CRAIGHEAD BEGINNINGS
SEPTEMBER 1998
(1st Service on Holy Hill)
Elders Dean Dyer, Don Curtis & Ron Spurgeon (Pastors) on several occasions two years prior helped me in the laying the groundwork and did accompany my wife and I in January '97 to make the move to the island Fairview Memorial Missionary Baptist Church of Bowling Green, Kentucky hosted a farewell service at their annual New Year’s sing for Lynn and me and on Monday we were flying out to a strange country to begin our mission work.
On arrival (by a previous invitation given), the brethren and I attended the “Church of the Firstborn” in Mandeville. True to: Act 13:15 “And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”
Brother Ron (a singing tenor for gospel groups) on that beautiful Lord's Day, first sat quietly in the congregation. Jamaican tunes filled the room with joy. Then they sang a hymn Brother Ron was familar with. Brother Ron sang loud well above the crowd in his signature high tenor voice. The pastor came off the platform and placed Bro Ron in the choir.
Brother Don Curtis during the service in his "say-on" way preached a message that day that stirred up the lost and several came to the altar seeking the Lord; one I know of testified of being born again that morn.
That week Brother Dean set the scene in the marketplace for a number of other US brethren who came after preaching of the impending disaster of this present evil world. On one occasion during the marketplace preaching I remember well the crowd that gathered there at the curb of the busy thoroughfare; their lively voices filled the air in the Mandeville town square. Joesph Johnson, a Jamaica Baptist preacher was our host it appeared he was sent out by the Baptists to pasture and he went to preaching on the streets. He was a resident of Mike-town. He pleaded for me to come there and I conceded for the Lord taught me early on in the mission field "one lost soul is precious as one-hundred.
Now, the atmosphere around this little corner on the square made folks aware of a divine presence; for when the preaching began many came to stand and listen (curious seekers) to hear the overseas preacher-man.
The preaching was bold as the preachers told of a salvation you could feel & know for yourselves; that God is real & by His Holy Spirit He instills in the heart of a repentant believer -- a know-so salvation.
Several fell, fearful of descending into hell, moved by the message and truth of the sermon that the bible describes hell as a place of torment several cried out for forgiveness as they repented of their sins. I counted 15 that fell down on bended knee in the street crying and seeking the Lord. Several acknowledged a born again experince that was real by the fruit of the Holy Spirit they could feel. One particular Jamaican traveler a woman of a sorrowful spirit stood out to me. I saw her walk off a bus from Kingston and as she walked toward the other side of the square where she would have jumped on another bus to the southern part of the island, she was struck by the boldness of Tennesee's Barry Brawner's preaching.
I watched her as her countenance changed. Standing there it was evident the Holy Spirit was convicting her heart. I saw inner emotions affected by her broken and contrite spirit as she fell onto the street begging the Lord to save her. Her pleas unto God touched me very much; As I made my way off the curb of the street I bowed and prayed near her with my own heavy heart. When she rose up from off the road she no longer carried a heavy load but stood with hands clapping motivated by the joy she was now feeling; happy that the Lord saved her soul. Like the Ethiopian eunuch the woman went on her way boarding another bus, as she thanked us for praying for her as she continued her journey rejoicing on the road to St. Elizabeth. To this day our paths have never crossed, only the Lord knows the rest of the story and in glory I will see again the Ethopian woman of Jamaica saved on the road in the Mandeville square.
GREAT REVIVAL OF APRIL '98
For 14 months I had already seen much action on the battlefield for the Lord. I had been cursed by a voodoo priest tossing down white bones at my feet while standing & preaching on holy ground. I had been roared at by Rasta’s wolfs in the Lion's den in George's valley; chased by a madman in a Mandeville alley, nearly mugged by a Jamaican thug in the market and continuously the target of bandits waiting to steal. I learned that only the greedy nag and the needy are quiet in their affliction.
Craighead is a little English settlement in Northeast Manchester parish & legend has it dating back over 200 years and home to many yam farmers. The Anglican Church had a great influence on the community when the Lord sent me and Brother Dwen there to hold what I call “The great revival of 98.” Brother Barry Collins, Craigheads charter member claims he is the offspring of the old Scotsman by the same name who migrated to Jamaica long ago.
The lofty hills upward which rose above the hillside of Craighead it was alledged had a reputation lately harboring thieves and men and women of ill refute. Some residents come to detest my presence in their community while others welcomed the opportunity to come and hear our doctrine of repentance & faith and a heart-felt salvation as it was "strange things to their ears." Decisional Regeneration has swept over the tiny nation as it had in America and even around the world. There are more recipients of the deceivers "Accept Christ" phraseology then true belivers in Jamaica "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." Brother Dwen and his football (soccer) team built a little meeting place out of ply board with a tin roof and spread the word of a revival 7PM nightly. The crowds were inside and out, some walking about during the service. The Lord visited and the Holy Spirit came and many in the crowd resisted the draw to call on God but a good number fell on the altar and about three days into the meeting the altar was full of mourners and I was mesmerized by the scene. I was rejoicing at the souls who came to know the Lord as I had known Him in the free pardon of sin.
Young & old men were saved & would bring their friends and family and they would get saved. Young & old women would get saved and bring their loved ones to the revival. In all, there was 35 souls dating their salvation time & place to that great revival of 98.
The mission was established Easter Sunday 1998 with 15 souls who told that day of being saved during the revival.
CRAIGHEAD CHURCH BEGINNINGS ON THEIR NEW CHURCH GROUNDS
SEPTEMBER 1998 - PSALMS 99:9
The lot I bought with donations from my Missionary Baptists church friends is seen in the above picture. I found its rocky ground in the most unusual way. After asking the little congregation to help me pray for permanent church grounds, Sister Carlene came to me wanting to share her dream. It is a Jamaican tradition often in their dreams strange things appear; some bring cheer, others sadness.
Sister Carlene set the scene for me. Her thoughts were on the prayer I asked when she laid down to sleep. Most dreams are inspired by our subconscious mind, but not this time. Sister Carlene's dream, like Daniels, was divine and the Lord gave me the intrepretation. In her heart she saw an old neighbor standing tall beside his donkey saddled ready to go to the bush staring on a lot she remembered walking by in her childhood. As he stood gazing she then saw a Jamaican babe in diapers crawling, calling out to her. “Suddenly Pastor,” Sister Carlene said in her dream, "the babe stands up, walking and talking, pleading for me to 'buy me this lot and build me a house 'pon it'.” The interpretation of the dream; the Jamaican babe was saying "Buy me this house and build a house of prayer on it." The old man and his donkey turned out to become I call today my Anglican neighbor, Mr. Dixon, it was his brother that sold the lot to us. And today many toddlers are crawling and walking on this holy hill. What an awesome God that has favored our Missionary Baptist undertakings!
Dwen's Kim
Bro Steves Tasha
Warsop kids
Craig Kids
Today there two Old Timey Missionary Baptist churches in Jamaica
Toddlers
Bro Steves Tasha
Warsop kids
Craig Kids
Today there two Old Timey Missionary Baptist churches in Jamaica
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