Part of being in leadership is having the courage to do what must be done to achieve what needs to be accomplished for the common good, said Bahamas Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander. He said everything rises or falls from leadership and that it’s not about power, but empowerment.
“It is incredibly easy to accept the advantages of leadership and notability yet neglect the responsibilities. It is easy to drift along depending on what already exists than to build new pathways,” said Fernander at the annual Parliamentarians’ New Year’s church service.
“I am grateful to live in a country founded on Christian principles where all branches of government begin each year seeking God’s guidance in the house of the Lord. This simple yet profound occurrence should not be taken for granted or treated as a perfunctory tradition.”
Fernander described The Bahamas as a “blessed nation” and said he believed part of the reason for that was the fact that no matter what state the country finds itself in, and that no matter which party is in power, that they continually pause to acknowledge that without God’s mercy, guidance and preservation, they would fall.
“When we crossed over from the old year to this new one, we entered a time of great significance nationally. This year, we observed 56 years of Majority Rule and we will also celebrate the big milestone of 50 years as an independent nation. We should all be proud of what we have accomplished as a people in such a short time. However, this should also be a time of reflection, especially for us as leaders in our country.”
The Christian Council chief said everyone should know that they have profoundly benefitted from the efforts, sacrifice and faith of those people who believed that a day would come when Bahamians would have what they enjoy today.
“This begs the question: what will future generations of Bahamians have to celebrate from the efforts of this generation?”
Fernander said there are many Bahamians who have lost hope. And many that are in need of help.
“There are many Bahamians who need to understand where it is that we are headed as a nation and that they have a role to play in the development of our country. This being the case, we must rekindle the concern that we once had for each other and for our country.”
Fernander said as we move further into 2023, and parliamentarians contemplate new laws and policies, that they must do so with the guidance of God and the understanding that the Bahamian people should come first. And that they should do so with knowledge that God is with us.
He also said no generation has exclusivity on the presence of God and that the anointing is cross-generational for those who follow the plan of God.
“This anointing is for those that want to dwell in Beulah land (Promised Land),” said Fernander. “The same God that has brought us this far is the same God that can carry us forward. The same God that guided those who achieved so much for our country can also guide you if you let Him.”
The Christian Council chief told Parliamentarians that they must remember that not just them and their few should reach the promised land.
“Your job is to use this anointing to make the wealth more common,” he said.
