Recently another Jamaica pastor has been ‘defrocked’. This time its Pastor Shuttleworth of the Tarrant Baptist Church being removed as a minister supposedly by the Jamaica Baptist Union. Media relates it that the Shuttleworth is no longer a minister with the Jamaica Baptist Union.
Slow down however, as in this instance it only means that the Jamaica Baptist Union only removed the Pastor as minister ‘from its union’. Will they however risk loosing the membership of the Tarrant Baptist.
After all the Jamaica Baptist Union so far seems only to be made up of churches who join on a voluntary basis.
The bigger question is how and who ordained Pastor Shuttleworth? How did the Tarant become a member of the JBU and what are the terms of membership.
This whole Baptist union ordeal is just outright nasty. On one hand it is not about stardom, but on the other it is not about the order of man over the order of God. It is always about the example we set, the lessons we give, the principles of spiritual over physical and the light we shine as christians.
Tarrant Baptist Church operating at 51 Molynes Road for over 100 years was a part of the Jamaica Baptist Union only voluntarily and as such pays dues. The church has always had its own council.
There seems therefore to be multiple issues.
ISSUE ONE (1): Leadership in the spiritual realm
Is the Baptist Union saying Minister Shuttleworth is no longer called by God to lead. What then would become of Freedom Come Ministries and the other units registered? The articles suggest that he has been removed as a minister but has he. The minister who has been dynamic and dare one say even contributing to the cut in crime with his influence is presented as being called, ordained by God. Can a mere mortal removal from a physical union impact his spiritual call and impact?
ISSUE TWO (2): Church land
Who will have a claim over the land upon which the Tarrant church is built?
We are told that Tarrant has existed on said lands for over 100 years. By relying upon the 1969 Jamaica Baptist Union (Incorporation and Vesting) Act, the Jamaica Baptist Union secured an interim injunction barring claims of ownership application by adverse possession by Tarrant Baptist church. The tax papers lists only ‘Baptist Church’ as being in ownership so more details as to whether this ‘Baptist Church’ would be in reference to Tarrant, The Baptist Union or any other governing Baptist Church needs to be revealed.
If this ‘Baptist Church’ name in fact refers to the union or another entity other than the Tarrant Baptist, would Shuttleworth’s claim be justified. Interestingly the Gleaner article has Shuttleworth and not the Tarrant as the claimant as there is a general belief by church members that Shuttleworth is in fact representing the church. Maybe the claim needs to be made as public as the dispute. So under what name has the taxes been paid. Why does it seem that neither the Tarrant Baptist Church nor the Jamaica Baptist Union is not registered with the Company of Jamaica as is the Baptist union. Perhaps it is registered under charities act. Lets see! For sure the congregation has been has been treating the property as its own in upgrading the building.
Would the Union therefore have rights if they are only a mere union of independent Baptist churches.
By a Gleaner article “the JBU contends that the century-old Tarrant Baptist Church and the property on which it sits were transferred to, and vested in it, under the law, through the 1969 Jamaica Baptist Union (Incorporation and Vesting) Act.” The article explains that Shuttleworth was merely assigned to head the church. If this is the case he should not therefore be allowed to claim the location when he was merely a caretaker to keep and control on behalf of the union.
ISSUE THREE (3): Who is the right boss
Either way Shuttleworth has seemingly begun Freedom Come International duly registered at a Patricia Way, Bridgeport address. Were the 10,000 off members originally from this ministry or inherited as a result of his work with Tarrant under the JBU banner.
Whither the physical congregation spiritually fed by Minister Shuttleworth? Doesn’t his impact matter more than a dispute over physical wealth of church or the minister
So far it appears the Jamaica Baptist Union argues that the pastor ordained to be a minister under their banner was assigned the task of leading Tarrant Baptist Church at the Molynes Road location and so everything he did and garnered belongs to them.
The minister then employed God-given and anointed creative power and built up on property. Did he do so using his money, money garnered on behalf of the congregation under the Baptist banner or independent? Would he have done so if he was not given the opportunity to be minister of said Tarrant Baptist at that location? What was his relationship with the union at the start of his work, physically and spiritually?
ISSUE FOUR (4): Spiritual controversy in secular domain
Pastor Jeffrey Shuttleworth is no doubt a dynamic leader anointed by God. one would wonder why the ordeal of his status and controversies with the Baptist Union has been number one in public news?
He has been doing a fantastic job, but there are many questions raised. At the top of the list is what’s the overriding objective and messages. Will they be met in a real way.
ISSUE FIVE (5) The change in the Baptist church fundamental beliefs
It would seem that this all began when Shuttleworth decided to lead a drift of the Tarrant Church from the JBU in response to the JBU’s open embrace of the masonry group and the LGBTQ community – two groups which are in direct conflict with Biblical principles therefore shaking the foundation of the Baptist church in its entirety. The question arises why the church did not officially move from the JBU then.
It would be a suited expectation for Shuttleworth to LEAVE PEACEFULLY AND SET THE EXAMPLE YOU preach. now that’s obeying Rome until you leave Rome and claim your own lands to include buildings… It never is worth to compromise one’s ministry with these undermining acts of a public dispute over lands. Minister Shuttleworth can build better and bigger with the God who helped before.
If it is that the minister built everything independent of the union, then he would have claims and be qualified to keep a fight for said lands, building which he also spent to improve in good order. He therefore at the discovery of the fact that the Union was now ‘changing their beliefs leave without fanfare.. As for the congregation, will the congregation now be considered Freedom Come Ministries or Tarrant Baptist as it seems there may be a split and separation of the two now?
The bible teaches not to criticise those set by God. We also were taught that issues of a spiritual nature should not be ruled or decided in the physical realm. What therefore are the criteria to defrock a pastor and render not to be a minister.
ISSUE SIX )6): Freedom Come plus more ministries
If one called by God fulfils the call as a minister, how can a mere mortal organisation claim to have defrocked said person as a minister without efficient justification. Especially when there is a steep climb in the numbers of souls being ‘saved, born again and added’ to the Overall kingdom of God.
Perhaps if independent ministry were started while you were their servant, its like starting your 0wn cookshop while you working at KFC.. but when you leave you cant take what’s your boss’s.
On the other hand, who is really in charge and of what?
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