– Pastor Derrick Pereira reflects on the true meaning of the season
Many may say that love is seen in its greatest manifestation when two hearts unite in erotic desire; or when a parent selflessly sacrifices for the well-being of their child; or through some beloved romantic movie that has been specially scripted to demonstrate love.
Pastor Derrick Pereira
However, for Pastor Juan Jose Pereira, also known as Pastor Derrick, the most powerful love story ever told doesn’t begin with flowers or fanfare. It begins with a very special person who was willing to die on a wooden cross to justify humanity; and it ends with that person being resurrected from the dead three days later, as is attested by an empty tomb being encountered after that person had been buried.
For Pastor Derrick, of Shekinah Glory Ministries, West Bank Demerara, the greatest love story is the story of Jesus Christ: who gave His life for the redemption of humanity, and rose from the dead three days later for the justification of humanity.
In a recent telephone interview with this publication, Pastor Derrick shared his reflections on Easter, its life-changing significance for believers across the world; and how he, a renowned pastor, celebrates the season. As a long-serving spiritual leader, Pastor Derrick has spent decades guiding hundreds to Christ across Guyana.
“Well, it’s all about the Saviour coming into the world — the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world,” he explained.
“You know what touches the heart the most? It’s the passion. It’s the way He went to the cross. The suffering, man! The suffering. When He was beaten, when He carried the cross on His shoulder and went up the mountain of God to be crucified. That’s the touching part!” Pastor Derrick intoned.
Pastor Derrick made known his conviction that Easter isn’t just a time of tradition, but is a spiritual wake-up call. He is therefore urging both Christians and non-Christians to look beyond surface-level celebrations and confront the depth of Jesus’s sacrifice.
“Indeed, the Saviour went to the cross and died, and they (people) should give their hearts to Christ. Don’t just see it like a movie. Don’t just see that and feel nice and that’s it. See it as a real story…” he has urged.
Reaching out to the younger generation, Pastor Derrick offered a perspective that blends cultural tradition with spiritual truth, thereby shedding light on the symbolic meaning behind one of Guyana’s most loved Easter traditions – kite flying.
He declared, “Yeah! Well, for example, everybody flies a kite, right? They like kites. They know it’s kite time at Easter. Some people do other stuff, but they should take the meaning behind this kite-flying activity seriously. This is about our Saviour, our God, our future… The kite represents how Jesus (was) resurrected from the grave and went up into the air.”
According to him, many engage in kite-flying for fun, but few understand its deeper connection to the resurrection and ascension of Christ. He believes this symbolism should be more widely recognized and respected.
“They put up the kite, you know, but people do it and they don’t really know the meaning. This isn’t just a story. He did indeed resurrect, and it’s real,” Pastor Derrick affirmed.
And while Easter often becomes another long weekend or casual break from routine, Pastor Derrick believes it should be much more than that. To him it should be a sacred opportunity to recommit to the faith.
“They should take it seriously: Go to church, think of Good Friday and Easter Sunday, make a special effort to follow Jesus; especially the young people, they tend to take it as just a normal holiday,” he explained.
As the world grows increasingly fast-paced and materially-driven, Pastor Derrick’s call is a reminder of eternal priorities. While many focus on careers, achievements, and worldly success, Pastor Derrick offers a compelling alternative: eternal life through faith in Jesus the Christ.
“This is not normal, this is real. This is reality. This is your life, and it will give you life eternal. Yes, people are looking after natural things, like careers and everything, but this…this is more important. This is about your future, about life after death, about eternal life,” he admonished.
