Bishop Authur Lloyd Brown

BY GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer
SPALDINGS, CLARENDON:

Bishop Authur Lloyd Brown hails from the community of Ballieston in north west Clarendon. He is a past student of Frankfield Comprehensive High (now Edwin Allen High).

Brown, who got saved just before he was 12, did not get baptised until he was 18, and he is now the pastor at the Santa Hill City of Faith Church of God in Clarendon. Apart from being pastor at that church, Bishop Brown is also in charge of four other churches; at Ballieston, Wildcane, Coleyville and a branch in Antigua in the Eastern Caribbean.

"Just before I turned 12, I accepted the Lord as my personal Saviour, and probably the greatest influence would have been my mother. From ever since I knew myself, I attended church with her all over Clarendon," said Brown.

Being the only one who got saved at the time when he did, Bishop Brown said he was not baptised, as he was very small, and at the time he might have been seen as not being very serious about the move he made. He says that at the time he got saved, persons believed in giving young converts a period to grow in the Lord. He also added that the church took a little time to grow in those days, and so there were not many baptisms; so the wait was long.

youth marches

But, according to Bishop Brown, he knew he was serious about the Lord, and felt that the call of God was on his life. For all his school life he was very active in the School Christian Movement, which meant that he was always involved in lunchtime prayer meetings, witnessing and tract distribution.

Just after he was baptised, Bishop Brown said he became actively involved in street evangelism, leading youth marches, as well as preaching all over the parish of Clarendon.

"I was very involved in school life and also in church. The first Vocation Bible School that was ever held in northern Clarendon, I conducted it," explained Brown.

The church leader mentioned that baptism should be a one time thing, and so he is of the view that when persons just get saved they can be given a period to properly make up their minds, as to whether or not they are really serious about following Christ.

Persons, he said, should never be baptised many times, as is done with many who backslide on several occasions. He said he looks at baptism just like marriage. Brown believes that persons fall in love and then there is a period of courtship, until both persons finally say yes, they are ready for marriage.

emotional commitment

He believes that when a person gets saved and is baptised the same day or night, he or she is not given a period of time to develop a relationship with God. Brown pointed out that there needs to be a period of growth and development, but that the length of time can fluctuate.

"I support a period of knowing that this is really what I am serious about. Why I say this is because so many persons make an emotional commitment, and they never knew what this would involve. And so churches require them to be baptised again, and they fall again and start over the walk and have to be baptised," stated Brown.

He stated that some persons get baptised early because some preachers play on their (young converts) emotions, telling them for example that 'Judgement' may come tonight, and so many rush into an emotional commitment and get baptised.

Bishop Brown is of the belief that if young converts are given a period of development between getting saved and baptism, they will get a chance to mature and end up being better Christians. He stated that children who get saved should not be pressured into being baptised by anyone.

The church leader explained that there are many persons who believe that for them to be saved they have to be baptised. He pointed out that his theological stance is that it is not baptism that saves us. Persons must first get saved, and then baptism will seal the commitment.

Brown noted that like the thief who was on the cross next to Jesus when He was crucified, and who asked Jesus to remember him when He goes into His Kingdom, Jesus' reply was: "This day shall thou be with me in paradise". This, he said, signifies that it is not baptism that is the criteria for going to Heaven, but commitment to the Lord. Baptism, according to the preacher, is more of a public declaration to say that individuals are no longer in sin.

He says he likes the work he is doing for God, but pointed out that he likes evangelism and teaching of the Word best. He adds that the work is challenging but he does not mind.

Bishop Brown said Jamaica is a country that he likes very much and he wants to see a change of life for its citizens. He stated that it is not just about persons going to church, but that he wants persons to practice what the Word of God says.

He pointed out that there are too many superficial types of Christians in Jamaica, and he calls for a better level of commitment and dedication to God. If Christians become more practical, as Christ did while He was on earth, Jamaica will be a much better place for all to live. Christians he said, need to get back to the basics, get back to the first love, love for Jesus and love for neighbour.