Newly-installed Bishop of the New Testament Churches of God (NTCOG) Lloyd E. Duncan is hoping to rebuild the congregation after an exodus from one of the branches.

His aim is to rebuild community confidence with a four-year plan of intercessory prayer, information, interaction and invitation.

"It is no secret that NTCOG has had its challenges but we would want to rebuild the church as a positive spiritual base," he said. "My plan is to rebuild the community's confidence in this great spiritual pillar in the community."

NTCOG recently suffered a decline in numbers after many members of one of the church branches left to worship elsewhere.

However Reverend Dr. Duncan still hopes the church can be revived within a four-year period.

The first part of the plan revolves around invocation or intersession through prayer.

"We must first deal with our current members and rebuild and (strengthen our relationship with) them through prayer, that is my intention this first year."

Year two will be devoted to information, said Rev. Dr. Duncan: "We want our members to learn, appreciate and understand the history and heritage of the church. They must have pride in what NTCOG of Bermuda represents."

That history, he said, includes the efforts of two of the Island's former Bishops – Charles Foster Fubler between 1961 and 1974, and Goodwin C. Smith from 1974 until 2008.

Rev. Dr. Duncan then plans to improve relations between the churches.

"In year three I want to incorporate interaction between the seven churches. I will do this by the exchange of pulpits.

"On selected Sundays I would like for each of the Pastors to minister in a different branch and also for there to be fellowship nights between the churches."

He feels that with through this interaction the bond between the churches will grow stronger and will be able to move them into their next stage of his vision.

"In the fourth year, I feel we will be ready for invitation which involves inviting Bermuda though all types of means – promoting the churches in the community and essentially increasing our church membership numbers."

The idea, explained Rev. Dr. Duncan, is to break NTCOG down to its simplest form and rebuild it with those elements that make for a strong spiritual haven.

When asked if he foresees any challenges in implementing his plan he said: "I don't see any obstacles or challenges at this time. I know that we will face challenges in the future but we will deal with them as they come."

NTCOG churches are known for their strict rules and regulations concerning Christianity and how Christians should conduct themselves.

Rev. Dr. Duncan was asked how he plans on incorporating the beliefs of older members with those of the younger generation, the majority of which are proponents of change and new methods of intervention.

"We have to have a healthy appreciation and respect for the older members and their beliefs as they are the trail blazers and the pillars of the church. We must love them and not become antagonistic towards them.

"Concerning the new school, I believe it is Isaiah 1:18 which says, 'Come now, let us reason together'. I believe through prayer we will know when to implement new initiatives, concepts and ideas so that they would be a blessing to everyone."

Asked his opinion on a Government plan to conduct a feasibility study to assess if gambling would be a good thing in Bermuda, Rev. Dr. Duncan said: "As spiritual leaders, we must abide by the word of God which speaks against gambling.

"We have to look at the pros and cons of allowing gambling on the Island. Yes, it may be a quick fix to a very challenging economic situation that Bermuda and the whole world is currently experiencing, but are we thinking about the negatives that embrace gambling? There are other options available for those that need help out of their economic crisis.

"To allow gambling in such a small community can have a very negative impact. We have had murders committed recently which have yet to be solved. If we can't solve these murders why compound the problem by adding to it and also the drug problem that we have on the Island? Both can only be increased if gambling is allowed."

He added: "There could be a situation where someone owes another a sum of money that they can not pay. The person may feel the need to take the law into their own hands which can create a bigger problem."

The Bishop also highlighted the possible addiction to gambling: "The problem arises when a person addicted to gambling ignores their basic needs such as providing for their family, taking care of their house hold needs etc. Those whose lives have been shipwrecked by gambling need to speak out and let the community know the calamity of gambling."

Dr. Duncan credits his success as a full-time Bishop, husband and father-of-two to his relationship with God, having a committed wife and treasured family time.

"On any given day we will all pile up in the car and take a drive, even if it is down to Rotisserie Chicken to grab a meal. And then we drive around talking and bonding – we love family drives."