New Planter Spotlight: Peter Kamau Gikunju

Peter Kamau Gikunju

How have you seen God working in your life?

I was born in a 'fairly Christian family' though it was not until the age of 15 years old when I believed in Christ as my savior, I was not very clear then on sin and grace but over time I have grown in understanding His grace and the depth of my sin and have continued to be struck at what He is doing in me and through me. Over the years, I have been learning to trust and lean on Him. Even now through this church planting phase, he has been working in me, teaching me patience and his love for me and even others.

How have you seen God working in your family?

I have a young family, Ezra is now 3yrs, and Neema is 1 yr 8months, Rose and I have had tough and good times. Children especially changed a lot when they came but God has been helping us to grow in our parenting roles and even to love and take care of the children. Family has been a good field of training us in our godliness and patience and the experience is great and encouraging. Rose is hospitable and loves welcoming people to our house and that has helped me a lot in church planting as we have had to open our homes to many members and even visit people in their homes, we are praying that our kids will grow not just in stature but also in love with the Jesus we preach!

How have you seen God working in your church?

We planted the church last September, and about 25 of us were commissioned to go out. In the last couple of months the words of Jesus to disciples " I will build my church.." have become very real for us as we have seen God work in ways we never imagined or planned for. A lot of unbelievers, unchurched have come to the church with a good number becoming believers, we have had so far Baptised 15 believers, the church family is growing with numbers having grown four-fold. God has also used the church to reach the local community, with many children as well turning every week to hear the gospel. Our small missional communities have been very key in becoming loving communities where people get to know one another deeply and reach out to friends and neighbours. We have seen many of our members become eager to serve one another and to be involved in what God is doing and also grow in their faith.

For further information please contact Peter at info@gpcwaiyakiway.org

The Gikunju Family

New Planter Spotlight: Juan Cotto

Juan Cotto

How have you seen God working in your life?

God has shown me his immense and unrelenting love. He has rescued me from my own vanity and made me aware of his mission to the world. I was born into a devout Christian family, but at the age of seventeen his grace reached me. Since then I have been able to serve him by preaching the gospel in many places in Latin America. Planting a church has become the most exciting task of my life and I thank God for the privilege.

How have you seen God working in your family?

By the grace of God I have a beautiful family. My wife is a tremendous help in my ministry life, my adviser, confidant, friend, and partner. My three children show me the beauty of God. They love the Lord. I know that God is doing an immense job in my children and wife to see them so happy and involved in planting a Communion Church.

How have you seen God working in your church?

We started Iglesia Comunion in 2020 during the start of the pandemic. In Puerto Rico, the restrictions due to COVID-19 were very strong. Everything was closed including temples of worship for more than 5 months. At that time we felt that the initiative would fail. But me and my plantation team decided to continue. We gave Bible studies by zoom, we created a podcast and we developed strategies through social networks. By January 2021 we managed to start our face-to-face services with 25 new people. In February 2022 we presented our first group of members with a total of 45 members of Iglesia Comunion. God has been more than faithful and generous with us. He has been- through the grace door of him.

Church Mission & Vision

Vision: To be a community of faith that is part of a movement of churches that seek to grow in the knowledge of God, have a deep experience of love with Him and His people, and develop their character to live fully as part of the Kingdom of Christ. Seeking, in this way, that only God be glorified and promoting the spiritual and social well-being of Puerto Rico, Latin America and the world, through the development of leaders and disciples. Mission: Hacer discípulos que profundicen, compartan y sean renovados por el evangelio de la gracia mediante la enseñanza diligente de la Escritura, la vida en comunidad con Dios, con otros y la participación activa en la misión de Cristo.

For further information please contact Juan at https://iglesiacomunion.org/

The Cotto Family

New Planter Spotlight: Steve Van Noort

Steve Van Noort

How have you seen God working in your life?

In the work of church planting God is stripping away all forms of self-sufficiency and teaching me that he will work in his timing. I am learning to wait upon the Lord in stillness.

How have you seen God working in your family?

My children love the lord and are growing in faith and knowledge. I see a growing evangelistic zeal as well. After one of Isabelle's 6th grade classmates mentioned her cousin committed suicide Isabelle offered to pray for her. This classmate did not go to church or even know what the resurrection was about. After a video chat about homework Isabelle read Luke 24 to her.

How have you seen God working in your church?

There are people that have walked away from church now becoming excited about Jesus again. There are men asking to be part of a discipleship group. One woman suffered a tragedy, and women part of our group rallied around her. This woman is now on our launch team. Many of unbelievers have heard the gospel. One gentleman who I met doing evangelism at a park is part of our group and telling is unchurched friends and inviting them to come to Bible study.

Church Mission & Vision

Our vision is to reach the unchurched in the north part of Metro Detroit by establishing faithful gospel-centered communities where everybody knows each other's name and shares life together. In five years we hope to be about 200 in membership ready to send 50 off to plant another gospel-centered church in the metro north area.

For further information please contact Steve at http://www.metronorthpca.com/

The Van Noort Family

New Planter Spotlight: Samuel Boateng

Samuel Boateng

How have you seen God working in your life?

I grew up as someone who had to struggle to survive almost from every front. But in recent times, the Lord has been working in my heart to learn humble dependence on him. Church planting has been one of His means of teaching my heart to depend on him daily and to learn to trust him and to move away from my natural instinct of depending on my "ability to struggle" for survival mind-set. I see myself truly growing in a deeper conviction about these things: God loves me. God is with me. God has called. God's work is God's. He is working in me to grow in total dependence on Him in all I do; and it's liberating.

How have you seen God working in your family?

We've seen our children grow in knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for themselves. We are not sure how much the two younger ones (boy-7, girl-4) understand though. But we clearly see a growing consciousness about the cross of Christ and the reason for it: Jesus Christ died for them...to save them from their sin and its result. Our first daughter, 11, gets it and is trusting in Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord. It is evident in a growing change of behavior. Gifty (my wife) and I maturing in being more gracious to one another. We believe, especially since we set out to plant, the Lord has united us deeply around Christ and the gospel. We have grown a lot in our hospitality ministry to others (Christians and non-Christians). I believe God is giving me a "softer ears" to listen to my wife and hear her out in our journey together. I was always too quick to speak and very slow to listen to her. I am think I am more repentant and trusting in Jesus better. I am not where I should be in this area of listening to my godly wife but I am certainly not at where I was. Praise the Lord.

How have you seen God working in your church?

People are coming to faith. Believers in Redeemer City Church are becoming more excited about Jesus and all that God has done in and through him for us. I see a desire among church members to reach out to the city with the gospel among their own circle of friends and family. There is a growing sense of love and unity and, generally speaking, a penitent attitude. We have baptism on September 12, 2021, and this has created a huge excitement about how that is giving us opportunity to invite non-Christian friends.

Church Mission & Vision

Mission: A church-planting church that makes whole-life disciple-makers of Jesus Christ for the glory of God. Vision: To be a redeemed family of servants on a mission to raise the next generation of Christ-like disciple-makers who serve their world with the gospel for the glory of God.

For further information please contact Samuel at http://www.rccaccra.org/

The Boateng Family

New Planter Spotlight: Russell McCutcheon

Russell McCutcheon

How have you seen God working in your life?

In this season of church planting, my family and I have seen God’s hand in this work. We planted during the pandemic, yet the words of Jesus have shown themselves to be true. He said He would build His church. Nothing, no- thing will stop Jesus from accomplishing His work. I am learning to trust Him no matter what it looks like.

How have you seen God working in your family?

I have seen Him work in the daily rhythms of our lives. New mercies. My mother and father have been dealing with health issues, as well as my in-laws. Our youngest has had some mental challenges, and in all of this, in the midst of tears, we daily have reasons to rejoice (Phil.4:4). Daily glimpses of grace.

How have you seen God working in your church?

God has granted us slow growth in this season. I used to want fast growth, but now I see it’s important to go slow and steady. Discipleship is vital because our goal is to multiply for the purpose of reaching our city.

Church Mission & Vision

To display the glory of Jesus Christ to all nations by making disciples.

For further information please contact Russell at http://www.reconciliationrdu.com/

The McCutcheon Family