Rev. Al MillerMark Dawes, Staff Reporter
I have long admired the Rev. Al Miller. He is the kind of person who is determined to do something to positively impact the nation and the church. He has succeeded at some things, and failed at others. But, ultimate failure for him is not doing anything at all.
He is not afraid to take risks, even if it means earning the disapproval of his clergy peers. About seven years ago he staged Culture Clash. There in the Liguanea Park, secular and gospel artistes shared the same stage -- an anathema for many Christians. The idea was to exert a moral force on the youth. But despite the 'conscious lyrics' of a lot of secular artistes, the praise of Selassie and a few other unwholesome utterances caused it to be deemed a failure by some. But that's Al. And he would do it again tomorrow. For in his mind, the purpose was not evangelistic as it was to unleash a moral force on the youth who seemed visionless, purposeless and aimless. Culture Clash would in his mind bring the youth to a moral plain, and ultimately create among them an appetite for God.
An articulate visionary, Rev. Miller is one of the most influential church leaders in Jamaica. Perhaps the single most influential such church leader at this time.
SCOPE
He is a fine expositor of Scripture and pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in Kingston. There is no shortage of persons who have left their church home to become members or 'adherents' of Al's church, Fellowship Tabernacle, on Half-Way Tree Road in St. Andrew. Christians are drawn to his exposition of Scripture, which is often not narrowly individualistic in application, but leaves scope for discerning how one can become better nation-changers.
However, his idea for a Government of National Unity (where for one Parliamentary term a team of politicians deemed to be without corrupting baggage would be entrusted with governance) just does not wash with a lot of church folk and those outside of the church. Admittedly, many respect the thought as an ideal, but barring a miracle, it is not one which seems likely to materialise any time soon, irrespective of how hard one works to achieve it.
Al is undeterred. He is taking this idea of a Government of National Unity one step further. Accordingly, two weeks ago he launched Jamaica Alliance for National Unity (JANU).
I asked him what gave rise to JANU. He was quick to explain that where there is no vision, the people perish. "The best way to achieve a vision at this time, "he continued, "is for a government of national unity.
"I know it's idealistic," says Al. "I knew that the powers that be would not embrace it. I think it is sad that they would not. It would certainly show that the national welfare came above the personal and party welfare.
"A united approach, was the only way, I felt, to create a national vision, the Jamaican dream. The Americans have it (the American dream), we don't have the Jamaican dream. Something we can buy into. Something that drives our hopes and aspirations. The nearest we came to it was in the 1970s. Mr. Manley gave us a vision. To me, we have not had a vision since. It is vision that motivates people, not programmes. And what the parties have given us over the years are programmes. And that is why they very often fail. People will not remain committed to a programme if you are not feeding them with little things all the time. But they will commit to a vision to which programmes work to fulfil.
"One parliamentary term of unity could break the back of the tribal culture, set fresh paradigms, establish a clear national vision and the give the nation a fresh start. Neither the PNP nor the JLP can bring change to Jamaica. They can only offer more of the same.
"I have given every opportunity for political leaders to change and to show a willingness to change. I wrote them, I called them over and over. They didn't think it important enough to respond. I am prepared now to do what is necessary for change, and I will work around them since I can't work with them."
FACILITATORS
JANU, he was at pains to explain, is not a political party but "a movement developing a process of national development of which politics will have to be a part, because politics is central to national development. We are facilitators of a process to find these people (suitable people for politics)."
He explained that JANU is a kind of quality assurance body, which will endorse individuals whose characters are upright, irrespective of whether such persons wear political labels or run as independents. Also, JANU will support any group of persons with integrity, which comes forward with the intent to become the government of national unity.
I asked: "How do you respond to persons who say Al Miller is just serving his own agenda?"
Miller: "First I forgive them. They don't understand. I can see how they can think that. I would wish some of those people would be man or woman enough to come and ask and find out.To say I have an agenda? Sure. But my agenda is a Kingdom agenda. And that is all I am after. I am not trying to promote myself. I am confident in who I am.
"A year ago, I would never have thought about establishing JANU. I thought it was necessary, but not for me to do it. About two months ago, I kept saying 'Father, raise up somebody to do the National Unity Government. I talked to people and asked them to do it. I came to a point where I saw the thing in crisis and saw that who was able was not willing and who was willing was not able. So I ended up being the facilitator of the Government of National Unity."
Al continued: "Any programme you see me do nationally, it is after I have spoken to church leaders about it for at least a year. Similarly, anything you see me go out there and do, it is an issue I have discussed with the church and asked their co-operation and encouraged them to do."
While I have no problem with a government of national unity as an ideal and as a valid strategy to break the back of Jamaica's deeply ingrained tribal political culture, I often wonder if that method is too much of 'a top-down approach' to national renewal. Why not work firstly towards a constituency of national unity, or a parish council of national unity. In other words, allow the idea to take root at the grassroots, before transposing it to the national level.
In Jamaica, we often get the Government we deserve. There needs to be more Christian and secular pressure groups on the political landscape that will keep Government on its toes and propel it to go in the right direction. In this regard, it might have missed me, but I don't recall any distinctly Christian group tackling the Government on the JPSCo cess issue. The formation of a few Christian political lobby groups is to be welcomed, especially if such are akin to the Christian Coalition in the United States which have helped to steer the Republican Party and shape its agenda.
Does Al want to see 60 Christians in Gordon House? "I would have no problem with it," he said. "But I don't believe it is necessary for good governance. When a society deteriorates to the bottom, I have no doubt in my mind that there is one group of people who can redeem it, and these are people who are committed to some moral principles. This is not restricted to Christians.
With tears welling up in his eyes and his voice a little short of cracking, he told me: "I pain for the poor of this country. I pain for the needs of people who continue to suffer with a system. I don't believe they have to, and it certainly is not the will of God. I believe there is sufficiency in this country for everyone to become a millionaire. I think if we have a different mindset of leadership, every citizen of this country can live well."
He believes Jamaica can become a country where "The only one don't mek nutten, is the one who don't want to mek nutten."
PRINCIPLES
According to Miller: "There can be no true separation of church and state. I don't think that is biblical. I would not want to see the church as an organisation (which) runs the state as in a theocracy. And I don't believe we have the maturity in Christ to do that. I do believe that the principles of the Word of God and the Christian faith is what should inform Government. Christians who live by those principles should be part of government in every sense of government. Economic policies should be informed by Christian principles.
Rev. Miller is bang on target, however, when he says "the church must stop teaching and giving the impression that it is an anathema to be involved in politics. That is the place for the Christian.
"To feel that we have no place in politics is a misrepresentation of Scripture and, I believe, a strategy of the devil to control the world and destroy mankind. The Scriptures say, 'When the righteous rule, the people rejoice. When the wicked rule, they mourn.' The foundations of our nation are being destroyed and it must be the righteous who will get in there and re-lay the foundations."
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