The Growing Silence of the Church Across SVG

The good book contains a scripture that states: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Every election season in SVG, I hear the phrase, “It is God who decides who gets into power.” I disagree with this, and I can use scripture to support my position.

First, I want Christians and others to recognize that God has two types of will: perfect and permissive. For the past 25 years, God has given our citizens the freedom to choose the form of administration they prefer. In 1 Samuel 8, the children of Israel approached the prophet Samuel and asked for a king like the other nations. Samuel opposed the idea because he knew it was not God’s perfect will for them; yet God instructed Samuel to listen to the people. God said, essentially: They are rejecting me, not you. And so, God permitted it.

The same principle applies to SVG. Many of us were children when the upheaval, roadblocks, and civil unrest occurred. Why? Because although the ULP party had received the majority of votes, many educated Vincentians believed that the election outcome was unjust. Those of us now in our twenties and thirties grew up under a Labour administration, and unless we read, research, and understand history, we may believe that the present is the best possible version of our country.

What is troubling is that, for the past 20 years, Christians in our nation have been largely silent. There has been no widespread prayer, no correction, and no cries for the suffering and difficulties of our people. These reflections must be offered with a sorrowful heart, because the condition of a nation often reflects the condition of the Church.

And the state of the Church suggests that God has not been with us in the way He desires, primarily because we have removed Him from our altars, our government, our schools, our homes, and our lives. Many go to a building on Sundays but are devoid of the Spirit of the Living God. We have turned our emotions into a substitute for the Spirit—and that is a dangerous place to be.

Consider what has happened over the last 20 years that has silenced the church in SVG, a church that was once vocal and unafraid to challenge the New Democratic Party government when it believed something was ungodly. What has silenced our spiritual leaders to the point where they cannot even hold consistent prayer gatherings? I am convinced that if we traveled around the country, we would find that four out of five congregations do not hold prayer meetings. No one is repenting, earnestly seeking God’s mercy, or pleading for God to intervene on behalf of the nation. Meanwhile, our young men are dying one after the other, and our young women are prostituting themselves for a job or a handout—yet the Church remains silent.

The direction of a nation is revealed by the direction of its churches, and our churches have long been on an unhealthy path. We have a government that openly mocks God, yet many in the Church seem unaffected by this. It grieves my heart to see the condition of our youth. It grieves me because I know that unless we return to God, things will continue to deteriorate, no matter which political party is in power.

Let us take a trip down memory lane to see how the Church replaced the God of the Bible with the god of the ULP Government:

1. During the 2001 and 2005 general elections, pastors and religious leaders publicly endorsed the ULP administration.
2. During the 2021 general election, nearly all pastors, priests, and religious leaders again publicly supported the ULP.
3. By 2008, the unthinkable happened: the Prime Minister was accused of rape by a female police officer, and no major religious entity condemned the action—not the Church, not the Christian Council, not the police. Instead, supporters felt emboldened enough to hold a “rape rally” in defense of the Prime Minister. Christians celebrated, and the Christian Council remained silent.

This marked the beginning of a serious moral decline in SVG. As a society, we defended immorality rather than righteousness. Our silence suggested that it was acceptable for women to be victimized and that leaders could act without accountability as long as the Church kept quiet. The persecution of integrity continued, and the Church became even more silent.

In 2010, the Prime Minister publicly stated that the Gospel Festival had included alcohol as a substitute for the wine at the wedding feast in Cana. When the organizing committee corrected him, the Church still failed to defend itself effectively. Sadly, its voice had been silenced long beforehand.

Today, the Church often claims it “should not get involved in politics.” But where was that sentiment years ago?

My Christian brothers and sisters, if you still follow Christ, if you still love your country more than a political party, if your spiritual eyes and ears remain open—then you must acknowledge that the body of Christ has failed. It is time to stand up, to bow down in repentance, to confess our wrongs before a holy God, and to cry out for His mercy.

God has been patient with us, but remember: judgment begins at the house of God. He will not judge the sinner first—He will judge the one who claims to be righteous. Let us repent not only for the election season but for all the wrongs we have tolerated over the last 20 years. The cup of our transgressions is full, and His judgment is near.

A heartbroken believer of all that is good and right