Monday 10 January 2011

Church Planting

We are church planting missionaries; and we strive to plant indigenous Baptist churches that are self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating. God has allowed us and some of our College graduates to start 18 such churches since we arrived in Kenya in 1999.

We believe that the purpose that God has given us (as Christians) in the “Great Commission” is to witness and see souls saved by the grace of God, to baptize, to edify in the faith, and to grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We also believe that it is the Local Church that was given this “Great Commission” as they were sent out “into all the world” to preach the Gospel of Christ. God has the purpose of the Local Church as His instrument on this earth to fulfill the “Great Commission.” So it is the Local Church that has the authority and responsibility of sending, preaching, winning souls, baptizing, discipling, and edifying the body of Christ.

God has called us to a place where souls need to be saved, a place where Satan has had a stronghold for a long time, and a place where false religions are very strong. Kenyans need the Lord. We have preached to many, and many have been saved (over 5,000 professions); but that is not the end of the “Great Commission.” They need to be discipled. They need to grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. They need a shepherd, a guide, a church and pastor.

That is why God has called us to plant churches in the different villages where people have gotten saved and are willing to be taught. We began to start churches in areas where other pastors needed some encouragement and training to equip them to do the work of the ministry. Our goal is to train the national men, who are called by God; and then to duplicate ourselves in them, so more can be accomplished in the work of God. Another truth is that no one can truly reach the Kenyan people like the Kenyan people themselves. We truly want to develop church planters that will continue this work in their own areas.

We start churches with a national man that has a desire to do the work of the ministry. We then train him in the Bible College as he holds a Bible Study in the area that he wants to minister. After he has finished his training and has begun developing mature believers, then we assist him in market revival meetings, passing out tracts, soul-winning; and when he has a place to meet, then we start a new church. The church is started with the national as the pastor, and we help in overseeing the work and assisting him in teaching and with materials.

In our ministry, God has now allowed us to have churches that are starting churches; and to have a mission program to assist those churches in the beginning stages. We are also seeing those that were saved in the earlier works, finishing Bible College, and going out to start churches also. Nothing is fool-proof, we have learned some lessons the hard way; but I do believe that God is helping us. And it is a just matter of time until we will have independent Baptist Churches covering every corner of our region.

Please take the time to look at what the Lord has done, and we hope that you will be encouraged by it. If you have any questions or comments please contact us.

Sunday 9 January 2011

South Nyanza Baptist College

II Timothy 2:2 exhorts us to “...teach men who shall be able to teach others also.” God has given us the desire to train men and women to be pastors, pastor’s wives, and various church leaders in their local churches. South Nyanza Baptist College was started in 2001, and on December 6, 2008, we held our 3rd Graduation.

South Nyanza Baptist College began in 2001 with two students. The purpose of the college is to prepare national pastors and church leaders in the areas of Bible study, sermon preparation, soul winning, and church planting. We have a goal of helping these men to be indigenous church planters. We also see the need to train men and women as teachers, youth ministers, music directors, and Christian lay leaders.
The college is the vehicle for the Shelby Family to train pastors and leaders to assist in evangelizing the lost and church planting. It has been financed and operated by missionary finances since the beginning, and the process has been started to gradually guide the college to be indigenous. There are now three teachers that are graduates (and former students themselves); and they are helping in teaching, organizing, and overseeing (at least a little bit) the student body and the schedule during the weeks of classes. We have a desire to encourage the churches that have benefitted from the college; and those that are sending students, to support the college. This will enable the nationals to take more of a central role in providing training for their own people. This will also ensure that the classes will continue to be under sound leadership even when the Shelby Family is on furlough.
South Nyanza Baptist College has scheduled its classes to fit with the majority of the farmers in our region. The pastors and students come to the college for classes one week per month to give them time to work their land during the remaining part of the month. Students meet 9 months out of the year, according to the schooling schedule in Kenya, for the three year program to receive a diploma of Graduate of Theology. The three year course includes 36 subjects on Bible Study and Christian growth, as well as instruction on general areas of service in the church. We opened “Swahili” classes for students in May of 2008.
Those who have graduated and other pastors meet in the three remaining months of the year for seminars in our Pastoral Program. These subjects include more in-depth studies in pastoral training, church planting and church growth.
Other programs for working with older teens as an introductory course to the Bible College, and programs for working with the Pastors’ wives are being organized and planned for use in the near future.
SNBC began with English classes only in 2001. Through the years, SNBC has met at several different locations; but is currently meeting at the Calvary Baptist Church property in Kisii Town. SNBC currently has 20 students enrolled in the English 3 Year Program.
SNBC began its Swahili classes in May 2008. The majority of the people here know English, but we wanted to make the classes understood by everyone. We are still in the process of translating some of the College curriculum into Swahili. SNBC currently has 10 students enrolled in the Swahili 6 Year Program.

Saturday 8 January 2011

Bible Studies

In order to find out a good area to start a church and to help train students to be busy in teaching the Word of God; we hold Bible studies in homes near an area where we want to start a church. It produces mature Christians to help start a church at the right time and place.
God has allowed us to start Bible Studies in many key areas of our province. As these Bible Studies continue to grow, as a Kenyan man feels led of God to be a pastor to one of these locations, and as soon as we feel that it is in God’s timing; then we will eventually begin churches at each of the locations below.

Friday 7 January 2011

Prison Ministry

Preaching in the prisons is a desire that was given to me through my father-in-law, Dr. Robert Keeton, who has been serving with the Rock of Ages Prison Ministry for more than twenty years. We were able to begin this ministry in 2001, and we have seen countless souls saved.
There are four towns in our region that we have access to enter into their prisons and preach the gospel every month.
Kisii Prison – 1400 men – 100 women. We are currently preaching to a group of 200 men and 100 women in separate services twice a month. These inmates are those that are already condemned with prison sentences. There is a small group of 11 that are currently involved in an intense Bible Study. This Bible study program is a “big brother” discipleship program that we pray will bring slow but great lasting results where the mature inmates can help the other inmates learn the Bible. We are able to preach to only about 1/3 of those that are condemned at a time because of their work schedule in the prison’s compound. Then there is a group of 800 remandees, that are still waiting for their offense to be mentioned or finished in court, that we are able to preach to in one big service a month.
God has allowed us to see 237 saved this year in the Kisii prison; and more programs to the officers and their families, who all live on the prison compound, are opening up to us. Pastor Charles Ogori from Imani Bible Baptist Church in Mosocho is assisting me with other men from our church at Calvary Baptist Church in town.
Migori – 300 inmates – all men. We have been in this prison several times in the past and we have seen many saved; but recently because of election violence, we have only been able to preach in this prison once. And 9 men came to know Christ as their personal savior. This is a smaller prison, and it is further from all of our churches; so we are only able to go in to preach to them once a month. We started in September 2008, and Pastor Walter Andere and Pastor Bismack Osee assist in the meetings. We pray that we can get some of the programs running like we do in Kisii. There are already other missionaries that are ministering in Migori, and there is also a big muslim influence that hinders some of the programming.
Homa Bay – 400 inmates – all men. We have been in this prison several times in the past, and we have seen many saved. But recently, because of election violence, we were not able to go there in 2008.
Kericho - We were recently given the opportunity to visit and preach in this prison; but since the election violence, we have not had the chance to preach there again..
They are in the process of building another prison in the town of Nyamira, and there is also a juvenile detention school near our area that I am trying to get into. Please keep these ministries in your prayers.

Thursday 6 January 2011

Ladies’ Ministry

We have a very active Ladies’ Ministry which includes: weekly and monthly Bible study meetings, Retreats, teachers’ training classes, and lots of fun and fellowship! Please take time to check out what is happening in the lives of our Ladies.
I am delighted that the Lord has allowed me to have a small part as a leader for our Ladies’ Ministries. God has allowed me to play a vital role in the spiritual growth and encouragement of the Kenyan Ladies in our region.
The ladies in our ministry come from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. I am praying that those who have not placed their faith in Christ will come to know Him, that those who know Him will grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, and that all of them will support and encourage one another in the Lord.
When God calls us to ministry, He gives us the power to accomplish the work that He gives us to do. It is not by our intelligence or our skills that we serve, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.
If you have a desire to help our ladies in any way, please contact me. I am here to answer any questions that you or your church might have concerning our Ladies’ Ministry here in Kenya.
May the Lord continue to bless this ministry and all of these precious women. Please keep us in your prayers.
With His Love,
Mrs. Tonya Shelby
Missionary Wife in Kenya

Wednesday 5 January 2011

Youth Ministries

With 1/2 of the population under 15 years of age, it is very important that we reach the next generation with the Gospel of Christ. We have Vacation Bible Schools, Youth Camps, and we also preach in the local public schools.

Tuesday 4 January 2011

Bible Correspondence School

We have a desire to teach anyone in our fellowship churches under the leadership of their pastor. This helps the students be ready to make the commitment to come to Bible College to learn more.

Some basic facts about Kenya.

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Population: 38 million people

19 million are under the age 15.

Only 1 of every 5 children born will reach his fifth birthday.

5 million children are orphans in Kenya.

2.5 million of these are orphans due to the aids epidemic.

Monday 3 January 2011

Evangelistic Ministries

In areas where churches need to grow, or when we start new churches; we pass out tracts, preach in the markets and village centers to draw people under the preaching of the Word. We show the “Jesus Film” in the local languages, and the results are astounding.

We need your help!

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1. Basic Need Care Packages

Given monthly if they are living with relatives $15/month per child ($.50 a day)

2. Local Church Orphan Care

Daily care by a family under the authority of a local church $30/month per child ($1 a day)

3. Facilities

Accommodations for 10 children on the property of a local church $1,500 (one time gift)

4. Child Development

Depends on laborers and additional donations

Sunday 2 January 2011

Orphan Ministry Project

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One of the projects that we believe God wants us to be a part of is helping orphans and widows.  We have several families that have been saved, were faithful members who have died, and they have now left several widows and orphans that urgently need assistance.

We are currently on furlough.  We are visiting our supporting churches, and we are trying to get in a few new ones to raise new support for our Ministry Work Funds.  One of the projects that we believe God wants us to be a part of is helping orphans and widows.  We have several families that have been saved, were faithful members who have died, and they have now left several widows and orphans that urgently need assistance.  The 18 churches and several preaching points that we have started are scattered throughout the villages in the southwestern part of Kenya near Lake Victoria.  Most of this area is the breeding ground for the worst kinds of malaria, fastest spreading of AIDS, and the life span of most of the area is only 35 years old.

We are starting this program to first help the members of our local church congregations that seriously need help, and then we want to reach out into the community to give hope to the many orphans who are ostracized in the community because of the growing poverty.  The workers and volunteers will be members of our churches under the leadership of the local pastor of their church, who will be coordinating all efforts with us.  We will deliver the needed supplies to each church, and then through combined efforts, we will”...visit the fatherless and widows…” in the church and community, as the Lord provides the funds.

Right now we need $300 monthly for this ministry (this amount will help 20 orphans each month).  Our goal is to have it ready to be started in January 2011, when we return to Kenya.

-You can help through your continued prayers for our ministry and this project.
-You can set aside special offerings to be given through your local church.
-A church can set aside VBS offerings for this need.
-And a church could take on this project as a separate mission project for monthly support.

Please view the brochure, and if there are any questions please send us an e-mail (click here).

Thank you for considering this project for support!