A History of the Churches of Christ in the Bahamas - Christopher Curry;Denny Curry

The Churches of Christ in The Bahamas was initially established in 1948 when Carl Strahan was baptized in Minnesota while working as a contracted laborer. On returning to The Bahamas he eventually left the Church of God and formed a small congregation on Lily of the Valley corner supported by the Seventh Ave. Church of Christ in Miami, Florida. A major event in the history of the movement occurred when William Miller was baptized by an American evangelist by the name of Benny Morton in July of 1954. During the formative years the church faced many obstacles including the lack of a permanent building, financial issues and struggles with wayward members, competition from established denominations and a dependency on foreign missionary support. By the early 1960s a small core of dedicated members had emerged that would remain in tact throughout the next two decades.

The 1980s was a period of unprecedented expansion and change. Additional congregations were begun in the Family islands, most notably Abaco and Grand Bahama. Moreover, the influx of younger, dynamic members provided the impetus to further growth and the development of youth centered programs. However, a growing generational gap would eventually lead to the fragmentation of the congregation and eventually cause splits to occur by the beginning of 1991. In recent years the churches have recouped from these splits and began to address the spiritual needs of communities throughout the Bahamas. Despite the various challenges throughout the last 50 years, the Churches of Christ, have proven to be resourceful, resilient and resolved in bringing the gospel truth to the masses.

While the book serves as a chronology of the history of the Churches of Christ in The Bahamas, its value goes beyond the movement in question. It provides a window into the social history and life-ways of ordinary people within The Bahamas at a time of unprecedented social and political change including the crucial adjustment from colony to independent nation in 1973. Therefore the book has additional value for the social historian as well as the larger reading public interested in the Caribbean. Indeed we can all relate to the struggles of people searching for their place and identity amidst the currents of global change.