Leadership

Reverend Keno S. Smith is a graduate of St. Augustine’s College and entered the workforce immediately after graduation. Over the years he has amassed various Information Technology certifications, inclusive of the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer credential. Reverend Smith’s expertise has allowed him to work in various industries including technology training, restaurants, hotel, and banking. Reverend Smith started serving in youth ministry about 14 years ago while attending Bahamas Harvest Church. On May 1, 2014, he left his career as an Information Technology Professional to officially begin full-time ministry, taking on his current role as Senior Pastor at Evangelistic Temple.

His passion for God and the next generation of leaders drives his work ethic and enthusiasm. Reverend Smith holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from the North Carolina Theological Seminary and a certificate in (Christian) Apologetics from Biola University and is an Ordained Minister with the Assemblies of God in the Bahamas Including the Turks & Caicos Islands. He is also the Executive Producer of the highly successful film “Live His Love” released in September 2019. This film has since become an official selection of the “International Christian Film and Music Festival 2020” and has received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. A man whose firm belief is that every believer’s first ministry is to their family, Reverend Smith is married to Minister Kia Smith and they are blessed with their two (2) sons.

Reverend Dave Cash is the youngest of six children, and the third son born to Lorna Knowles and the late Joseph Cash. He received his early education at the William Phipps Primary School and later attended The Government High School from 1973 to 1978. He grew up attending Calvary Bible Church, and accepted Christ as his Savior on July 13th, 1980.

After graduating from high school, he worked for a short time at The Central Bank of The Bahamas, before moving on to the Civil Aviation Department, where he worked as an Air Traffic Controller for seven years.

In August 1987, he enrolled at Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa, Georgia. Three years later, in 1990, he graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies and a minor in history. While in college, he became known for his academic excellence as well as his involvement in ministry, especially evangelism. His college ministry included street witnessing and evangelism on the streets of Atlanta, Georgia, as well as preaching and mentoring at a half-way house for men addicted to alcohol and illegal drugs. He also served as youth director, at his local church, Central Alliance Church in Mount Airy, Georgia.

Upon graduating from college, he returned home in May 1990, and accepted the post as Associate Pastor at his home church, Chapel on the Hill. In December 1994 he became the church’s first Bahamian pastor, and was ordained as a fully credentialed minister in September 1995. He served as senior pastor at Chapel on the Hill until 2001. While working as senior pastor, he was instrumental in establishing the church’s school, Hillcrest Academy, in 1996.

Pastor Dave and his family began attending Evangelistic Temple in December 2002 and was installed as associate pastor in December 2012. He is the younger brother of senior pastor and school board chairman, Dr. Vaughan Cash. Pastor Dave is an avid reader, and especially enjoys researching modern technology and how it relates to biblical prophecy.
Pastor Dave married Donna Lee Rolle in 1984, and they have three adult children: Danae, David and Daniel.

Rev. Bradick A. Cleare is Associate Pastor at Evangelistic Temple in Nassau, Bahamas, where he leads management and administration. He holds an MBA in Leadership and Innovation and a bachelor’s degree in Theology. With over 20 years of experience in senior management across diverse organizations, he is also a certified trainer and seasoned presenter in both spiritual and professional settings. Ordained in 2003, Rev. Cleare has served in various ministries and civic roles, including six years as Chairman of the Oakes Field Primary School Board. He and his wife Briquell are the proud parents of three energetic sons.

Pastor Jon Montpetitt is a dedicated leader and community builder with a passion
for empowering young people and strengthening families. A 2019 graduate of the
University of the Bahamas, he holds a bachelor’s degree in education with a
concentration in Religious Studies. He also earned a master’s in theology from
North Carolina Theological Seminary in 2022. With a background in ministry and
event coordination, Pastor Jon combines creativity, organization, and purpose
driven leadership to make a meaningful impact for the kingdom of God. Whether
he’s planning youth retreats, mentoring students, or supporting church initiatives,
Pastor Jon brings excellence, energy, and a passion to everything he does.

Myah Newman is a dedicated wife, mother, and Certified Public Accountant with a strong passion for financial stewardship and education. With more than 15 years of experience in accounting and financial management, she brings expertise and precision to her role as Treasurer to the Boards of Evangelistic Temple and Temple Christian School.

Myah has been a devoted Christian for over eleven (11) years and gives God all thanks and praise as her Savior and Lord.

She graduated from The University of The Bahamas (previously College of The Bahamas), with a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Accounting, with distinction. She received all of the accounting awards for top accountant student in her graduating class.

Upon graduating, Myah went on to study for and successfully pass the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examinations.

During this time she was employed at Deloitte and would work her way to becoming a senior in the Audit department, managing audits in the Banking, Retail and Investment industries. Myah ended her seven (7) years with the firm as a senior in the Consulting department working on various projects, with a concentration in Value Added Tax, as it was being newly implemented in the country.

Myah continued to work in senior/managerial capacities. She currently works in a managerial role for one of The Bahamas’ quasi-government entities. In these roles she has implemented new processes, written policies and procedures, managed teams, prepared Financial Statements and provided insightful reports for Boards and Chief Executives.

Her background in Auditing, Budgeting, and Financial Statement Planning and Management have all equipped her to perform the duties of Treasurer.

As a committed member of Evangelistic Temple, she desires to serve her church and all its ministries with her talents to the best of her ability.

Beyond numbers, she is deeply invested in adding to the Christian, loving and educational environments at both Evangelistic Temple and Temple Christian School.

When she’s not balancing budgets, Myah enjoys spending time with her family, volunteering in the church’s nursery, baking, and sharing her knowledge to promote financial literacy.

Dr. Shelley Bridgewater is a born again believer who accepted the Lord as her Saviour at the age of 17. With a desire to serve and be involved in Ministry, she was appointed to Secretary of the Church School Board for the Little Gems Early Childhood Care Centre. Later her love for working with youth, led her to become a youth leader at her local church. As she continued to encourage others through her walk with God, she sang in the senior choir and was a member of the worship team. Though known for her quiet disposition, she found pleasure in sharing the word of God by moderating for Sunday morning services and other church activities.

With a professional background in the field of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, she has held teaching positions within the University of the West Indies and Senior positions within the Public Sector. She presently holds the position of Country Representative/Scientist at the CARICOM based organization CARDI.

Originally a national of Trinidad and Tobago she migrated to the Bahamas just over a year where she presently works. With her recent move, it was important for to her to find a home church where she could fellowship. She ultimately became a member of Evangelistic Temple in October of 2022 and is happy to serve in the present capacity of secretary on the Temple Christian School Board. The last of three (3) siblings, her closeness to her family and support and of her parents Neville and Shirley Bridgewater has contributed to her Love for God.

Mr. Bethell is President and Chief Financial Officer of APD with over 15 years’ spent over 16 years working in the financial services industry with his last role being that of Director, Vice President and Mr. Bethell is President and Chief Financial Officer of APD Limited with over 15 years’ experience in international shipping, having served as CFO at Container Terminals Ltd; a subsidiary of Tropical Shipping Ltd.

Prior to this, Mr. Bethell spent 16 years working in the financial services industry with his last role being that of Director, Vice President and CFO at W & P fund Services Ltd./ The St. James Bank and Trust Company Ltd.

Mr. Bethell is also Chairman of the Bahamasair Employees Provident Fund.

Mr. Bethell has a Bachelor of Administration degree in Accounting from Tiffin University in Ohio, United States and is a licensed Chartered Accountant with The Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants and also ICA International Diplomas in Anti-Money Laundering and in Compliance.

Mr. Bethell also completed Portfolio Concepts and Management programs at Aresty Institute Executive Education Program – Wharton, University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Donna Miller has enjoyed a distinguished 22-year career in the Public Service, starting as a Language Arts Teacher and rising to Head of the English Department. Her teaching prowess earned her recognition as Teacher of the Year from 1994-1996 at C. R. Walker Senior High School. Notably, her students excelled in the BGCSE English examination, scoring well above the national average. She later transitioned to roles as a Parliamentary Speech Writer in several government ministries, contributing to the launch of the Bahamas’ first e-passport. Dr. Miller’s career also encompassed roles at the Cabinet Office, where she oversaw national events and played a key role in the introduction of the Cabinet e-portal. She served as Acting Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Legal Affairs.

Presently, she serves as Acting Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Housing. Dr. Miller has presented her expertise at various conferences and received awards, including the Celebrating Woman 2014 International Woman of Excellence Award. She is an active member of her church and holds the position of Deacon. Dr. Miller’s diverse interests include singing, evangelism, and community service, while her favorite color is ‘pink.’ She’s committed to her community and serves on the Board of Management of the YWCA.Close

Cheryl Martins is an insurance professional who currently holds a management position in the Group & Health Benefits Department of Colina Insurance Limited.

She has founded and directed the preschool, Wellspring Academy, which provided care and training for children in the age range of 1 to 5 years in the Fox Hill community for about 18 years.

Mrs. Martins is passionate about Christian School Education and the opportunity it provides to positively impact the lives of students and families.

She is a born-again Christian, having accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord at the age of 10 and desires to continually be changed and transformed into His image. She is also a member of the Sanctuary Choir of Evangelistic Temple.

Vaughn Delaney is a finance, technology and management consultant.

During his career, Mr. Delaney headed the management consultancy practice of a leading accounting firm, where he led multi-disciplinary teams providing a range of consultancy services to government, banks, and private businesses. He was the IT and HR executive at local bank with responsibility for the bank’s technology infrastructure and human resources. He also served on the Clearing Banks Association (CBA) selection committee that reviewed and selected the RTGS and ACH systems for the Central Bank of The Bahamas. He was the CIO of a leading insurance and financial services company, where he oversaw the modernization of the company’s technology platform and service applications. Mr. Delaney was also
a regular technology guest presenter at various professional organizations, such as BICA, BIIA, BHRDA, and the Central Bank, among others.

Mr. Delaney is an active, long-standing member, of Evangelistic Temple, and has previously served on both the Church and Temple Christian School boards.

Ms. Michelene Belizaire began her career path working as a Salesclerk at the Stop-N-Shop for approximately two years. As a new opportunity presented itself, she applied and was subsequently employed as the Pastor’s Secretary at her former church, Chapel on the Hill, in 1986 and worked there for 16 years. However, within that period, starting in 1994, Michelene also pursued tertiary education on a part-time basis at the College of The Bahamas where she majored in Primary Education. In 2001 she successfully obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree and Teacher’s Certificate. In 2021, she pursued her interest in Massage Therapy at Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute. Eighteen months later, she obtained a certificate for the same.

During her lifetime thus far, she served in the following capacities: Children’s Church Leader, Youth Leader, Chorister, Praise Team Member, Albury Sayle Primary School Board Member, Grade Level Head, Religious Studies and Science Coordinators, Bahamas Union of Teachers Shop Steward and Assistant Shop Steward, Spelling Bee Coach, Member of the Boys Club of The Bahamas, Red Cross Disaster Team Volunteer, and Assistant Shelter Manager.

Ms. Belizaire has been teaching for the past 23 years and has no regrets having entered the profession. She views it as a calling on her life. She enjoys singing, travelling, bowling, driving, eating, socializing, sewing, pasting junkanoo costumes, watching black family comedies and Nigerian movies.

Ms. Lockhart has attended Evangelistic Temple all her life and has a passion for Law which led her to pursue an Associate Degree in Law and Criminal Justice (Credit) from the University of the Bahamas (formerly College of the Bahamas) in 2012.

Ms. Lockhart had a desire to understand ‘businesses and how businesses operate, as it is her dream to operate a business one day.  This desire led her to Dalhousie University, Halifax Canada, graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor of Management Degree. Ms. Lockhart then resumed her legal studies at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Barbados, where she obtained a Bachelor of Laws LLB (Hons.) Degree. She then attended the Eugene Dupuch Law School obtaining her Legal Certificate in 2021.  In October 2021, she was called to the Bahamas Bar as Attorney and Council at Law.

Professionally, Ms. Lockhart is employed with the Office of The Attorney General, as an Assistant Council. She has worked in the Litigation Department and is now assigned to the Civil Department.

To complement her Legal training in 2023 Ms. Lockhart received certification in Anti-Money Laundering, from the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS). Her hobbies include leisure reading, travelling and trying new restaurants.