Ordination, On the Road & Seasons....Church Plants, Kenya, Uganda, USA

Kenya/Uganda/USA 

Greetings Family, Friends and Brethren,

Our hearts were blessed this week and another important milestone was reached by our Churches in Kenya when they ordained one of our long time faithful Deacons at the Landmark Baptist Church of Ndivisi.   We have watched Deacon Wycliffe develop into a true Man of God who has a servant’s heart.  He has been instrumental in the growth of His Church and has also been a key part in our building team to help construct the Churches on Mt. Elgon.

 It has been said that the proof of all teaching is practice and our cups are overflowing with joy to see our precious people follow the Biblical pattern for ordination and to watch them move forward in their faith independently.  3Jn_1:4  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.  In addition to the ordination, Pastor Peter and our team of Pastors Baptized thirteen of our converts at the village of Chenjengi and organized them into another Scriptural New Testament Church.   This village has been reached for Christ by Moses who the Associate Pastor and is sent out of the the Church we started at Mayanja in 2010.   These are some of the converts Terry led to Christ and the same village that she contracted a bacterial infection combined with Malaria before we left.  I know this newly organized Church has a special place in our heart.

It seems like the work of the Missionary Church Planter always involves burning the road somewhere in the world.  The process of raising support and keeping support is one that can only be described as a grueling process that will wear you down and wear you out if you let it. Within the last eight days Terry and I have traveled to Northern Georgia to pick up chairs for the Florida Plant as well as attending two deputation appointments at First Coast Missionary Baptist Church in Jacksonville and Thirtieth Ave. MBC in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Dr. Bill Pennell, Missionary Ukraine & 30th Ave. MBC

All the while we continue to meet with our group of believers and build a team to reach Florida for Christ. Each and every step of this transitional process is done in faith as we try to share our hearts and vision for the work God has called us to do on a limited basis in Kenya and our newest Church plant in Brooksville.   We are thankful for the many ministry partners who have contacted us to let us know that “Tuko Pamoja”, which means “We are Together” in Swahili.  It brings great comfort to our hearts that most our ministry partners are partnering with Chuck and Terry Fernandez wherever God leads and not just East Africa.  Any change in life and ministry brings some apprehension; however we have trusted in the Lord for His protection and provision thus far and will continue to depend on His grace, power and wisdom as we press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.   One of the recent changes that have taken place in our life and ministry is that we have a new “Sending Church”, the First Baptist Church of East Bay in Riverview, Florida.  Pastor Tim Myers and His wife Sheila have a tremendous burden to reach the lost and particularly are interested and experienced in planting churches in Florida where they have facilitated the planting of a Haitian Church, a Spanish Church as well as another English Speaking Church.

Dr. Tim Myers & Wife, Sheila, 1st Baptist Church East Bay

They have supported our work in East, Africa from the beginning and are excited to be a part of what God is doing in our lives and ministry.   Our team is stronger than ever and still includes Pastor Tim Johnson and the Dean Springs MBC church family as the Co-Sponsor of our work.  Incidentally, Dean Springs MBC will be celebrating their 100^th Anniversary this November.   Now that is something to praise the Lord about. 

Pastor Tim Johnson & Wife, Crystal, Dean Springs MBC

Thank you for allowing us the privilege to share this continued journey of faith and thank you for your continued prayers and support. 

God Be With You,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda/Florida Plant

NOTE:  There has only been one new Missionary Baptist Church planted in Florida since 2007.

 

Kenyan Church Development, Evangelism & The Florida Plant

  

Missionary Church planters have the unique opportunity to create an awesome history for the glory of God through the birth and development of Churches unlike any other group of people.   This week has been another truly historic week for Terry and I as we follows God path for our ministry and lives.   As we are toiling and tilling new ground here in the USA, Pastor Peter and Pastor Shadrach have continued the work that Terry and I started in the village we affectionately call M-3 or Mawe Tatu and the fishing village called Misory.   As you can see from the pictures, they were able to install the posts and trusses for the new sanctuary at Landmark Baptist Church of Mawe Tatu.

Over the last six months the Church family has been making and baking bricks for their new permanent sanctuary.   It is very important for us to be reminded that each church we partner with has a significant investment into these projects and I can tell you that their investment not only included the labor intensive process to make the brick but also sacrificial giving to buy wood and items to fire them.  When you look at it relative to a people who make an average income of around $40.00 per month, it is significant.   In any case, our hearts are blessed to see another new sanctuary #14 rising from the ground to become a meeting place for God’s precious people.    In addition to construction, our Kenyan Brothers returned to the fishing village of Misory which is located at Lake Victoria for follow up and evangelism.   These follow up visits are so important to confirm the souls that were saved as well as educate those new converts.   This provides us with the opportunity to find a God called man to start a Bible Study in His home.   This is exactly the method the Apostles used and the pattern we have followed over the last seven years.    God has provided one such man name Meshach whom we led to Christ in January. 

Meshach, Pastor Shadrach (in blue) And Family

He has started a bible study in His home and we don’t know if it will develop into another New Testament Church but we do know if converts are not followed up with they will fall by the wayside.   They also saw eight more people make professions of faith in Christ at Misory.

Back on the American mission field, Terry and I have been praying and planning another Church plant in the village of Brooksville, Florida.  This tribe is a very strange tribe but this is the home our three children and our seven grandchildren and will be the seventeenth Church Plant we have been involved in.  With Terry being providentially hindered through the health issues she has experience since the day we arrived in Kenya in 2008, we have been forced to re-evaluate our lives and ministry and ask God as Paul did, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do”?   We have been blown away by what God has done with us and thru us in Kenya and Uganda since the inception of our work there but the entire time we have looked back across the ocean at the spiritual decline of our great country with heavy hearts.   We do not believe that God is done with America and we would love to lead a new and fresh Church planting movement again.   Through much prayer, God has confirmed that this is His perfect will for our lives and we are committed to doing His will, no matter the cost.   To that end, we had our first unorganized meeting with thirteen members of our family as well as thirteen friends, acquaintances and brethren who have come to us while we have been home on medical leave and expressed an interest in doing what we have done in East Africa in Church planting.

Please pray for us as we move forward with Kenyan/Ugandan Church development while planting a scriptural New Testament Church in Brooksville, Florida.
We fully understand that not everyone will share our vision and burden but please understand that we need your prayers and support now more than ever as we continue to press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.
I will also continue to travel back and forth to Kenya/Uganda to encourage our Churches and Pastors there as time and finances allow.
Thank you for your expressed love and support and feel free to email me or call me with any questions concerning the history of Church planting God is allowing us to be a part of .
Our email is the same: missionaryfernandez@gmail.com
                                   and my stateside number is (352)-277-1753. 

God Bless You,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya/Uganda/Florida Plant