In the summer of 2001, during a prayer time prior to the inaugural service of King of Kings Fellowship, Pastor Bob Butler heard the Holy Spirit say that we would be a “church-planting-church-plant”. Having planted in Canada previously, Pastor Bob assumed that this meant that other Canadian King of Kings would eventually be established. It was a reasonable assumption, but wrong; God had something else in mind!
After an evangelical campaign in Lethbridge in 2002 by Youth with a Mission’s (YWAM) "Impact World Tour", two members of King of Kings accompanied this team to India for another evangelistic campaign. While there they came into contact with an Indian Pastor named Ujwal Bajpai, who communicated that India's greatest need was not mass campaigns, but to plant churches that would disciple new believers. He also pleaded for teachers of the Word of God to come.
Upon returning to Lethbridge the two ladies conveyed Pastor Bajpai's comments to Pastor Bob, challenging him to personally go to India. After being surprised by a confirmation that this was the Holy Spirit's leading, he travelled to India with a mandate to encourage and teach pastors in a limited scenario. However, he was taken aback by the dramatic outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their midst. Convinced that this was a divine connection, a few of the Indian pastors asked if Pastor Bob would give encouragement and oversight to their ministries, which he eventually decided was the Lord's will. After the eventual introduction to Ujwal's brother Nirmal Bajpai, a well respected and strategic Church leader and Pastor who was already chair of the All Maharashtra Church Planting Movement (AMCPM) as well as on the board of YWAM in South India, the work took off, under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Today, hundreds of churches have been planted and are reaching over 35 people groups, three of which were previously ‘unreached’ with the Gospel, but now have a living witness of Christ. Thousands upon thousands of people have become believers, and hundreds of leaders are being raised up and trained in Bible Colleges, Seminaries and basic ministry training through YWAM, depending on their context and capabilities.
To the glory of God, and only through the outworking of his wisdom and power, the vast majority of the churches here has been established through miracles, signs and wonders, and is currently growing at a rate of 3 church plants per week. God is an incredible God!
King of Kings has also been strongly involved in compassionate ministry and community improvement projects in India. This includes the digging of dozens of wells for portable water in communities that are rural and remote, holding free medical clinics, establishing schools and caring for orphans and widows, AWANA children's programs, adult literacy training and through the strategic partnership with Shepherd Watch (S.W.), counseling and prayer. Our prayerful goal is to plant 10,000 churches and see 1 million Indians turn their lives to Christ.
Africa
Also in the summer of 2003, our first African church was planted in Freetown, Sierra Leone, a country devastated by civil wars and HIV/AIDS. Again, through a divine connection with a foreign student in Lethbridge, this church was established. Under the Godly leadership of Rev. Donald Koroma, an ex-YWAM leader, five other churches have been planted in Sierra Leone, with a vision to reach that country for Christ.
In expressing the ‘genetic code’ of King of Kings Fellowship, a large government sanctioned school has been established, offering free education to some of the country's poorest children, as well as establishing an orphanage. Plans for ministry to ‘child war amputees’ is also in the works, with the hope of reaching the large refugee slum in which they live. It’s a daunting task, but God is able/
Having been challenged by Pastor Bob Butler to begin asking the Holy Spirit which countries have been destined for them to reach, the leadership of Sierra Leone has been busy sending the emerging generation of leaders to be trained in Bible colleges and YWAM, followed up with intensive internships, with the goal of being sent out as church planters. In 2009, the first King of Kings Fellowship was established in the Liberian capital of Monrovia, and now oversees a church, school with free education, and agricultural program, and an HIV/AIDS clinic. Many other compassionate ministries are planned as for new pastors are being groomed for planting churches in other parts of Liberia, and around the Horn of Africa, particularly in Togo, Benin, Ghana and Nigeria.
New Zealand
Having sent a young missionary to serve with YWAM in Southeast Australia in the late 1990’s while giving leadership to a previous church, Pastors Bob and Patty Butler re-connected with her. In the years that had passed the Lord introduced her to a very exciting and committed young YWAM leader, an Australian by nationality but called to the Nations of the world.
At the leading of the Holy Spirit, Cheyne and Catherine Hosking moved to New Zealand where they currently work with Marine Reach, and evangelistic and mercy ministry of Youth With A Mission. King of Kings is thrilled to partner with this young couple as they challenge their generation to spend their lives on Christ.
Plans for other nations:
We believe that God has sovereignly called us to plant effective churches in every corner of the globe; Churches with a heart to evangelize, equip and release people into their God-given callings. In the very near future we will be planting churches in Nepal and are prayerfully considering Europe and strategic points throughout the Pacific Rim.
Local Ministries:
Having admittedly gone to "Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth" before reaching our "Jerusalem" we are now giving greater concentration to local missions, and have developed strategic ministry partnerships with Streets Alive, whose ministry focus is reaching the poor, disadvantaged and forgotten of our inner city. We are also partners with Women of Worth (W.O.W. - a ministry reaching female prisoners), the Gideons, Power to Change (formerly known as Campus Crusade For Christ) , Global Day of Prayer, the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, and are an active participant and enthusiastic supporter of other cross-denominational initiatives. Pastor Bob Butler is the current president of the Lethbridge Evangelical Ministerial Association. We should and will do more as the Lord leads and provides.
Becoming a partner in Missions:
As a fellowship of growing passion, we are doing all we can do to promote the global call to follow Jesus Christ. However, we prayerfully seek those whose heart’s beat with the same passion for World Missions, and who will consider joining us in passionate prayer and with financial support as the Holy Spirit leads. We'll leave that with you and God- we always have! He is able to supply "seed to the sower" (2 Cor 9:10) to enable you to "be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion" resulting in "Thanksgiving to God".
Because we are deeply committed to honoring the Body of Christ, we do urge you to give faithfully to the church that God has placed you in. We believe your tithe belongs there, but are grateful for all gifts you would sew into our missions initiatives. It's principle we teach, preach and practice here at King of Kings. Currently, all gifts given within Canada will be tax receipted, and we are working on charitable registration in the U.S., to benefit our partners there.
We look forward to hearing from you as the Lord leads.
