The worldwide recession isn't being felt equally by everyone.
    It's not being felt by Bishop Kirkwood Murphy who — along with the help of his church's congregation — purchased a quarter of a million dollar luxury car two months ago (reportedly for $68,000).
    He said it is "just the beginning" of what is to come in his ministry.
    Murphy's immaculately detailed navy blue 2005 Bentley Arnage, a very rare sight in The Bahamas, can sometimes be seen parked outside Temple Fellowship Ministries on Davis Street in Oakes Field, where he is the head pastor.
    Murphy said the luxury car — which retails for about $240,000 in the United States — is a "blessing" and he makes no apologies for owning the high-end automobile.
    "I've been saving for the car for years, for about three years I was putting aside money," said Murphy, who claimed he bought the car for $68,000 from an auction in New York with some help from his church's 400 members. "To bring a car like that over here would be over $400,000 but I didn't pay that much; God is just good."
Murphy said that before he bought the car, a vote was taken among the church's 10 pastors to determine whether he should get it. He said that nine of them said yes.
    "It isn't something I just did," Murphy said. "I am accountable to the leadership of the church."
    He said he had more than just a luxury ride in mind when he bought the vehicle.
    "I wanted to make a statement; I wanted to bring hope to the Body of Christ," he said. "I wanted people to know that not only drug dealers and cabinet ministers and prime ministers could drive this kind of car, but that a man of God could too.
    "I wanted to take the level and the minds of Christians up. We always think of Christians as poor, but the Bible says that the 'earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,' and so I wanted to make a statement too as a pastor and a man of God."
Murphy said the car has been attracting people to his church, something he claimed he planned.
    "Some young guy saw me the other day and he said 'what do you do for a living?' I said that I'm a pastor. He said 'oh I want to be a pastor. I wanted to be a doctor, but I changed my mind'. Then he said 'can I take a picture of your Bentley? Where is your church? I want to come there.'" Murphy said.
    "A lady followed me to the church just now. She said 'I want to join your ministry. I want to be under your leadership because if that's what God is doing with you, then the same thing will fall on me.'"
    "The anointing starts from the head. Everything starts from the top. And this car is really only the beginning of what we're about to do here in the ministry even as we expand."
    People will think I'm taking advantage, but you can't reach everybody. Jesus didn't reach everybody, but I'll reach a few."
    Murphy said that he believes that "love is giving" and he practices what he preaches.
    "I always believe that if you love me, you have to give me something; time, talent or treasure...something," Murphy said. "Me and my wife demonstrate our love by giving to the membership. As a matter of fact I gave so much one month that I didn't pay my mortgage because I gave the money away to the people. My wife has to stop me from giving away money. So I think I deserve a car like that and that is only the beginning."
    Murphy said his ministry is set up to give back to its members to the tune of $60,000 to $70,000 per year.
    "I don't think there is any bishop or pastor in this country who gives as much as me and who assists as much as me in helping people financially and in every which way — no one," he said. "It's not so much that we do it to be seen, but people need to know what the church is doing for them. We look after the whole man."
    Bishop Murphy said he assisted a member and his wife with $5,000 to put a down payment on their house. He said that he helped another member purchase a new home after her old home was destroyed in a blaze by giving her $5,000. And the list goes on.
    "There is another minister here, his house was in foreclosure and I came to his aid with $5,000. So they see me driving the car but they don't know what we do for other people," Murphy said.
    "I just got $10,000 put aside now to help two other people. I promised to help them get a car. We even give loans. I lend people money and they pay it back. It's just the blessings of the Lord. I'm not in this just for us, but I'm in this for other people. And people think that we are taking advantage of the members, but I am not."