Church Planter, Kisumu, Kenya

Formerly an agricultural officer with the Kenyan government, Sam O. has been pastoring for ten years now.  In November 2000, he teamed up with Grace Baptist Church, Kisumu, to begin the work of church-planting in the harvest field of Western Kenya, on the shores of Lake Victoria.  Sam holds a BA in theology from Highlands Theological College in Scotland.  He and his wife, Melly, have four children.

Testimony

I grew up knowing about the fact that God exists and punishes sinners. But this knowledge did not help me at all to come closer to God in repentance. All the same, I loved the things of God and would slavishly visit any church for service every Sunday (Many times I attended the services suffering from hangovers from previous nights of disco dance and drunkenness). My tradition was to sit at the last pew at the back and make sure I leave very quickly after the service. I did not want any body to confront me with 'their salvation.'

But it happened. This particular Sunday, at a Pentecostal church (PEFA) I was sober and went and sat at the pews closer to the preacher. After service, I uncustomarily did not run away but remained to chat. A lady came and shared with me, what was, (I see now with the benefit of hind sight and knowledge in the things of God), hardly a clear gospel presentation. All that she kept on telling me was that I should not play games with God and cheating myself that I was right with Him. She urged me to make my ways right with the Lord.

I remember, that day, I went back to my house and the conviction of my sinfulness was so heavy upon me that I could not even take my lunch. I locked myself in the bed room and found myself crying tears and praying that God may forgive me of my sins and help me begin a true walk with him.  After about one hour, I felt relieved of my sins and assured that God had accepted me. This was in 1990. I was later baptized in this church, but, after a few months, due to serious wrangles in the church and youths doubting my salvation because I was not speaking in tongues, I left for a Baptist church. I had sincerely longed to speak in tongues but it kept on eluding me. In fact, it was Melly, my wife now that introduced me to this Baptist church. We were still single and neighbors. Melly was also born again in the same Pentecostal church. At the new church I found my former high school mates born again and serving the Lord and not speaking in tongues. This fired me up to serve with them. I did wed Melly in this church Nov. 1991. I was later made youth leader and elder. In September 1999, I resigned from my employment as an agricultural officer with the Kenya government and became pastor of this church.

One thing that the Lord has enabled me to do ever since I got saved is to read the Bible through the year with each year passing. So, even as a youth, the biblical doctrines were beginning to form in my faith. I could question some things that were obviously unbiblical in this church but the weight of other leaders was stronger. When I was made the pastor, there was no way I was going to continue allowing such things like women preaching to continue, and more so, being the pastor, I was the one now to invite them to preach. I stopped this under great criticism.

From my reading of Romans 9, the doctrine of election became clear to me and unchallenged. These two biblical doctrines (the roles of men and women in ministry and the doctrine of election) became my downfall as far as popularity in a church that, at one time, really loved me. Come July 2000 the pressure became too much I had to resign having pastored them for only one year. Where to? I did not know.

By this time I was a student of the Bible at a reformed college in Nairobi (under TBC church Nrb). This reformed me even more. By God's providence, a missionary from the Nrb church was planning to come down to Kisumu for church plant work. We teamed up and 'Grace Baptist Church-Kisumu' was started in the year November 2000 meeting in my house with my two daughters, my wife and the missionary couples. In December 2001 we constituted with 12 members and the church has been growing ever since. Today we have 30 members. From 2005-07, I enrolled as a DOL student with ' Highlands Theological College ' in Scotland, a Reformed college and graduated with BA Theology.

Reformed faith in Kenya is still very young. It is my desire that the biblical teachings that the Lord has opened our hearts to may be carried far and wide in this country. Christ is the gift of God, a free sacrifice given to bear sins of many (the elect), it is all by Grace. Christ himself is fully God and fully man being the second person of the Trinity. The Bible is the word of God and He has spoken to us all that we need to know and do through it. Hence it should be preached in its totality with authority for in it there is authority of God and power to save sinners and keep them for the day of glory. Christ came for the first time to accomplish his salvation work here on earth; the next time he comes he will establish his Kingdom and rule over all forever and ever (Amillenial). These and many biblical doctrines are my passion.

On the family front, I am married to Macolet (Melly) and we have been blessed to have two girls as our children though I am also a parent to two of my late brother's kids who have been orphaned by the AIDS scourge. My daughter Lois is doing her 10th grade and is 15 years, Nila is 13 and will next year sit primary school certificate exams. My niece Billian just finished secondary school and is waiting to go either to University or a college depending on her grade pass. Her brother Cornell is hunting for a job after finishing marketing course last year.