup and announced plans for a series of events.
He said the church intends to take the message of revival into the inner cities, where a hands-on approach is required.
Bishop Ellis said at Clifford Park the estimated 42,000 made it difficult to monitor everything.
He said the teams are expecting smaller groups to gather at neighbourhood parks in the inner city, which will place ministers in a better position to better handle everybody.
Bishop Ellis said as a result of the revival other ministers have seen a difference in their inner city communities as regards to crime.
“As a matter of fact I just dedicated a educational, administrative and social complex at the Pilgrim Temple on this past Sunday where they are engaging in an after-school program they have added a library and they have a social agenda,” he said.
Bishop Ellis asked people to be less critical of the church.
“Because on the one hand they always ask, well, what is the church doing and on the other hand they wonder, why we need money, we got to have to engage in, trying to combat so much of this anti-social activity, but we believe with all our hearts that in this season of revival, you are going to see the pulling down of strongholds over our nation, the minimizing of crime in our nation.”
Bishop Ellis said the church has responded to a request from Minister of National Security and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia “Mother” Pratt to carry out a two-day revival in prison.
“Because of the sensitivity of this event, we cannot give further details, other than to say that this is not an event that is opened to the public,” he said.
By Sean Inniss, The Nassau Guardian
