The Heart of An Evangelist, The Pattern & Our Missionaries

Mt. Elgon has dominated our ministry efforts this month as we are trying to make the most of the window of opportunity which comes to a close with the start of the rainy season within the next couple of weeks. Once the daily rains start we are only able to climb the rocky, slippery roads in the morning and we generally have to be off the mountain by 2 pm as you can just about set your clock by the daily rains.
This severely limits our ability to do God’s work there.
Just when I think we have experienced the hardest part of these extreme roads and trails we find a new one that takes the cake.        Mt. Elgon Aquaduct

Such was the case this week when we visited the village of Cheptandin to do evangelism with a young preacher named Bernard who God has called there to reach this village.

He is currently leading a weekly Bible study there with 30 adults and 35 children.
It is our honor and privilege to come along these young preachers to encourage and assist them in their work and growth.
Now I'm not sure how I can adequately describe just how difficult this trip was in terms of ruggedness and steep terrain while crossing two rivers, but we definitely pushed the limits every step of the way. The pictures surely do not indicate the extreme angles of the trails we had to climb but after three years of working on Mt. Elgon, I believe it is safe to say that this was the toughest climb yet.

With all of that said, we would make the trip a thousand more times to see one more soul profess Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Once God gives you a great burden for the lost there is generally nothing you would not do or nowhere you would you not go to help someone come to know the Lord.
The heart of the evangelist is fueled by a love for God,
                               a call of God
and a faith that believes that we are truly rescuing the perishing.
Jude 1:22 "And of some have compassion, making a difference:" 
Jude 1:23 "And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire."
This passage brings to mind our son, Vinny, who this week has become certified as an EMT and Firefighter. 
We are proud of him and the fact that in the future he will be rushing to the aide of those who are in distress and in need of help.
As his parents we know he will do his best with urgency and care to bring them to a place of safety. The type of service rendered by our hero first responders is something we can relate to.
The preaching of the gospel, also, needs to be done with a sense of urgency and care.
We do this knowing that we stand between Heaven and Hell with the message of Love that can save anybody, anywhere and anytime.

I say, “Thank you Lord for giving us this burden, for equipping us to deliver Your Word and for empowering us through Your Spirit to go in Jesus Name.”
There were eighteen precious humble and contrite souls that had enough faith to repent of their sins and trust Christ as their personal Lord and Savior in Cheptandin during our evangelism efforts.
                 New Converts

Please pray for these new converts and for Bernard who will help them to grow in their faith as they travel through this journey of life.
At one point during our evangelism as we were beginning to pray, I looked up at our team to give God thanks and saw a definite pattern in our ministry.
                             Evangelistic Team Praying

This is the 'pattern'  that we find as a theme throughout the New Testament in which we are to reach people for Christ who in turn are supposed to reach others.
                                      New Converts

As I see it, I am investing all that I have been taught over the years into Pastor Peter,
who in turn is pouring his life into Pastor Alex,
who now is putting all that he has been taught into Bernard
and is now teaching the people of Cheptandin. 
                                Cheptandin Meeting Place

Then I looked at Terry as she leads her team of women and realize that the same thing is happening in her personal ministry as she is teaching the older women to teach the younger women.
                               Terry's Team

 New Converts and Terry

This is the exact pattern that Paul was teaching Timothy in
2 Ti 2:2 "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."

            To God, be the glory! Great things He hath done!  
Something else that continues to be a great source of encouragement to Terry and I
 is the lasting fruit that we are seeing from all of these evangelism efforts.
For example, even in Mama Eklas’s death, God was glorified as there were three visitors at her Church this week who said they were saved at her funeral from the preaching of the gospel.
Also, at yesterdays service at the Landmark Baptist Church of Mawe Tatu there were two women who were saved this week in the neighboring village of Soysambu and walked a dozen kilometers to worship with us at LBC Mawe Tatu.
The evangelist lives and loves for people to be saved but after salvation there is the growth process of discipleship that helps equip these young saints to glorify God until Christ returns or until God takes them home.
We thank God for every new convert and we do not take lightly the responsibility of building a relationship with these young converts through their local New Testament Church that goes beyond salvation and into discipleship.   
Please continue to pray that God will help us be what we need be for His honor and glory as there is a great weight that we carry with this responsibility.
This is clearly defined again and again, as these fine people refer to Terry and I in a deeply personal way when using the title........ “Our Missionaries”.  

In His Service,

Bro. Chuck & Sis. Terry Fernandez
Kenya                                             

                                                                  

              Local Scene......LOL