MY PASSION . . . STARTING CHURCHES

I believe I was called by God to help plant churches in Kenya maybe even the whole East African region.   I pray about helping start a new church and God gives me a vision that causes me to become more excited each day.  I become eager to turn this vision into action. One of my first steps is to develop a plan.

When I first started working in Kenya, this plan usually began with me going out and looking for land in an area that I chose among people that I really didn't know with a culture that I really didn't understand.  In other words, a very traditional model of missionary church planting. The problem was that it didn't work for me. Yes, a church was built but the church became dependent on me. The congregation did not want me to leave. They looked at me as their pastor and honestly thought that they could not get any better than me (which always caused me to smile and laugh).

It took a few years but I finally realized that my church planting plan had to start with lots of prayer and that my prayer included another person. That other person was to be the pastor of the church not me. So I started praying asking God to help me discover His pastor for a new church. And you know what? God has always led me to the right man at the right time. This relationship between God, the right pastor and me became very important.  The right pastor and I had to develop a close relationship with God and each other. God had to give the vision. God had to help us develop the rest of the plan...the why? where? when? and the how? The wonderful news is that God can be trusted!

In 2014, The Hope Foundation was able to help three men start new churches and an additional pastor get his very first building.  It was a great year filled with passionate men and their families doing good work for the kingdom of God.  I was excited yesterday when I received this report from our churches. Since January 1st, we have had five saved at Upendo (Love) Baptist Church in Kilifi; three saved at Injili (Gospel) Baptist in Kisumu; two saved at Uwezo (Able) Baptist Church in Vitengeni;  one saved at Neema (Grace) Baptist in Bomani; and seventeen saved at Injili (Gospel) Baptist in Majaoni.  That is 28 people who now know Jesus because God gave the vision through prayer.  Many more will get saved and baptized this year because of the Gospel light from these churches.

I have been praying about 2015 and I believe God wants us to start two new churches this year. This won't happen without several things...(1) God leading me to the right pastor; (2) God giving the right vision; and (3) God touching your heart with the passion to help us BUILD.

It takes between $5,000 to $15,000 to construct a church building and purchase the benches, pulpit, Bibles, etc. Would you pray about helping us with a donation? Maybe you can give the whole $5,000 to get the church built. Maybe your church could help us with the $15,000 and complete a whole project. Maybe you can only give $100, $500 or $1,000. The size of the gift is not the issue; the involvement of God's people is the issue. Will you personally become involved in our passion of building new churches in Kenya, Africa? There is no better place to put your money...it is that eternal payback plan.  People's souls will be changed and you will have had a part in it.

Always seeking to build for His kingdom,
Bobby