Following an investigation carried out by this news agency, many residents of the Virgin Islands (VI) expressed that although there are so many churches existing in the territory, crime and violence is on the rise, as well as the number of youths engaging in the use of drugs.

Some residents within the VI told this news site that the church is not active as it should be and with extra involvement in the communities, criminal acts and drug use amongst the people of the VI can be decreased. Meanwhile, others claim that the social ills existing within the territory are caused by the church and other institutions in society.

Churches “sitting back”

Vincent ‘VW’ Williams and Lenroy Qaushie stated that the role of the church is very important in any society, but feel that the churches are currently ‘sitting back’.

Williams stated that the churches have been taking a back seat and they need to improve their involvement the VI community.

He said the church seems to pay more attention to the people in its congregation rather than trying to recruit new members and spreading the word of God outside its walls.

“The church needs to take up a more proactive role in society, one that can change how the society operates and be a positive influence in the lives of the people who are caught up in bad acts.”

Williams added that the word that is taught in the church do not reach outside its walls because the ‘Christians’ in the church aren’t what they used to be.

“In the BVI we have something what we call ‘Sunday Christians’. They go to church on Sunday and are the biggest Christians but as they step out the church their conversations are beyond what was just preached,” said the resident, noting that with improved involvement of the churches in the communities, it can assist with the social ills in the society, such as criminal acts and drug related cases.

He added that crime can never be eradicated, but with the churches' involvement they can help decrease the problems.

He said that in efforts to reach the people of the VI, they should conduct seminars for families and pay attention on ways to keep the youths off the streets, especially during school breaks.

He added that everybody expects the government to deal with all the problems of the country but “it's problems to solve by everyone living here.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Quashie said the churches of the VI do not promote the principles that are enforced by the Bible enough.

He stated that the church plays a major role in ensuring the people know good from bad and needs to reach out more to the communities.

He too believes that by doing this it can help solve the problems existing in the territory and decrease crime.

Speaking to two females of religious backgrounds, they said some of the churches are doing their best where they have programmes and activities and they involve the surrounding community while others are all for themselves.

Both ladies said that as a result of the churches having more involvement in the communities, it can be a great help to decrease the crime rate in the VI.

Oidia Brian, a student of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College stated that, “In observing the behaviours of the churches in the BVI, majority of them are just concerned with who are in their church and they make no effort whatsoever to go and recruit new members.”

She added that just like parents, the church has a role in society and that is to encourage people to know the Lord.

Ms. Brian told this news site that the role of the congregation is to spread the word that was preached but the ‘word’ is not spread because the majority are not listening while in church and others are ‘Sunday Christians’ and forget instantly.

Religious leaders agree more can be done by churches

Meanwhile, spiritual leaders and preachers of the faith agreed that there is much more that can be done by the churches.

Alcurt Mitchelle, an active member of the United Pentecostal Church, stated that the churches do not do enough and there is so much more that they can do. He added that as an active member of his church, they do try to get the communities more involved but as Christians they are constantly ignored and some people fail to accept Christ.

“We have been trying for years to get the people of the BVI to know the Lord as their savior and if they come to know him as their savior there will be a change in society.”

Mr. Mitchelle, who preaches in Road Town on the weekends at the intersection next to Vanterpool’s Pharmacy said, “We need to reach the lost at every cost.”

He said the church is responsible or should be responsible for the "way of a community", because God is the head of the world. He added that the way the Territory is "running right now, it is because of wickedness filled in the hearts of the people in the Virgin Islands". He claimed that sin is running the Virgin Islands from the top to the bottom, and with the church's involvement, that can be changed.

Bishop John Cline of New Life Baptist said that while the church is not effective enough, without the church, it would have been a lot worse.

Bishop Cline stated that the church preaches, but most of them do not go “home to home” that will enforce what the church preached about, thus leading to a very difficult time and place that is affecting the change that needs to be effected.

He said in order to produce the best results to get the Virgin Islands where it needs to be, a holistic effort should be made among all the stakeholders of a community which includes the church, the home, the school and the Government.

Alred Frett says social ills caused by churches, other institutions

In agreeing that the social ills of the communities in the VI are high, Alred Frett claimed that those specific social ills are caused by the churches, some by learning institutions and also by other parts of the society.

Mr. Frett stated that for the church to be effective in society they have to perform their role by default. He opined that the church is nothing more than a “poor man’s Rotary Club”.

He said in efforts to increase the involvement of the church in the community, and decrease the percentage of crime and drug related cases in the Virgin Islands that the first thing the church has to do is tell the truth.

“If they tell the truth on everything, then the public will not have to question the teachings of the church but instead see them happening.”

He added that the same doctrines the church officials and its members grew up on while they were unable to read and write, it is now "being forced upon a people". He said by doing this the church is asking its congregation to go back in slavery or move forward into mental slavery.

He opined that faith is described to be believing in nothing tangible or believing in something that is not real. He added that it is difficult in seeing exactly what the people of the VI believe.

Mr. Frett, who is also the owner B and F Medical, said one goes to school to learn facts and ask questions about things that can be proven while in church one is being told not to learn anything new except what has been done long ago.

He stated that pertaining to the percentage of crime and other social ills existing within the communities that “good or bad, right or wrong based on society the people will find out the different groups in and society will say different things.”

In offering suggestions on the way forward, he said people just need to be fair and just. He said without this, greed takes over and greed is promoted all around in society even by the churches and the schools.

“The sin of greed is the route of all crimes. Majority of the socials ills are caused by greed. The same greed that is promoted by the social institutions within society, such as the church and schools.”