Fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) is one the key responsibilities of the church. From next door to across the globe, Christians have the responsibility to "make disciples" by sharing and demonstrating what Christ has done in their lives and what He can do for others. At Cornerstone, we are privileged to partner with Steve and Pam Kern of Good News In Action and their ministry in El Salvador.
Steve & Pam Kern with their children
Kristen, Stephanie, Michelle & Matthew.
Steve and Pam Kern have been missionaries to El Salvador since 1985. Their first few years in El Salvador were spent working mainly in evangelism with Iglesia Bautista Miramonte in San Salvador and with its missions throughout the country of El Salvador. During that time they learned the language, the culture, the ministry in an Hispanic environment and Steve completed his Master's Degree in Biblical Studies.
In February 1991 they helped to start Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva in San Salvador, El Salvador, where they currently minister. The Kern's are involved in church planting and evangelism at Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva, which serves as a base of operations from which they assist 25 other churches they have helped to start with evangelistic outreach, leadership and Bible Institute training. Steve serves on the pastoral team, preaching once a week, and is in charge of evangelism, missions and the seminary at Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva.
It is also Steve's responsibility, as the Central American Director of Good News in Action, to coordinate all of their evangelistic outreaches in Central America with mission teams traveling to El Salvador from the United States. The teams that come from the United States help to evangelize areas where new churches have been started or are about to be planted.
Pam disciples adults, and is a children's ministry leader actively participating in Sunday school, AWANA, and Vacation Bible School. She is also the bookkeeper and administrator of Good News in Action in Central America.
he Kerns say the mission of their church is to glorify God and be a channel to expand His kingdom and transform lives. Their vision is to influence the Salvadoreño society so that it glorifies God and to reproduce their church in the cities of 1 million or more inhabitants in the western hemisphere, between the equator and the tropic of cancer. They hope to reach over 100 million lost people who live in those cities.
During their time in El Salvador the Kern's have endured a civil war, Hurricane Mitch, and the devastating earthquake of 2001. They have also witnessed 160,000 professions of faith and have helped start more than 35 churches. The church where they are currently ministering has grown from 18 to 600 adults in the past 13 years. Through it all they have been faithful to their calling as they’ve ministered to the people of El Salvador.
The Kern’s have 4 children, three of which are in the United States attending college.