The Editor, Sir:

AT THE NATIONAL Stadium last Wednesday evening, I attended the grand finale of the 'The Way Forward' conference, promoted by Pastors in Action, featuring big-ticket speaker Bishop T. D. Jakes of evangelistic fame. I would like to share some of my observations.

First, folks should take umbrellas when they go to the stadium, especially if they're not going to be sitting under the covered section of the grandstand behind the boxed seats. Unfortunately, by the time Pastor Al Miller got up to introduce the main speaker, it drizzled sub-stantially into a short but significant pour that lasted long enough to wet the tops of some attractive ushers and cause the promoters to briefly cover Bishop Jakes with an umbrella and then a tent while speaking.

Virgin-lamp experience

I was offered an umbrella by a kind fellow Christian who had a spare to share. When the time of the end comes, however, the oil of our individual Holy Spirit experience cannot be shared and everyone must have their own Christian wise-virgin lamp experience and not be one of the foolish Virgins (see Matthew 25), a point similar to the relationship-versus-religion experience that the bishop would later emphasise in his sermon.

Second, the pastors should be congratulated for progressively rethinking the promotion enough to allow especially the unshaved - who did not pay the $1,000 or $2,000 for the grandstand - to sit freely in the bleachers. It saves them from resembling anything like the prejudiced "... faith ... with respect of persons [who are saying] ... Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool." (James 2:1-3) Unfortunately, I did not have enough money to be one of the 500 people asked to stand up/out during the offering to sacrificially give $1,000. Tis the season to be a jolly giver and those in the half-filled grandstand were asked to give more - if they could, of course.

Third, before his opening prayer for the event, a Jamaican pastor mentioned his pleasure arth seeing how the Holy Spirit 'fell' on an Anglican woman and how we are all united, one of the highlights of Tuesday's message. I am thankful that Bishop Jakes is not as extreme as TV evangelist Benny Hinn, with all that slap-you-down 'slain-in-the-spirit' miracle deception. I'm sure the traditional churches were guarding their sheep, as, relatively speaking, the place did not look that packed.

Encouragement

Finally, God knows our traumatised crime-economic assaulted society needs some encouragement and God-fearing respect. Bishop Jakes delivered and asked the people to stand in the initial rain-drizzle for the reading of the Word and mentioned a number of power points in his sermon, including the need to abide in Christ (John 15). And the best is yet to come! Our breakthrough is coming!

I am, etc.,

J.M. SENTINEL

JamesMarcusSentinel@in.com

Waltham Park, Kingston 11