A local pastor is reiterating that the answer to Jamaica’s ills lies in prayer, moreso, “power praying”.

Speaking yesterday at the 200th anniversary celebration of Phillippo Baptist Church in Spanish Town, president of the Jamaica Baptist Union, Reverend Dr Devon Dick made an impassioned plea for Christians to engage in “power praying” to stem societal issues such as crime and violence.

“The news is that there was a funeral service yesterday in Quarry, St James, for a reported gang leader. This is a parish which is under a public state of emergency. There was a shooting incident and one person was killed, some injured. If the report is to be believed they said when the shooting started, many men drew their guns and I thought that was significant. We are doing far worse this year in terms of killings than last year, and last year was worse than the year before,” Dr Dick said.

He added: “Professor Anthony Harriott, criminologist, estimates that six per cent is the conviction rate for serious crimes, down from 18 per cent some years ago. This means if 100 persons commit killings, 94 will get away with murder. On this 200th anniversary, to the people of Spanish Town, former capital which has a high murder rate, rampant extortion racket, inadequate Spanish Town Hospital, weak job prospects, what words of comfort and hope for surviving family members of those who lost loved ones to senseless slaughter and vicious violence? The answer can be found through ‘power praying’.”

Dr Dick said that the phrase should not be seen as a simplistic, sentimental sauce, rather, it is admitting that God alone is ultimately and totally in control and not persons who are dons or leaders in business, commerce, politics or church.

Further, the preacher said that there are three focal points one must engage in while power praying — fear God, focus on God and rely on God.

“To fear God means to respect and reverence his name … recognising he is holy, right and pure. To rely on God means to risk everything for God. Sometimes in work and toil we are going to get weary, that’s the time to engage in power praying … the times when we feel that God has abandoned his people, go back and rely on God … pray for Spanish Town, St James, Clarendon. pray for Jamaica, pray for the world.

“Power praying is relying on God’s strength and wisdom. To fight for God is the type of praying that relies on God, respects God. It is the type of prayer with action. Every time we go on our knees to pray we are saying thy will be done, what he says we will do, where he sends we will go. If it costs us our property, our reputation, our life, we will undertake it for God. We will get on our knees and turn the city upside down, tear down the stronghold of the evil one. This prayer facilitates boldness of speech and action. When we pray we must be concerned about church growth, outreach ministries, your skills training programme, extortion in Spanish Town, health, killings, rape, racism, classism, ageism, sexism,” Rev Dick pointed out.

Moreover, the local pastor called the leaders of Jamaica in attendance, among them Commissioner of Police George Quallo, Chief Justice Zaila McCalla, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, custodes, Councillor Norman Scott and other members of the clergy to realise that Jamaica is in “serious problems” and must engage in a serious type of prayer that is not ritualistic but leads to action.

“Don’t you see what is happening now? It is a call to action. It is not about visibility and verbosity but victory in Jesus’ name, power over the evil one. It is the way of Sam Sharpe and Paul Bogle, our national heroes, who prayed before civil uprisings. Look at Martin Luther King Jr, a baptist preacher, civil rights leader … he prayed and then he acted,” Rev Dick shared.

He further challenged the church members to go out and be disciples for Christ, rather than warming benches.

“When we are baptised it is our ordination to go out and act, it is not just a passport to say we are going to heaven. We are to rise up and get involved in the mission 2020 project of the denomination. We have to rescue the perishing and care for the dying, snatch them in pity from sin and the grave. We can’t just be warming benches. Every baptised person should go forth and engage in some action and ministry and the mission of God,” he said.

Phillippo Baptist, founded in 1818 by Rev James Murcell Phillippo, will continue its 200th anniversary celebration through to January 2019 and will feature a family focus symposium, harvest of the pastors, medi-clinic expo, homecoming, banquet and an awards ceremony.