Mark Gillmore: Hello once again, I’m Mark Gilmore here with our Go Mission podcast.

And it’s my privilege to have with me today Brother Jeremy Scott.

And he is from an island in the Caribbean.

And we’re getting into the cooler temperature times up here in the U.S. for many of us.

And it’s a dream just to think of being down there in the Caribbean.

And Brother Scott, tell us a little bit about, first of all, welcome to our podcast.

Good to have you here today.

Jeremy Scott: Thank you for having me.

Mark Gillmore: That’s right.

You’ve journeyed up from down south to be with us here.

We’re recording today here in Wisconsin.

Not too bad today, but it sure is a joy to have you with us.

Your island, give us the name of your island.

Jeremy Scott: My island is Grenada.

Mark Gillmore: Yes.

Jeremy Scott: Yes.

And it’s basically located in the very southern part of the Caribbean.

It is one island, two islands up, I should say, from the mainland of South America.

Mark Gillmore: How far would that, is that 70 miles, something like that?

Jeremy Scott: That would be approximately about probably 150 miles.

Mark Gillmore: 150 miles, and that would be the coast of Venezuela.

That’s right.

Just to the south.

Yes.

What’s the weather, what’s the temperature like on your island?

Jeremy Scott: It’s pretty much always the same.

They’re about 83 to 85 degrees on average, just about 365 days of the year.

You basically find that tropical in nature.

Mark Gillmore: What an awesome place to live.

I had the privilege to visit with you a couple months ago on that beautiful place.

And we really praise the Lord for what he’s doing in your island.

And I wonder if you would just share a little bit about how the gospel reached you.

Jeremy Scott: Yeah.

Well, I can remember back there in 1992, I entered an independent Baptist church.

It was just a little wooden building, what, 16 by 16 in its size.

And an American missionary.

He’s the one that started that particular church.

It’s called Happy Hill Independent Baptist Church, just taking up the name from the name of the village itself.

Brother Don Session was that American missionary.

And about a year before that, Brother Don Session left, and I think he went to Trinidad and began to start other works there.

And one of the national men in Grenada took up that work there at Happy Hill, Francis Houston, and he became the pastor of the church.

And one Sunday evening in 1992, November the 15th, I could remember it like yesterday.

Because that was one of the greatest days in my life.

When I trusted Christ as Savior, he preached.

I was just about the age of 13.

He preached.

And as young as I was at that time, I still felt as though it was just only me alone in that room when he preached.

I think that it’s called Holy Ghost conviction.

Yes.

And I raised my hand and I walked the aisle.

And then a lady came across to me, took the Bible and brought me to the bank and counseled me.

And praise God, that lady, she used to be a lady that drank a lot and partied a lot.

But I realized there was a few years I didn’t really see her in much activity and not realizing that she too had trusted Christ.

And two, three years down the line, she led me to the Lord.

And the plans were me and three other friends to get into the church, to make up some time that Sunday evening, and then we’ll slip out.

Well, they all beat me to the back seat, so I found myself going up to the middle.

And I thank God that that happened.

Amen.

And I trusted Christ as my Savior.

And that’s all what it led up to up to this point.

Mark Gillmore: Now, you’re a pastor now.

Would you say you feel you’re more of an evangelist or a pastor?

Or what gifting do you find at work in your life?

Jeremy Scott: Well, what I do know is that from the scripture standpoint, you know, Paul said to do the work of an evangelist.

And so I find myself being a pastor, doing the work of an evangelist.

And also at the same time, of course, ensuring that I also fulfill the Great Commission, which we would constitute as being missions, you know, to go and to spread the gospel.

So what I’m doing is that out of the church where I’m pastoring, I am with the burden that God has put in my heart is to go ahead and to start other churches in the northwestern side of the island.

So I’m neither more in one way than the other.

I’m just trying to fulfill every aspect of what I believe that, you know, the Christian is supposed to be doing.

Amen.

Mark Gillmore: So now we’re about 30 years or so down the road from that moment as a 13-year-old where your life was changed.

Yes.

And now you’ve got this burden and this ministry.

And what key moments in your life, maybe even thinking back to those early years, where you made decisions or you made choices or you had options that would determine your future?

Can you remember just how God led you through those times and key decisions you made that have brought you to the point that you’re at today?

Jeremy Scott: Yes, of course, I’m faced with every challenge like every other teenager would during that period of time.

But one passage of scripture that kept me going, even as a teenager, I read that early in my Christian life.

And it tells us that Josiah became king of Israel at the age of eight years old.

And, you know, then, you know, four years when he was 12, you know, a few years after that.

And then at the age of 16, sweet 16, we know that age, you know, the time when most young guys would begin to feel that they are a man.

They can take the destiny in their own hands and they could have done what they want.

But Josiah, what he did, the Bible said that he sought the Lord. as a teenager he sought the Lord he prayed and asked God to give him direction and you would imagine that when he was 20 years old 12 years after when he was 20 and he assumed full authority of the throne because you would think that he had other people advising him as a young man but when he was 20 he could have just go ahead and live whatever life he wanted but what Josiah did is that the Bible said Josiah broke down the high places he broke down all the idols and he led Israel to go in the right way and that is because of the decision that he made while he was in his teenage years and I followed that prescription of Josiah and as a teenager I remember we lived right by the road and I prayed and I prayed and I said God I saw other guys around the church and they were not the best example for Christians you know as a christian they meant well but they just did things that was just kind of strange and i thought that you know what i would i would try to be like josiah and just keep on going on and i had to evade a lot of problems i didn’t want to be another statistic you know and and stuff like that and there came a time that uh you know they these same guys begin to respect me and you know people begin to look up to me and in in many ways as a young person they had appointed me um you know, the president of our youth group to organize the camp.

And then at about 17 years old, they then further appointed me to be, elected me to be the president of all the youths in Grenada on the island with all the churches to plan the camp and this athletic sports and all the meets and, you know, and so, and I believe it’s because of the decision, the preachers themselves begin to have, you know, great confidence, you know, in me.

And these are not, not what I’m doing here is not, nothing of a brag, but I’m just trying to identify exactly that is what happened.

And so, um, you know, and I praise God for that.

And, um, you know, whatever temptation did come my way, uh, I thank God for the scripture.

He said that, um, you know, that, uh, there’s no temptation taking us that is common demand, but with the temptation, God will make a way.

So that tells me that if there is a way in, there is a way out, regardless as to the temptation, right?

There’s a way in, there is a way out.

And I thank God that able to more often than not choose the way out.

And so that is what brought me to that.

And I just thank God for just leading me along that path and the desire that he has given me.

Mark Gillmore: What a great challenge to so many of our listeners that the choices you make in your teen years are setting a pattern and are going to open doors that will be incredible opportunities in service to the Lord.

Just a reminder, don’t push that off into the future.

Your choice is now.

And the choice like Josiah made to seek the word, to cast out some idols, and teenagers have to make choices like that, don’t they?

That’s right.

And when they do, God will begin to prepare open doors for ministry making a difference.

Guest Speaker: Yes.

Mark Gillmore: And thank God for how he’s used you.

Now we’re looking at an island nation, Grenada.

How big is the nation?

Jeremy Scott: Grenada, the island is just about 30 miles long and about 12 miles wide.

Okay.

Yes.

Mark Gillmore: 30 miles long, 12 miles wide.

It’s really not a big space, but an awesome space.

I was on it.

What do you see God doing?

What are the open doors for the gospel, the spiritual temperature of the nation, if you will?

What is God doing in Grenada now?

Jeremy Scott: Well, as far as what we’re doing and trying to reach the people, we see that God is working tremendously as far as where a Bible project is concerned.

Through one preacher or friend, our past associate, he used to be a missionary in Grenada back then, has felt the burden to bring in 82,000 King James Bible into the island of Grenada for distribution, which is named the Grenada Bible Project.

And I’m sure for those who might be listening, you can just easily go on the web and just pull up the Grenada Bible Project and you’ll be able to see pictures and things that constitutes, you know, or deals with the Grenada Bible Project and some of the distribution.

And so with that being said, and is presently going on, that has obviously revived, give us a revival, has opened doors for us there in Grenada.

And so hence, as a result of that, on my standpoint, I consider that as the opportunity to start a church, you know, given the fact that we are engaged so heavily, you know, in this Bible project.

But the Bible project is definitely something that has opened doors.

And, you know, it has, you know, right now, I would say that somehow or the other, the hearts of people are pretty much ready to receive, you know, the gospel.

And I believe that many of the other churches on the island have also seen, of course, you know, interest in people visiting, people whom they gave Bibles.

And those people are now looking at a lot of our churches to, you know, to try to see if they can come in and hear what is going on, the preaching and all of that.

So the Bible Project is presently open doors, yes.

Mark Gillmore: I just rejoice in such an open door to think of an entire nation that has welcomed really the distribution of the Word of God on that dimension.

It’s definitely the hand of God.

That excites me because of that awareness, even on the highest levels of government, that the Bible is coming in.

You can distribute that in our schools.

And I believe you’ve actually had settings, entire groups of parliament, divisions of the government have heard the word of God, received their own Bibles.

Jeremy Scott: Yes, they have.

And in addition to that, something that I mentioned, part of what happened or what goes on, what I do, I should say, likewise.

And it was just a privilege, an open door, you know, when it just happened, you know.

One time I received a phone call and I answered the phone, as I always do.

I answered the call.

And then the lady on the other end said, she said, I am Ms.

So-and-so, the permanent secretary of the cabinet of Grenada.

And so we got your number and we would like for you to come in.

They gave me two dates that they want me to come in and to lead the devotion in the cabinet.

And that has been going on since I think it’s 2018.

At least about six times a year, I will go in and I would lead the devotion in the cabinet before they start the deliberation.

I will get the opportunity to preach, open the scripture, preach, give an invitation, answer a question if they have one.

And also pray for them as God would guide them.

And so I thank God for that privilege.

Mark Gillmore: Praise the Lord.

And so that kind of coincides with my excitement.

Not only are the Bibles welcome, but we have national men like yourself, filled with the spirit of God, trained in Bible truth, able to preach on the highest levels of the government and then plant churches and communities that still don’t have a local church, a fundamental Baptist church.

To me, when you’ve got those two components, this is an amazing thing that God is doing.

And it’s the fruit of some of that missionary labor going back 20, 30 years, 40 years.

And that’s really what the goal of missions is.

That’s right.

Put the ministry in the hands of men of God who now are from the place you’re ministering.

Guest Speaker: That’s right.

Mark Gillmore: What is your vision as you look to the coming weeks, months, your personal vision for what you want to see God do?

Jeremy Scott: My vision is, of course, to be able to start independent Baptist churches in the northwestern side of the island.

I try my best not to get caught up too much in, you know, in destinations.

Sometimes many of us as Christians, we get so caught up in destinations.

We keep saying, you know, when I finish college, I will do this.

When I get married, I will do this.

When I, you know, and so we are thrilled so much about destinations.

But whereas we’re supposed to understand that the joy of the Christian life is not in the destination, but is in the journey.

You know, just living your Christian life and being able to enjoy it every day.

And how you enjoy it every day is by you doing as God has impressed upon your heart.

And when you do that, then you enjoy that Christian life.

So regardless as to what happened to you, whether you got little food or no food or whatever, but you’re doing God’s will, and that brings a sense of satisfaction.

So my vision is to start fundamental independent Baptist churches in the northwestern side of the island.

We have already started three.

We’re on the third one now, Oasis Baptist Church.

That’s where we’re getting off at the grung there.

And so we’re looking forward to what God is going to do.

The people there are eager, those who trusted Christ as Lord and our Savior.

I could remember promising one of those little boys I told him I said I’m going to the states and every time he would come around church and he wouldn’t have no shoes in his foot you know he would just be fitted all the time and you know and I told him I said I walk across him I said what’s your size and he told me he said I think he said he was like a seven and a half you know and I said okay I said when I go to the states I’m going to definitely bring back a you know church shoes for you and man you could have seen the how his face lit up that he’s looking forward to having that church shoes.

And so I’m looking forward to make sure that I get that church shoes, you know, for him, as I promised him.

And, you know, as we start these churches already, I already have another place where I’m going to start another church once I get Oasis going and, you know, and start, you know, looking towards the process of building and doing all of that.

And we prayed for a man.

God was able to help us.

One of the churches that came down for a mission trip.

The pastor called me about a month ago and he said, he said, Jeremy, he said, one of the young men that came down, he’s wanting to come back to Grenada.

He feels as though God is leading him to come back to Grenada to walk under you.

And he’s willing to do whatever you want him to do.

He’s a good preacher.

He’s from a fundamental independent Baptist church here up in West Virginia.

And so I decided, I said, okay, preacher, I said, I’m going to put him in there at Oasis, you know, so we can really get that going.

So the goal, as soon as I reach back on October the 11th, is to get going, get a place where we can meet, actually meet there, and just get that going.

And I trust God that he’s going to be able to bring forward, give us land and stuff like that.

So that’s what my goal is and my vision.

And I’m intending to make sure that I put things in place to support that vision.

And so my coming to the States, sometimes to raise money, But that money is not to be in a way to repeat itself, but to be able to fortify the ground.

So then we’ll be able to put the work into it so we can get those churches and them built.

Like, for example, the latest thing I did, I raised $5,000 over here in the States and I purchased a block making machine and a concrete mixer.

So in that way, we’ll be able to make the blocks because that’s how we will build our buildings.

Most of them will be center blocks.

And of course, we live in an area that is somewhat hurricane prone.

And so, you know, the stronger, you know, the better.

So we’ll have all these materials and we’ll have the equipment to continue making blocks for the future for whenever we have a church to build.

And so and also, of course, to be able to continue to train young men, you know, try to teach them the Bible, you know, try to give them things to do, get make themselves ready.

And so that they will be able to, in some cases, as the Lord leads, they might be able to take up some of these work and do different things.

And, you know, and the people there at Victoria, Victory Baptist Temple, where I’m really at, that they too would, you know, be willing to go and to understand the whole idea as to what the church is supposed to be doing, you know, trying to propagate the gospel and replenishing and reproducing itself in different places.

And so that’s what we try to do.

Mark Gillmore: Well, I believe that God is completing the Great Commission in Grenada through men like yourself, Brother Jeremy Scott.

And it’s not hard to get down there.

Maybe some of our young people have opportunity to visit.

There are several places to go, several reasons to go.

It’s a beautiful place, and God’s at work.

And it’s encouraging to actually come alongside your people and just feel the encouragement, feel their joy, their readiness, and to encourage one another.

And we definitely have that experience.

So I pray that, as we’ve just shared today, you as a listener will, first of all, just rejoice in the gospel advance in places like Grenada and then catch that challenge of, as a young person, making those choices to pursue the Word of God, to say no to the temptation.

And do that now.

Like you said, don’t just live for that destination.

Live for the daily journey.

Live in the daily journey.

Walk with God and take advantage of just those opportunities that God sends your way.

So thank you, brother, for coming and joining us here today.

It’s been a joy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Remember that the only way to stay at peace in a world of turmoil and uncertainty is to stay on mission with Jesus in his Go Mission.