Durrant Pate/Contributor

Bishop Al Miller, head of Fellowship Tabernacle, who has been a staple in the local church community and in the Jamaican Diaspora for over 40 years, is pulling back from regular church work to focus on a national calling to win back Jamaica from moral decay and unrighteousness. 

Miller, who has won the love, respect and admiration of many because of his stance on various social and political issues, which run counter to the status quo, is promising to arrest the current slide in morality and the inequality pervading the society. 

Miller informed his wider church of his decision during a recent sermon.

“If we don’t arrest the slide of the nation, we will lose this generation and the nation will not recover to the path of righteousness in this lifetime. We need to do the necessary action to save nation and return to the path of righteousness. I must act now! It’s almost too late but not too late with God. It’s never over until it’s over. I’ve been waiting for confirmation and absolute clarity,” Miller lamented.

Taking back Jamaica

Using scriptures to elucidate his point, Miller made reference to the children of Israel entering the promised land, saying, “We must now enter the land, conquer the territory and take the land. We [Feltab] were born for this purpose of transformation of the nation. We must lead the way for the healing and restoration of the nation. I shall not die until I see the transformation of this nation.”

He declared that the time is now to help lead the nation in the clear pursuit of building the new Jamaica, advising that the plan is prepared, the framework completed, but the actors must now move to building this new Jamaica. In furtherance of this imperative, Miller told the congregation that they will be seeing less of his direct involvement in the church as he gives more attention to the nation’s transformation. 

The next six months, he cited as crucial as Feltab gets back into full operation, which it hasn’t been in the last 10 years since his spiritual incarceration. The tele-evangelist pointed to Feltab “Operation Butterfly”, which is also part of the programme of activities to bring about Jamaica’s transformation and spiritual revival.

“After this, we are moving towards the greatest spiritual awakening this nation has ever seen,” he said. “We must press in to become the habitation of the Lord and the carriers of his presence, becoming a house of miracles,” Miller told the congregation while admitting that the last 10 years of his life have been the worst and at the same time the best, recalling his many sufferings during the period.

This was in direct reference to his wrangling over the Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke affair in which he was arrested and charged, fought a long legal battle, was ostracised by some of his fellow religious leaders, and had to defend a civil suit over the whole affair.

Glory in tribulation 

Miller declared that he is now witnessing the benefits of the power of Jesus’ resurrection. He shared the story of Apostle Paul, who saw glory in his time of tribulation, admitting that he too has been befallen by the glory of the power of the resurrection. 

Miller sought to make it clear that he is not leaving the church or his church responsibility but is answering to a higher calling. “I’m filling the kingdom mandate in the name of the Lord,” Miller said, reminding the congregation of his televised address to the nation earlier in the year in which he stressed the need for taking back Jamaica and the desire for having a Government of National Unity.