I would like to share with you why we are here and tell you a little bit about our journey with the Lord. I’m Bryon Kennedy, the founding pastor of Redeemed Baptist Church. My wife Missy, along with my 2 daughters Ashley & Haley moved from Georgia to Washington in September 2015 after surrendering the Lord’s call to start a church in Deer Park. I was saved in May 1991 during my pre-marriage counseling but no one taught me or explained to me about God’s grace. It was not very long before I realized I kept messing up, falling and I thought I could not live a Christian life. I thought I had to be perfect. I walked away from the Lord and ran full speed for the Devil. My wife and girls stayed true attending church regularly. No matter where I went or what I did the Lord was with me pulling me away from dangers I could and could not see. He saved my life more than once. He had a purpose and a plan for my life!
It wasn’t till 2009 that I came back to the Lord. A lot happened in the years between getting saved and coming back to him that I am not proud of. The Lord put me around a great Man of God, my pastor Scott Westmoreland, who loved me for who I was, taught me God’s word and showed me God’s love and grace. God was changing my life and I promised the Lord I would serve him till I died in any capacity that He chose! God was calling me to preach. After running from the call to preach for a year, I finally surrendered in August 2010. I did not feel qualified or worthy to preach the gospel, but God showed me he will use anyone who just says YES to him. Shortly after surrendering to preach God directed me to start Bible College. I continued to work a full time job, went to Bible College for 4 years and served many roles at my home church. I served and assisted my pastor for 5 years, led our CARE Ministry for first time visitors, led our Men’s Ministry as well as cared for the building and grounds of the church. My wife led the nursery, served in the CARE Ministry, handled the food for functions as well as cleaned the church weekly with the help of our daughter’s. My family served whenever and wherever we could. The Lord impressed for me to start a Nursing Home Ministry where myself and family preached/sang for 5 years until we moved away. I would preach Jesus whenever given the opportunity.
I graduated Lighthouse Baptist Bible College in Abbeville, SC in May 2014. I had heard about the need for churches in Washington, but I had no interest in coming to Washington. I kept praying for direction and where God would want me. The Lord had already showed me I would be pastoring and also showed me I would be planting a church. I still continued to pray for WHERE. I knew God was calling me west. I wanted to go to Missouri because my wife had family there, but God had a different plan. I began to hear God speaking to me about Washington. Again, I did not want to hear this. God led me to come to Washington and scout it out. The opportunity arose very quickly and I was able to come along with my bible college pastor, Robbie Burton, who was preaching a revival meeting in Ellensburg, WA. We traveled all over the state that week! The Lord spoke to me while I was in Washington and revealed this is where He wanted me. The Lord told me to come home and get my family and bring them out. God provided all the funds for us to do so. God showed me Deer Park, WA. Why Deer Park? This is a very small community with multiple churches, but this is where he has ordained for us to be. I was taught and fully believe that every town needs at least one good church and one man of God who will stand flat footed and unashamedly preach the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
My family surrendered the call to come to Washington but not without resistance. We did not want to leave everything we have known. Our church and church family, our own families (parents and siblings) to move 2500 miles away. Starting over and building a church not knowing anyone! I worked for the same company for 22 years and was in supervision for 18 of those years. I was previously being groomed to become a plant manager. I made a great living, owned a beautiful home and had everything I needed, BUT God had other plans for me! I began saving all I could to put toward a Ministry Fund to purchase things we would need to start a church. I had one problem! God had not sold my home. I could not leave Georgia before God sold my home. I decided to travel 2 hours to attend a Wednesday night service at the church where I graduated Bible College. Pastor Robbie called me up to share what we needed for our ministry. I told them “of course I need everything that it takes to put in a church, but none of that matters if we don’t sell our house”. Preacher Robbie said “I feel we should pray for this specific need right now. I pray God sells your house by the end of the month. I want your family to come up here and I want all the men praying over you and all the women and children to be praying over your wife and girls”. There were 400 people praying and crying out to God for him to do a mighty miracle. The presence of God was so strong that night and prayers reached the throne room! Turned out 2 days later (Friday) got a call from the realtor; we had another house showing. The family testified when they looked at our home they felt the power of God there! This Godly family was moving to be closer to their church home. We accepted the offer 5 days later on the following Wednesday. One week to the day from when the church prayed!
We closed on our home in August 2015 and I turned in my resignation and notice. I walked away from an lucrative job to serve MY JESUS and follow His will for my life! We had not yet found a rental house in WA. We did not know what we were going to do. Our home was sold and we had 30 days to be out! The Lord provided us a rental house when WE could not find one. My wife had taken our girls to a youth rally in Ashville, NC nearly 2 hours away. At the church she met a man setting beside her. Something prompted her to ask him if he went to church there. The man told her “It’s really funny, but I am from the State of Washington just visiting with my Fiancés family”. My wife shared our story of how we had just sold our home and were moving to WA to start a church. He asked if we had a place to live yet. She said “no”. He said “my Fiancé, pointing to the lady behind me, has a house to rent in Spokane”. They talked for just a few moments before the service started and after the service shared contacts. The lady told my wife she would help us by letting us rent her home because God had just told her to! God provided in such a miraculous way that it just reconfirmed God really wanted us here.
September 2015 we left everyone and stepped far out of our comfort zone with only trusting the Lord. In January 2016 God provided us a building we could use on Sunday Mornings. Our rent was the exact amount of my family’s tithes. The day before our first service God opened up a door for us to participate in Winterfest. This was a school event and no other church had been permitted to participate. God wanted us there! We handed out the gospel and passed out 300 bags of free candy and gave personal invites to our first service. 12 people showed up that Sunday! January 2017 we moved into our current location where we are able to have multiple service times each week as well as having our own space.
As the pastor, I work a full time job to provide for my home & family. My entire family fulfills a ministry role at our church. My wife leads the Women’s Ministry, sings in our services as well as teaches the Children’s Church. My oldest daughter Ashley runs all of our sound/IT equipment as well as handles all our media. My youngest daughter Haley plays the piano. I lead the Men’s Ministry as well as work with some of the men on a bible college class. My family loves serving the Lord and we are sold out for Christ! We love people and we want to reach as many people for the cause of Christ as we can. I hope you have enjoyed reading our journey. We hope you will come join us as we would count it an honor to meet you. May the Lord bless you and make himself real in your life!
Pastor Bryon Kennedy
