Bishop Dr. Stevenson Samuels Analysis

Born in Kingston Jamaica, Bishop Dr. Stevenson Samuels has been actively involved in ministry since 1998 in various capacities; as a Musician – co-founder of the multi-award-winning band Birthright. Bible Teacher, Pastor, Evangelist, Chaplain and Public Speaker. This dynamic, multi-talented and highly accomplished individual has been a Christian for many years. He spent six (6) years as assistant pastor / music minister, four (4) years as administrator / general secretary of the New Testament Church God in Jamaica, and is now in his eighth year as full time pastor for the Escarpment Road New Testament Church of God. He also manages four other congregations; thus giving supervision to four Pastors.
When asked what factors influenced his decision
Stevenson Samuels, was very open and accommodating during the interview. His quick smile, attentive listening and patience are indicative of why persons are drawn to him naturally. This man has a passion to serve; which is evident in the number of causes and committee with wish he’s actively involved. He reminds me of Majorie Saunders “Born to Serve”; however he lacks the innate ability to interact and empathize with person who are really hurting or dying. Doehring 1995 states that, “empathy is not a mechanical process that we can learn from reading a book or following a manual instruction, it however is described in active listening and empathizing communication skills”. In contemporary pastoral care “pastors are trained talk less and listen more to the people they encounter; this helps to establish rapport and build a solid…relationship” (Stone 2005). Therefore while I assessed Pastor Sam as an understanding and an active listener, I don’t find him to be
Stevenson Samuels, may be service oriented and demonstrates great organizational and administrative skills; he’s personally lacking in the fundamentals of pastoral care; as defined by albeit he’s has managed to mitigate against this lack, by empowering and surrounding himself with a cadre of lay persons who are very effective in managing and carrying out the duties and responsibilities of pastoral caregiving. The aforementioned is affirmed in Patton (1993), “Pastoral care today is being offered competently and creatively by “all sorts and condition of God’s people, and the dynamic of that care is found not only in professional responsibility of individual clergypersons but also in small communities of person committed to the work of caring for others as they care, spiritually, for themselves” (p.