By KARAN MINNIS, Guardian Lifestyles Reporter, karan@nasguard.com

The Bahamas is touted as a Christian nation built on the values and principles of the Bible, and boasts a number of denominations from Roman Catholic to Anglican, Assemblies of God, Ba'hai, Baptist, Brethren, Greek Orthodox and Jewish, among others.

In New Providence alone there are so many churches that it is hard to put a figure on the actual number, with new ones opening their doors almost daily. They're all filled to capacity on any given Sunday, or Saturday — depending on your faith.

Despite the church's faithful followers there are those people who are said to have lost sight of the "true" purpose of the church, which is to guide the nation and prepare people for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Take for example Dr. Ian Strachan, who in an article published in The Nassau Guardian said: "I used to be one of those 'smart' people who turned their backs on church-going. I turned my back, first of all, because I expected Christians to be perfect and their leaders extra-perfect. I stopped going because I felt that churches were stealing from the flock to enrich the shepherd. And I stopped because I told myself churches were doing nothing to fight the ills of the society besides pontificating.

"It's ironic, now that I look back at it, because we're all imperfect and church is just where we should be because of it. But I had told myself that God would wink at my puny sins and focus on the murderers and oppressors. I made God in my image you might say. Second, I was being hypocritical because I wasn't exactly taking money out of my pocket or devoting my own time to help combat our 'ills' either."

"However it was only when my mother died on that July 12, an evening I'll never forget, that I decided to seek God for real and found myself back in church. So, I feel more than a little qualified when I say that, despite my new-found understanding, the church is still a major stumbling block for many people and turns them away from a deeper spiritual experience because of its activities and actions."

However, according to Pastor Carrington S. Pinder of St. Mark's Native Baptist Church, turning people away is definitely not the purpose of the church.

"The purpose of the church is to carry out the mission of Christ on earth and ultimately [it's purpose] is to bring glory to God," he said. "Our mission is to reach the lost for Jesus Christ, and therefore we are commissioned to be the light for the world, which needs direction, and to be the salt of the earth. Not to turn people away. Additionally, we [the church] are to be the voice for the world by giving direction and by upholding the principles and teachings of Christ."

Adding that he doesn't believe that the people of God, including pastors, will allow themselves to get "lost" when trying to understand the purpose of the church, Pinder says that society has to understand that the times have now changed.

"I'm not saying that the purpose of the church has changed from past years, nor do I believe that the church or its people misunderstand its purpose, because in trying to live above the world and in setting an example the church cannot fail," he said.

"Jesus said in Matthew 16, that the gates of hell will come against the church but it cannot prevail. The church is never fighting a losing battle. We have already won the battle. However, the world would want to make us to appear like we're losing but we must bear in mind that the Bible tells us that terrible times will come, and we must recognize that the Bible has prophesied that we are in the season of terrible times. It also said that things in the world will become worse before they become better, and that's what we're experiencing. We are in the end of times, but the church will be and is the solution."

Rabbi Urban Miller of Assemblies of Yahweh, Lincoln Blvd., says that the sole purpose of the church is to teach the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven.

"However, we do not view ourselves as a church," he said. "Instead, we are an assembly of bodies under our faith. We are an assembly whose duty is to restore righteousness and to promote being people of spirituality. Because we are Jewish, we proclaim the life of the Messiah and of God, but the main purpose of the church is to teach and preach the coming kingdom of the Almighty to reign supreme."

Abundant Life Bible Church Pastor Jermaine Watkins says that before this issue can be resolved people must understand what the church stands for.

"The church is not just merely the building but it is rather the body of Christ and it encompasses all the denominations and anybody that lifts up the name of Jesus. When we look at what is the purpose of the church, I think that ultimately we adhere to the words of Jesus Christ in the Great Commission, and the Great Commission is to go and teach nations. We must also baptize them in the name of the Holy Spirit, and then teach them to do the same thing."

Adding that the goal of the church is simply to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and to make disciples, Watkins says that for his church their reasoning for following this objective is simple.

"Here at Abundant Life we have our reasons for this," he says. "They are both spiritual reasons and social reasons. Our spiritual reasons are first to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, secondly to provide a Christian pattern of family fellowship for all people of God and thirdly to teach God's word and to involve Christians in the Great Commission.

"Fourthly, our goal is to build and develop strong Christian characters, and to also provide a platform for good. These are our spiritual reasons, and we work on these on a daily bases through our evangelist teams, however, it is also a personal mission to uphold the purpose of the church. It is a mission, and that's what needs to be understood."

Watkins says that the church is the body of Christ, and that they act through His word and with His guidelines. "Therefore, it is our mandate to guide His people and His world. That is the purpose of the church. To teach people the principles set out by God and to be the living examples for the people of God. Therefore, we are more than just a place of prayer. We are a place of worship and a place of teaching. That is the purpose of the church."