A letter to the church in SVG

To our church bodies, religious leaders, and those who believe in morality,

Over the past two weeks we, as a country, have been gripped by a wave of murders and shootings. As I scroll through news media pages on Facebook for updates, one comment consistently stands out: “The church in SVG happy with what’s going on.”

Time and again, this individual seems intent on rushing to the platform to indirectly accuse the church. Last week though, I couldn’t help but read it a bit differently: “Where are you, church? Why are you allowing this?” When you reflect on the weight of those questions, you can understand why someone would be so persistent in this accusation.  In the face of escalating violence, corruption, and societal challenges in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), the absence of a strong voice from the church speaks volumes. For centuries, the church has been a beacon of hope and promise, through ungodly periods of global war, pandemic, and human suffering, yet today, not as much.

As a young man who follows Christ, I’m often asked why I choose to go to church or live as a Christian. Just this week, some new friends, visibly surprised, asked me the same question, adding, “I could never do that.” Comments like that make my heart sink. For many, it’s easier to embrace our flaws and label them as “part of the human condition” rather than holding ourselves accountable and striving for a better way of living. Jesus doesn’t call us to perfection — he invites us into a relationship, one that, like any healthy relationship, has boundaries designed for our own protection, but one that improves our quality of life. Unfortunately, the church has lost many young people not just to temptation, but perhaps even more to the things we have failed to do.

Many of our historic churches, regardless of denomination, remain steadfastly anchored in tradition, reluctant to adapt even in simple areas like worship music selection or biblical translations. The resistance to moving from hymns and the King James Version to contemporary options, such as songs by Elevation Worship or translations like The Message, often alienate those seeking a more modern and relatable church experience. By refusing to embrace the natural and biblically grounded evolution of worship, many churches inadvertently confine God to a rigid framework of ordinances and ceremonies rather than allowing him to be experienced in a dynamic and accessible way.

Moreover, in many churches, we are seeing and hearing an incomplete but not out-of-date message. Regardless of modernity, the message of the gospel has never changed — “a voice in the wilderness” calling for humanity to return to the heart of God through Jesus Christ; it’s almost as simple as that.

At its core, the Bible, the primary scriptural basis for the Christian faith, serves as a textbook for getting to know God and his son Jesus, growing in a relationship with the Trinity (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit), and living a life free of fear with as little human-caused suffering as possible. While churches frequently emphasise God’s righteousness and justice through judgment, they often neglect to bridge the gap between the “man in the sky”, as some misconceive Him, and our lived experiences on Earth. SVG has long been a country that acknowledges the existence and reverences the supremacy of God. Yet, we have been slow to move from a place of recognition to one of intimate relationships. For all our discourse about knowing God, many of us neither know Him personally nor truly fear Him — not fear in the sense of being afraid, but in the sense of profound respect and reverence. One reason young men may feel emboldened to curse and kill is the mistaken belief that God is distant and His judgment is slow. In truth, God is as present here on Earth — in SVG and everywhere else — as he is in heaven. While he has granted humanity the gift of free will, his sovereignty ensures that he ultimately holds the final authority over all that occurs. He cares about SVG and every Vincentian.

Spirituality is a concept that many Vincentians know about and even dabble in, but the church refuses to teach about it. Topics like obeah and witchcraft, while taboo and even often misrepresented, are real phenomena with historical evidence spanning thousands of years, whether one acknowledges them or not. These practices stand in direct opposition to the teachings of Jesus Christ.  The spiritual forces influencing SVG have long oppressed our people, and it is time for the church to confront these realities and actively combat them.

The New Testament story of Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:9–25) offers a striking parallel to our current state. Simon, who amazed the people with his supernatural abilities, was even thought to be backed by God. However, when the apostles arrived with the power of the Holy Spirit, Simon was astonished and sought to purchase that power, revealing his lack of understanding. As Peter saw Simon for who he was and called him to repentance, we, too, must call out corruption in the church spiritual and otherwise, and address the realities of spirituality holding us back.

This story also serves as a cautionary tale for those in the church who believe and are baptised yet fail to change their ways. Many misuse Jesus’ words when he saved an adulterous woman from being stoned — “He that is without sin among you, cast the first stone” (John 8:7) — as a defence against calling out wrongdoing, arguing that everyone has faults.

However, with full context, we see Jesus made that statement to humble the self-righteous men who sought to trap him, not to excuse the woman’s sin. He acknowledged the woman’s sin and instructed her to depart from that life, soon after calling the crowd to follow him, “the light of life in the darkness”. Church people can be very judgmental, something Jesus himself warns against, but he was never afraid to confront sin, not to condemn those he confronted but to invite them to repentance and right living. We are called on not to judge but to confront and comfort. Humble yourself and see people as Jesus does, his lost sheep looking for guidance toward a shepherd.

As we close another year and embrace the Christmas season, I hope this reflection gives us, the church, something to think about and move toward. The church, as the Bible reminds us, is not defined by buildings or denominations but by its people. It is our collective responsibility to be a voice for the afflicted, commit to earnest prayer for the heart and soul of our nation, repent both individually and as a community on behalf of our nation, and adapt to ensure young people hear and connect with the timeless message of salvation.

Beyond reflection, we must act — establish community development initiatives, host meaningful outreach events, and minister to those in need. Jesus’ command was clear: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” We cannot accomplish this while stumbling over our own feet, struggling to stand firm. The world needs God through the church now more than ever. Will we answer this call, or will we continue to stand by and watch things worsen? At what point do we begin to ask again, What would Jesus do?

Prayerfully,

Daniel Burgin ([email protected])

Merry Christmas!

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