GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

Elder Ottis Brown is a minister of the Gospel at the Rehoboth Church of God in Christ Jesus Apostolic at Independence City, St Catherine. This servant of God has been serving as an ordained elder for the past two years.

Brown, who has been a child of God for more than 20 years, confessed that he was always an individual who believed in moral standards and dignity even before he surrendered his life to the Lord. However, according to him, no matter what one's belief relating to standards and dignity, one is still seen as a sinner.

"I can truly say that I am baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost; am a born-again Christian, old things are passed away and all things are become new," said the church leader.

Brown pointed out that before he started his walk with Christ it was very clear to him that he needed to serve the Lord. He added that ever since he knows himself things have been quite serious; and he has listened to preachers of the Gospel in various arenas, and in different parts of Jamaica and other places in the world, and has been able to draw his conclusion that serving Jesus Christ is the only way out for him, as well as all of humanity.

"Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world. Many people over the years have tried various solutions to their problems, but the only one that stands is Jesus Christ himself as the Saviour of the world, that Son of God who has a type of redemptive power that nobody else can claim. So He is indeed the only way out," preached Elder Brown.

Brown boasted that the God of Heaven has transformed his life totally. He added that he can speak of the new man that God has created in him, because being in Christ Jesus, blood-washed Christians are better able to control themselves emotionally, socially, physically and otherwise.

Brown added that Christ has washed him clean, his thought processes are different being a child of God; he has been able to put God first and has seen all things falling into place over the years, as is promised by the Lord to those who seek Him first. He noted that following and serving Christ have made him into a socially and morally cultivated person; one whom others can emulate in terms of standards and principles.

Elder Brown, who is also a high-school principal, bragged that it is because of his life in Christ why he has reached where he is in life. He stressed that he is of the belief that if he was otherwise minded his life would have been misdirected.

"I feel that much about the God that I serve. I believe he is a compass giving direction to my life; and I do not think that there is any other being on planet earth who could give the kind of direction that I get," said Elder Brown.

Brown, who served as a Sunday school teacher, junior usher, junior minister, minister, youth president, national young people's president, vice-president of the Brotherhood's department, secretary for that department, vice-principal and principal for Vacation Bible School, mass choir director, among other roles, wants persons who are without God to know that they are missing out on something great.

"They need to do like how one song-writer puts it; "Come taste and see that the Lord is good". They only need to come and taste; and I suspect that if they taste, they will have a better taste in their mouth now. The joy that Jesus gives you, that joy cannot be found anywhere in the world," said Elder Brown.

He wants all those who are not saved to come taste and experience Jesus for themselves, and do not allow others to tell them about Him (Christ), but develop a personal relationship with Him.

Brown's favourite Bible verse is "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Another, he said, can be found in Isaiah 54:17, which says "No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper."

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