Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) President Ranford Patterson Monday defended the church against critics who have charged that the religious community has been silent amid the rash of crime inflicting the country.

Dr. Patterson said even though there may be the appearance that the church is not involved in the fight against crime, on a daily basis it is meeting and strategising with the nation’s leaders and coming up with solutions to tackle the problem.

“The church is doing something every day in this country we are making in a difference in the lives of people,” he said during a press conference at the Cousin McPhee Church on Carmichael Road.

“The challenge for us as a church is we don’t go on the national television and say what we’re doing because that’s not a part of our mandate.

“Our mandate is to go and reach. We have met with the commissioner of police – we continue to meet with national security. We have had opportunities on many occasions to meet with the Attorney General’s Office and the director of public prosecutions. We have met and been involved in the process. You don’t see it because it’s not our job I believe, to be on national television telling you all the stuff that we are doing in our country because we are doing all of these things.

“Maybe if someone can tell me a way that we can do so that people know exactly what it is going on. Churches are involved to an extent where I would go on record and say that if the church were to withdraw its services to the community, I believe the country would collapse.”

Dr. Patterson said addressing crime requires involvement from everyone in the country.

He said the break down in the family has contributed significantly to the rise of crime as well as the lack of fear that criminals seem to have of the justice system.

The Christian Council has scheduled a National Prayer Service to be held next month where it hopes to bring a cross-sector of the community together to offer up prayers for the country.

“I am convinced that now is the time Bahamas,” Rev. Patterson said. “I believe with all my heart that many of us are fed up. I believe that all of us have had enough. So on the 13th of June at Evangelistic Temple at 7:00 p.m., The Bahamas Christian Council will host a National Prayer Gathering where we will confess that we have all failed in some way.

“We have failed as a church – we have failed as families – we have failed as a country and we have failed as a society. So we will confess our failures then we will seek God’s forgiveness. Then we celebrate the goodness of God who has kept us these many years.”

At that prayer service, Dr. Patterson said there will also be boxes provided for people to anonymously provide information about criminal activity taking place in their communities or of any incidents of which they are aware.