Table Of ContentTHE IMPACT OF MIGRATION FROM THE BAHAMAS AND JAMAICA ON THE
CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY IN SOUTH FLORIDA, 1967-2017
A THESIS-PROJECT
PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
WANTWORTH B. HERON
MAY 2018
Copyright © 2018 by Wantworth B. Heron. All Rights Reserved.
To the four most important women in my life, my mother Vincella who fell ill during my
first residency and left us that year. My wife Vinnette and my two daughters, Camille and
Dannielle for the gifts they have been to me.
We will falter in our spirituality and thus grieve the Holy Spirit
if our struggle with evil does not correspond to the geography of evil.
—Eldin Villafañe in The Liberating Spirit, 181
CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vii
PREFACE viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS x
ABSTRACT xi
Chapter
1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING 1
Introduction 1
Purpose of Thesis-Project 2
The Research Questions 4
Thesis 4
History of the COGOP in South Florida 6
The South Comes of Age 9
Organizing for Growth 11
The Geographical Setting 12
Patterns of Migration 13
Limitations of the Thesis-Project 16
Challenges to Growth 17
Overview 22
2 LITERATURE REVIEW 26
Introduction 26
The People Who Came 27
Setting Sail 32
The Strangers in our Midst 33
Navigating the Mission Field 36
Preparing for Cross-Cultural Engagement 41
Prepared Planters/Leaders 42
Striving for Relevance 46
3 BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION 52
Theological Reflection on God, Humanity, and Sin 52
Immigration as Movement of a People 54
The Mission of God 59
Pentecostal Spirituality and Mission 63
The Church and the Mission of God 66
Paul and the New Testament Model for Mission 68
Paul’s Mission to Rome 72
Reflection on Incarnational Theology 73
v
Establishing His Kingdom 76
4. PROJECT DESIGN 80
Introduction 80
Growth Through Church Planting 85
Leadership Training and Development 92
The Cross-cultural Milieu 93
Nationality of Local Leadership 95
Conclusion 103
5. OUTCOMES AND CONCLUSIONS 105
Introduction 105
Navigating the Growth Curve 106
Denominational Influence on COGOP in South Florida 107
Limitations of the Study 108
Dominance of Bahamians and Jamaicans in COGOP 110
Reasons for Poor Growth of COGOP in South Florida 112
Challenges to Growth of COGOP in South Florida 116
Breaking the Barrier 118
The Way Forward 120
Conclusion 126
APPENDICES 128
BIBLIOGRAPHY 134
VITA 143
vi
ILLUSTRATIONS
Tables
1. Estimated Population Miami-Dade, Broward & Palm Beach, 2015 12
2. List of Churches/Pastors, 1967 83
3. New Church Plants, 1967-2017 85
4. List of Churches, 2017 88
5. Membership Distribution by Age, 2017 90
6. Membership Distribution by Nationality, 2017 94
7. Leadership Distribution by Nationality, 2017 96
8 Reasons for the Dominance of Bahamians and Jamaicans 98
9. Reasons for Poor Growth of the COGOP in South Florida 100
10. Challenges to the Growth and Development of the COGOP in South Florida 102
Figures
1. Pastors by Nationality 84
2. Church Planters by Nationality, 1967- 2017 87
3. Pastors by Nationality, 2017 89
4. Formal Education Level of Pastors 92
5. Theological Education of Pastors 92
6. Pastors by Nationality, 1967-2017 95
7. Eight Errors Common to Organizational Change Efforts 116
vii
PREFACE
As an immigrant myself, I was struck on arrival in Florida with the stark reality
that my perception of my church while residing in my homeland Jamaica was dead
wrong. The church I found in South Florida was looking more like the church I left on the
island and not the church I envisaged. The church was a “black” church and therefore not
representative of the national demographic profile of being predominantly Caucasian.
Attendance at State conventions and the International Assemblies provided a more
diverse congregation, however, but this led to further concerns. Why could this same
racial mix not be seen in my own local context?
Interaction with other churches across denominational boundaries confirms that
the church of Jesus Christ continues to struggle to break the barriers that existed in the
first century church. The concerns that prompted Paul’s affirmation, “There is neither
Jew nor Gentiles, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one
in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28), are still relevant in the twenty-first century.1 There is no
question about the individual’s commitment to Christ, but the cultural divide based on
race makes it difficult to integrate. Where integration takes place, leadership is Caucasian
and those congregations are growing. Church of God of Prophecy (COGOP
congregations in South Florida are not just “black,” their congregants are predominantly
immigrants from the Bahamas and Jamaica. Their Pentecostal expressions of worship are
distinctly Caribbean and they are willing to plant churches where none exist.
My concern was heightened after interacting with a COGOP Caucasian pastor
from the North East region (of whom more is said in chapter 1). For her, the separation
1 All Scripture quotations are from the NIV, unless otherwise stated.
viii
has nothing to do with race. This research into and reflection upon biblical and
theological literature has added to my understanding of the issues involved and has
certainly left me with a more open mind. The study aroused within me an acute
awareness of the need to understand cross-cultural ministry. I have been forced through
this thesis-project to view the racial divide that exists among us in the light of the missio
dei. Instead of racism, which undoubtedly still exists, the issue must take on missiological
overtones, in light of the witness of scripture:
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could
count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the
throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding
palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation
belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:9-10)
ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A special thanks to Jennifer M. for allowing me the use of her house for writing at
the most crucial time of this exercise. The Administrative Office of the Churches of God
of Prophecy, Leesburg, led by the Presiding Bishop, Bp. Robert F. Davis who pledged
and gave his unwavering support to this project. To the staff of his office, Mrs. Heather
Dotson and Bp. Troy Vernon for their full co-operation and assistance in researching the
records of the churches in South Florida. The unselfishness of the Overseer of District 1,
covering most of Miami-Dade County, Bp. Noward Dean in helping with vital historic
data which proved invaluable to the process. It is my hope that this interaction will result
in him documenting the vast information he has acquired over his many years as an
administrator of the area. So too was the interest of the Overseer of District 3, covering
Palm Beach County, Bp. Jeffrey Webb who proved instrumental in ensuring that the
churches in his District participated in the survey. Both Overseers demonstrated their
interest and their understanding of the significance of this study by the promptness of
their responses to emails, telephone calls and text messages.
None of this would be possible without the full co-operation of the ministry team
of Love Fellowship, to whom I am eternally indebted, and especially Associate Pastor
Karen Clarke who ensured that my absence did not in any way compromise the work of
the church to our constituency and the wider community it serves. Special thanks also to
Margaret Whibley, who assisted with the editing and formatting of this, the finished
product. To all, a big thank you.
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