The International Council of Pentecostal Bishops (ICPB), a Canada-based religious organisation, appears to have dropped Kevin Smith, the pastor of Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries in St James, from its membership.

Up to Monday this week Smith’s name was included on the ICPB members’ list posted on the organisation’s website. However, on Tuesday his name was conspicuously absent.

Additionally, Smith’s organisation is no longer listed as an affiliate of Redemption Faith Ministries International Inc in Ontario, Canada.

Attempts by the Jamaica Observer yesterday to get a comment from ICPB chief prelate and president, Archbishop Dr C Lloyd Battieste, were not successful as the organisation’s phone went to voicemail instructing that a message be left for a return call. The instruction was followed. Additionally, the newspaper did not receive a response to questions sent to the archbishop’s e-mail up to press time last night.

Smith was still in police custody yesterday afternoon, three days after police were forced to enter the building in Albion from which he operated Pathways International to prevent more people being killed in what was believed to be a human sacrifice ritual.

The throats of two members of the religious organisation were slit during the ritual and a third person was killed in a confrontation with the police, who said they were fired upon as they approached the premises.

Forty-two members of the congregation — 31 women and 11 men — as well as 14 children were taken into custody. The children were placed in State care, while the women and seven of the men were charged with breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act and granted bail. Four of the men, including Smith, remain in custody. The other two, the Observer was told by police, were released.

A biography of Smith posted online could lead people to believe that he has megalomaniac tendencies as it continuously refers to him as “His Excellency”. It also states that he is “the highly distinguished Jamaican-born child prodigy, former crown ambassador of the Throne of Nubia Sheba, globe traveller to over 100 countries worldwide and Yeshu’a Hamashiach end time prophet to the nations”.

Additionally, the biography states, “His Excellency is a sitting member of the International Council of Pentecostal Bishops of Canada ,where he serves as a regional bishop on the board of presbyters.”

The ICPB explains that it was founded by Archbishop Battieste and Bishop Dr CA Reid in 2002 and incorporated in Ontario, Canada on March 7, 2002.

Its international office is in Toronto and it comprises “all active bishops and/or senior pastors presiding over their respective denominations/ministries”.

The organisation says it meets twice per year and offers a safe environment where bishops and ministers can receive encouragement, instruction, and counselling for issues associated with leadership responsibilities.

It’s code of ethics for members is divided into three standards — personal, pastoral, and partnership. Among the requirements are that bishops must be always conscious of their high and sacred calling; give diligent attention to their soul in prayer and devotion; give adequate time to study in preparation for their preaching ministry; maintain a high moral standard in both speech and conduct; always conduct their financial and business transactions above reproach; regard their services and ministry as primary and their remuneration and rewards as secondary; always retain high standards for their church/ministry in the community, realising that their conduct and statements are representatives; become engaged in only those community activities that have to do with their own ministerial duties; and refrain from inviting into their jurisdiction questionable methods of evangelism that would harm the standards of the ICBP and its affiliates or cause undue hardship to a neighbouring church.