GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

For all his life, Pastor Jerral Christie has been attending church. Growing up in a home with parents who were devoted Christians, he had no choice but to attend church, whether he was sent or he had to accompany his parents to the house of the Lord.

"I grew up in a Christian home and for all my life I have been going to church. Ever since I came to understand that there is a God; and growing up in a Christian family, I started going to church and have stuck to that discipline from then," noted Christie.

He said both his parents were good role models for him while they were attending the Presbyterian Church (now United Church). However, after attending that denomination for 19 years, Christie said he changed denomination when his father decided to start his own church, the Faith Fellowship Missionary Church at Cascade in St Ann.

Challenges

Christie, who is currently the pastor for that church, having taken over the flock there from his father who did not lead for long, said he started leading that congregation since he was 19 and has been there for 37 years as its pastor.

"It's a delight to be serving as pastor for my church despite the challenges, because definitely when you know that you are called for the mission, then you have no need to worry," said the pastor.

He stressed that the challenges will come but that they are there to be used as a stepping stone to take those who are children of God higher into ministry. Christie lamented that when Christians or church leaders are aware of the importance of the challenges, they should never allow them (challenges) to affect them.

"I have no regrets serving the Lord. If I should be given the opportunity to live my life over, I would do so serving the Lord again; but I would have to get my life enhanced more in ministry," said Christie.

He said as Christians, we should never allow material things to distract us from the way of the Lord, but to try as best as possible to focus on the Kingdom of God, and all other things will be added to us by the Lord, as is said in the Bible.

I seek the Kingdom of God

"I seek the Kingdom of God with the expectation that the other things, which are second place will come. Not at my leisure time, but when the Lord sees it fit," stressed Christie.

Christie said the Lord has performed many miracles in his life and he has taken stance for the Lord even to the extent that he was jailed for the stance he took at one time. He explained that there was an incident in his community where he was arrested for arson.

"The house got burnt and they accused me as the one who provided the gasolene to burn it down and I was locked up because I stood for what was right, following the death of a brother in the church, who was killed and thrown in a river by men who wanted us to believe that he got drowned. I was persecuted for God," said Christie.

Christie, who is married to Lurline, said any minister who is not well supported by his wife in ministry cannot be successful in the church. He described her as a tower of strength to him, and said she has been giving him excellent support as he spreads the gospel.

"The relationship that the minister has with his wife is a ministry in itself; and therefore it is important that the pastor and his wife have a good relationship because they should be good examples in their community," said Christie, who said God has been good to him because He has blessed him in every area of his life.

Feedback: pehenrya@hotmail.com.