ism ▁in ▁J ama ica , ▁aim ing ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁black s ▁who ▁were ▁govern ed ▁by ▁a ▁white ▁minor ity ▁during ▁colonial ▁times . ▁Today , ▁the ▁church ▁plays ▁an ▁important ▁role ▁in ▁society ▁by ▁providing ▁services ▁to ▁people ▁in ▁need . ▁▁ ▁There ▁are ▁also ▁several ▁church ▁operated ▁educational ▁systems ▁including ▁a ▁Se vent h - day ▁Advent ist ▁one ▁which ▁incorpor ates ▁Northern ▁Car ib bean ▁University . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁white ▁mission aries , ▁George ▁Lie le ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁successful ▁vent ure ▁that ▁spread ▁Christian ity ▁to ▁the ▁ens la ved ▁in ▁J ama ica . ▁White ▁mission aries ▁from ▁Europe ▁or ▁North ▁America ▁were ▁not ▁the ▁only ▁attempts ▁to ▁provide ▁religion ▁to ▁the ▁slave ▁population ▁of ▁J ama ica . ▁African ▁Americans ▁also ▁played ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁spread ing ▁the ▁Protest ant ▁faith ▁in ▁J ama ica . ▁George ▁Lie le ▁was ▁a ▁former ▁slave ▁from ▁Georgia ▁who ▁made ▁his ▁way ▁to ▁J ama ica . ▁He ▁was ▁recognized ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁successful ▁vent ure ▁of ▁Christian ity ▁among ▁the ▁ens la ved ▁in ▁J ama ica . ▁He ▁began ▁Bapt ist ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁in ▁the ▁mid - e igh teenth ▁century , ▁meaning ▁he ▁was ▁in ▁J ama ica ▁before ▁English ▁and ▁Ang lo - American ▁mission aries . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁Lie le ▁was ▁working ▁with ▁slave ▁communities , ▁he ▁was ▁met ▁with ▁opposition ▁from ▁established ▁groups ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁state ▁church ▁and ▁the ▁Church