Lester Lewis

Lester Lewis was guest minister at Jesus House on 7th October 2012. Lester lifted the spirits of the congregation as he ministered through his music.

A musical prophet, evangelist and undoubtedly the pioneer of reggae gospel. His determination to become a successful and domineering musician led him to make some painstaking sacrifices that earned him the accolades he has today. While in Jamaica's capital, he discovered a water-damaged guitar from the 1951 storm that hit Jamaica. With his wood-joining skills, he fixed the instrument bringing it back almost from scratch. Lester started playing this guitar with the basics and practised every day.

In 1976, Lester did his first recording while working along with famous Jamaican soca musical pioneer Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. While living in Mandeville, Jamaica, Lester was brought to church by a neighbour to play the guitar, where he met Pastor Watson. Yet by this time, Lester had adopted Rastafarian beliefs. He had the hair, he smoked canabis; he lived the lifestyle. But after he was encouraged by Pastor Watson to sing in church one week, he was totally convicted and gave up this lifestyle.

Life for this prolific musician changed after a rough, life-threatening incident. After physically clashing with his girlfriend, Lester took a stand that day to do all to the glory of God, he took up a Bible and began to read. Lester was consumed with being a musical missionary; he went from church to church bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ through Christian reggae music. Lester, through evangelists that he met, managed to travel the Caribbean to minister through music.

Lester’s message transcends cultural barriers and is aimed at even leaders of government and those who should regulate law and order in the islands to benefit social development. He has been planting the seeds of reggae gospel and now the world has embraced the music and the message. His songs ministered to drug addicts in Bahamas who in turn began reggae gospel on the island. Today, the Bahamas is one of the leading islands in producing reggae gospel. In 1990, Lester was invited to Trinidad, the island that proved to be his launching pad to the Caribbean and the rest of the world. The occasion was a conference that featured speakers and ministers from all over the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and the United States.

He aims to have a leading ministry in the Caribbean and, as always, to remain in the Word of God.