T&T pastors shocked, dazed at Myles Munroe death

(Trinidad Express) The death of internationally renowned preacher and transformational leader Dr Myles Munroe on Sunday not only sent shock waves through his native Bahamas, but also in this country where he often ministered.
Munroe died in a plane crash en route to Grand Bahama for a 2014 Global Leadership Forum he organised, scheduled for yesterday and today. According to the minister’s Facebook page, the conference will still go on as it is “what Dr Munroe would have wanted”.
The Associated Press reported that heavy rain was buffeting the region when the Lear 36 executive jet struck a shipping container crane, killing Munroe and eight passengers on board, including his wife Ruth-Ann; Dr Richard Pinder, a senior vice-president and pastor of his Bahamas Faith Ministries Fellowship church; youth pastors Lavard Parks, his wife Radel, and their six-year-old son; a visiting pastor believed to be from Africa; and two pilots.
Rev Margaret Elcock, president/CEO of the Family Focus Broadcasting Network and ISAAC 98.1 fm, who is scheduled to speak at the Global Leadership Forum today on the topic “Globalisation and the Media”, took to her Facebook page yesterday to express her shock at the loss of a man she called “a consummate leader, my mentor, friend and spiritual father”.
“I am devastated,” Elcock said, adding, “I loved him and his wife Ruth dearly. (I) still haven’t processed fully that they are gone to be with the Lord. God knows best.”
Elcock, who is a trustee on the board of the International Third World Leaders Association, an organisation which was led by Munroe, said the focus of the Global Leadership Forum Summit has changed.
“The last time I saw him was at Apostle (Bertril) Baird’s funeral earlier this year (in Trinidad).
“The Lord is calling home his generals. What a loss! We will pray and comfort each other.”
General bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies (PAWI), Dr Pat Glasgow, said Munroe was a friend to the organisation, since he spoke at some of PAWI’s general conference sessions.
“He was able to bridge the gap between the spiritual and natural and appealed to leaders,” he said.
Glasgow wants people to remember Munroe as a servant of God who not only spoke to the church but to nations, since Munroe was also a consultant to many governments.
PAWI is expected to make representation at the funeral services for the late pastor, when a date is announced.
Programme director and presenter at the gospel station W107.1 fm, Jamie Thomas, was still in a daze when the Express spoke to him yesterday.
Thomas not only knew Munroe but was close friends with Parks and his wife.
“I am in a state right now,” Thomas said.
“I have been going to the Bahamas since 1995 and I knew manifest (Parks ), Radel and Dr Munroe there. When I saw the report of the crash, Parks was the first person I called,” he said. He later fund out that Parks died in the crash.
Thomas credited Munroe for where his life in Christ is today.
“Fifteen years ago, I didn’t know where my life was going until I went to his Youth Alive conference.
“He taught me that no matter where you come from, your life can impact nations.”

Senior news editor and presenter at ISAAC 98.1 FM Stephen Cummings said yesterday: “Dr Myles Munroe has been really a great inspiration not only us here at the station but also Trinidad and Tobago.
“He has visited here on several occasions and each time there was this feeling of hope that he brought to a lot of people. I think it is going to be very difficult to replace Dr Munroe and the contribution he has made not only to the Christian community but also communities at large.”
Cummings said Munroe impacted his life in a “very deep and significant way” and many were still in shock at his passing.
Gospel artiste Isaac Blackman who performed during the conference, said he was heartbroken at the news of Munroe’s death.
Blackman said, “It is a loss to the Caribbean. I feel heartbroken that this tragedy took place, but we will remember him for his great contribution to us in the Caribbean as well as representing us all over the world. His memory will never be forgotten.”
Rev Ria Hosein of the International Pentecostal Assemblies (IPA) also expressed her sentiments, “A man that was an icon of wisdom in the deep principles of kingdom life and this has been taken away from us. We are very grateful for his works that he has already recorded and we hope to glean from it. He was a wealth of wisdom.”