The beginning of Bethel Tabernacle or “Christ is The Answer”, as it was commonly called, began in August of 1968. Castries was a quiet town. Television had not yet penetrated the homes off Clarke and Gaiety cinemas were the major evening entertainment houses. With little to do and much time to spare, it was difficult for many to reject the invitation to attend the Christ is The answer crusade at the Victoria Park. The people came in large numbers to listen to the Word Of God.
It all began with Reverend Jack Keyes of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Reverend Jack Keyes at the end of his missionary assignment to ST. Vincent conferred with the head office of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies in Trinidad and Sort permission to pioneer a work in St. Lucia he used his connections with Reverend Holms Williams of Evangel Temple (at the time) and Barbados to help him get started. Reverend Holms Williams was invited to conduct an open-air crusade at the Marchand Grounds in Castries.
Prior to his arrival Reverend Holms Williams asked a member from his church (Mr. Bradshaw) who worked is ST. Lucia to make the arrangements with reverend keys for him. Mr. Bradshaw was the manager for the very first funeral home that was started in ST. Lucia (ST. Lucia Modern Funeral Home) where pastor Euphrates Alexander’s Wife Worked. He solicited the help of Pastor Alexander and his wife to help fund pastor Keys.
Pastor Wayne Webster and a “Youth With A Mission” (YAWM) team arrived about two weeks before the crusade teaming up with brother and sister Welch. The team members canvassed the entire Castries distributing tracks, witnessing and inviting people to the upcoming crusade at the Marchand grounds. “In those days it was not easy breaking through religious barriers as the established church really had a hold on the people”, recalled Pastor Wayne Webster.
The weather was fine. The dark sky light by celestial bodies assured us that the clouds would not precipitate. ST. Lucians came by the hundreds to learn Gods Word. It was estimated that the mean attendance was two thousand (2000) each night.
Pastor holms Williams preached under the anointing and night after night many people accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal savior.
The crusade took a significant turn one night which caused the crows to go wild as they experienced the Power of God. That night, God stopped the rain. Many attested to the fact that while Pastor Holms Williams preaches it began raining. Pastor Williams temporally stopped preaching and prayed asking God to stop the rain, it stopped immediately and only God could have done it. Yes, it was a miracle.
And so the crowd increased night after night. it did rain the following night but the man of God preached in the rain. Many expected that he would pray to cause the rain to cease but he did not. The Word of God went forth forcefully touching many lives. Many persons who began a new life in Christ openly discarded the packets of cigarettes on the field.
The crusade ended but gave birth to the miracle church, “Christ is The Answer”. The Sunday after the crusade approximately 200-250 people were present at the pavilion the Marchand grounds for the first church service. The venue was used for the sometime but as the congregation increased another location was found in a building where the Streams of Power is currently located.
The believers did not have much time to settle at the second venue. They were moved shortly after to the old Carmichael school building. But even this arrangement was temporary. To this end two spots were purchased in Sans Souci (Bethel’s present location) with the intentions of erecting a church building.
A team from Canada led by Pastor Ivan Cush along with the new members helped with the first laying of the building. In March of 1969 Bethel tabernacle was dedicated to honor the glory of God. Form Sans Souci the message that “Christ is the Answer” reached as national radio audience through the program The Voice of Bethel. This message has brought many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and in a significant way enlightened a nation that was in darkness to see the light- Jesus Christ. It has influenced the development of the evangelical movement in ST. Lucia by merely preaching that Jesus Christ is the Answer.
With Sans Souci as a base devout men and women of God (like Remy Smith, Jacob Pascal, and Euphrates Alexander to name a few) obeyed the great commission and traveled the length and breadth of St. Lucia preaching the Word of God. They went first to Veiux Fort then the other towns and villages. To date the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies (ST. Lucia District) has established fourteen churches with a population of over three thousand (3,000) followers.
Reverend Wayne Webster, the leader of the youth team who assisted in the crusade and later would pastor bethel Tabernacle, said that God had impressed upon him to read Acts 18: 9-10 at a pre crusade group meeting. He said that God had truly kept to his words that, “I have much people in this city”.
Bethel Tabernacle was birthed in prayer and hard work. To those pioneers who labored in the vineyard of God, we salute you in the name of Jesus Christ and praise God for His Grace, Mercies, Love and faithfulness for truly Christ is the Answer.
The pastors who labored in the vineyard at Bethel Tabernacle include Jack Keyes who served for eleven(11) months then returned to Canada. He ensured that the structure was built and the work was started. Pastor Leroy Le Bec, a missionary succeeded him and served a term of two years, after helping to start the work Pastor Wayne Webster remained a member of bethel and later co-Pastored with his Bajan Countryman pastor Winston Brooms. Pastor Marcus Roberts a Trinidadian carried the torch after they left. He extended the structure with the building of a balcony to facilitate the expansion and growth that was taking place. He remained the pastor for seven (7) years. Canadian missionary Don Chesky ran with the baton for about two to three (2-3) years. He helped to register the newly established churches (Bethel Included) as incorporation. Pastor Lennie Joseph succeeded him followed by pastor Rudolph Harris an Antiguan who stayed for over three (3) years. Pastor Henry James, a ST. Lucia followed. He Pastored the assembly for about five(5) years. After his departure pastor Leroy Sterling and Edwin Murraine (Montserrat) pastured for very short periods of time. They were followed by the incumbent Pastor Reverend Emmanuel Mc Lorren.
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