Bishop Cline will be handing over senior pastor duties to one of his sons, former school teacher and businessman Jovan E.L. Cline.

This was disclosed by Bishop Cline himself during the 2022 Power Plus Conference at NLBC today, Sunday, October 9, 2022.

‘I must decrease…’- Bishop Cline

Bishop Cline was at the time announcing that the congregation was going to be blessed with a new song by Jovan, “…and the new song has been written by the new and incoming Pastor of the New Life Baptist Church.

“He will take over the reign in 2023. I must decrease so that he must increase. This is my third born child,” Mr Cline stated as he introduced his son and choir member, Jovan, to the congregation.

Among those in the congregation were Governor John J. Rankin, CMG, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Deputy Governor David D. Archer Jr, Commissioner of Police Mark Collins, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Jacqueline E. Vanterpool and other officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) who attended the church as part of Police Week.

Among those in the congregation at Power Plus 2022 were Governor John J. Rankin, CMG, Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Deputy Governor David D. Archer Jr, Commissioner of Police Mark Collins, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Jacqueline E. Vanterpool and other officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) who attended the church as part of Police Week.

Pastor & Builder

Mr John I. Cline, sometimes considered a controversial figure, began ministry in 1985 at the New Light Baptist Church in New Jersey where he served as both Associate Minister and Youth Pastor.

He was ordained as a pastor in 1989, and shortly thereafter, in 1993, he returned to the [British] Virgin Islands where he accepted the call to be the Senior Pastor of the Road Town Baptist Church.

Under his leadership, in February of 1997, the church broke ground and nine months later the building was dedicated and the church was renamed The New Life Baptist Church.

In 2011, Bishop Cline spearheaded the construction of the church’s Save the Seed Centre, a multi-million-dollar recreational facility intended to target the youth generation.

Mr John I. Cline began ministry in 1985 at the New Light Baptist Church in New Jersey where he served as both Associate Minister and Youth Pastor. He was ordained as pastor in 1989, and shortly thereafter, in 1993, he returned to the [British] Virgin Islands where he accepted the call to be the Senior Pastor of the Road Town Baptist Church.

Philanthropist

According to the NLBC website, Bishop Cline also serves as the founding member of the New Life Baptist Church Foundation and his philanthropic efforts have extended to the continent of Africa, where he provides financial support to The Tortola Child Rescue and Learning Centre constructing a secondary school for under privileged children in Kenya.

Paul Harris Fellow

In July 2017, Bishop Cline received the Rotary Club’s Paul Harris Fellow Award for his philanthropic contributions to the VI, the Caribbean region and Kenya, Africa.

In 2020, in recognition of his business prowess and nation building capabilities, he was appointed the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Committee, a committee that advises the Premier of the Virgin Islands on economic enhancement.

Author

Bishop Cline, who has served as the Chairman of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) Board, is the author of The Monogamy Mystery, a thought-provoking book which discusses the difficulties relationships are fraught with, especially around the area of infidelity and offers a solution to the problem through spirituality.

Mr Cline also contested for political office in the 2003 General Elections that was won by the National Democratic Party (NDP). Running as an Independent candidate, Mr Cline received 450 votes, which placed him 10th out of 13 Independent candidates.