Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, not being frightened in any way by your opponents.
Philippians 1:27-28 CSB
Craig Webb
Executive Director/Treasurer
808-946-9581 craig@hpbaptist.net
Aloha Hawaii Pacific Baptists,
“As we gather at Hawaii Baptist Academy for our 82nd Annual Meeting, our theme is "Contending Together," drawn from the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:27-28: “Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel.”
Photo: IMB
All three of your convention speakers this year will address this theme! This includes me as well as your HPBC president, Pastor Brian Frable, and our keynote speaker, Gateway Seminary president, Dr. Adam Groza.
The primary application of this passage is to the local church. A call to strive sideby-side (ESV), contending together (CSB), and labor alongside for the faith of the gospel as members of a local body of Christ. For 175 years, Southern Baptists and for 82 years, Hawaii Pacific Baptists, have also chosen to cooperate and contend together to accomplish more than we could on our own. Our SBC Executive Committee president, Jeff Iorg, said it this way in a recent speech:
About the Cover Hawaii Pacific Baptists look forward to what God is going to do in the coming year by embracing the theme "Contending Together."
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Because of national Cooperative Program and other gifts, we have the largest mission sending agency, largest domestic church planting movement, largest seminary and largest seminary system in the United States—and likely the world. The depth and breadth of these organizations represent the cumulative impact of almost two centuries of cooperation. When it comes to generosity, Southern Baptists are a force for good.
We are on mission to share the gospel with every person and express God’s love in every context. We believe the Bible is Truth. While we often argue about how to interpret the Bible, we are uncompromising in our commitment to it as our absolute authority. Amazingly, we do all this collectively—without coercion or mandate—cooperating because we really believe we can do more together than we can on our own.
Hawaii Pacific Baptists, we are a force for good. The HPBC provides a vehicle for churches to contend together for the gospel. We provide the support, encouragement, challenge, resources, connections, and relationships to help churches “contend together.”
In this issue of Pacific Connector, you'll find stories of how our churches are living out this call to contend together. You'll read about innovative evangelism, evangelistic Vacation Bible Schools, new church plants, and the impact of our partnerships with our North American Mission Board.
Thank you for your dedication and faithfulness to live lives worthy of the gospel and stand firm, in one spirit and one accord, as we contend together for the faith of the gospel.
All glory to God,
Craig Webb HPBC executive director-treasurer
2042 Vancouver Dr, Honolulu HI 96822 l 808-946-9581
Executive Director, Editor Craig Webb craig@hpbaptist.net
Associate Editor Dawn Akutagawa dawn@hpbaptist.net
Content Editor Hannah Denney hannahkdenney@gmail.com
Contributing Editor Brandon Pickett
Designer Patti Spencer
Contributing Writers: Michael Abagon, Hannah Denney, Johnny Hom, Sarah Houser, Andrew Large, Robert Miller, Erik Naylor, and Craig Webb
The Pacific Connector highlights people and churches that work to spread the Good News of Jesus by reaching the Pacific and Asia.
Information: Information about the Pacific Connector or the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention is available by emailing info@hpbaptist.net, or calling 808-946-9581. You may also write to Pacific Connector , Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention, 2042 Vancouver Drive, Honolulu HI 96822.
Online Access: The Pacific Connector is provided online, free of charge, and available at: hpbaptist.net/pacificconnector.
Designed by Innovative Faith Resources, a non-profit media firm, specializing in helping churches and non-profits with graphic design, video, branding, and financial services. Visit innovativefaith.org.
Contending Together in Christ Guest Speaker is Adam Groza, president of Gateway Seminary
One year after the fire, Lahaina Baptist resumed meeting in its wooden building.
Baptist Collegiate Ministies partnered with Louisiana Tech BCM to reachout to new and returning students at the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
6 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
Your gifts at work by taking the gospel to unreached people every day.
7
Resources are available for downloading and sharing.
8 Essentials Curriculum
A practical guide to help your church establish an abuse prevention and response plan.
2 Update from our executive director-treasurer.
9 Church Anniversary
FBC Wahiawa celebrates its 90th Anniversary.
Andrew Large retires after 42 years of ministry. Steve Houser moves to the mainland to accept a new call to pastoral ministry. Waiehu Community Church ordains and installs new elders. Nasa Sete, church planter, will moveto Oahu in June 2025 to establish a new church plant.
Many children experienced a good time and learned of God's grace and love through the many Hawaii Pacific VBS's this past summer. Several churches connecting with children were Eleele BC, Connections Church, Valley Isle Fellowship, Kalihi BC, Waipahu Community Christian Church, Koza BC, and Waikoloa BC.
16 Missions
Mission work in Fukuoka, Japan was taken on by Nu'uanu Baptist and Central Baptist.
November 7-8
Hawaii Baptist Academy
Stan Sagert High School Campus
2429 Pali Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96817
Justonething:Ascitizensofheaven,liveyourlife worthyofthegospelofChrist.Then,whetherIcome andseeyouoramabsent,Iwillhearaboutyouthat youarestandingfirminonespirit,inoneaccord, contendingtogether forthefaithofthegospel,not beingfrightenedinanywaybyyouropponents.~ Philippians1:27-28CSB
Thursday Evening
November 7
5:00 pm Registration & Refreshments
6:00 pm Call to Order and Theme Video
6:05 pm Worship
6:25 pm Welcome and Announcements
6:30 pm Invocation
6:35 pm Credentials & Resolutions Committee Report
6:40 pm Introduction of New Pastors, Workers, and Guests
6:50 pm Recognition of Pacific & Asia Guests
7:00 pm HBA 75th Anniversary Celebration
7:20 pm Scripture Reading
7:30 pm President's Message
7:50 pm Closing Worship
8:00 pm Adjournment/Benediction/Refreshments
Friday Morning
November 8
7:30 am Registration & Refreshments
8:15 am Call to Order/Announcements
8:20 am Worship
8:35 am Invocation
8:40 am Greetings from SBC Agencies
9:00 am HPBC Church Planting Focus
9:15 am Scripture Reading
9:20 am HPBC Staff Report
9:45 am Communications Committee Report
10:00 am Break & Refreshments
10:30 am Worship
10:40 am Greetings from SBC Agencies
10:55 am Hawaii Baptist Foundation Report
11:05 am Hawaii Baptist Academy Report
11:15 am Executive Director-Treasurer’s Message
11:40 am Adjournment/Benediction
12 noon Lunch: sponsored by Hawaii Baptist Foundation (Registration Required)
Dr. Adam Groza is president of Gateway Seminary and professor of philosophy of religion. He and his wife Holly have been married since 2000 and have four children: Cosette, Charlie, Christian, and Cate. He is the co-author with J.P. Moreland of Unraveling Philosophy (B&H Academic) and Faith Wins: Overcoming a Crisis of Belief (New Hope Publishers).
Friday Afternoon
November 8
2:00 pm Call to Order 2:05 pm Invocation
2:10 pm Credentials & Resolutions Committee Report
2:20 pm Convention Arrangements Committee & Order of Business Committee Report
2:25 pm Executive Board Reports & Recommendations
2:40 pm New Business
3:20 pm Committee on Committees & Board Nominations
3:40 pm Elections of New Officers Introduction of New Officers
3:55 pm Adjournment/Benediction
Friday Evening
November 8
6:00 pm Registration
6:30 pm Call to Order/Announcements
6:35 pm Worship
6:50 pm Invocation
6:55 pm Acknowledgement of Outgoing Officers
7:05 pm Scripture Reading & Theme Video
7:10 pm Annual Meeting Message
7:40 pm Closing Worship
7:50 pm Credentials Committee Report
7:55 pm Adjournment/Benediction/Refreshments
Brian Frable is the pastor of Kona Baptist on Hawaii Island and our HPBC president. He served churches in Oklahoma before moving his family to Hawaii. He is a graduate of Lancaster Bible College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married to Amanda, a teacher at Makua Lani Christian Academy, and the mother of their six beautiful children.
Craig Webb is our executive director-treasurer. Born and raised in Hawaii, he moved to Tennessee at eleven. He earned his degrees from Samford University (BA), Southern Seminary (MDiv), and New Orleans Seminary (DMin). Craig served churches in Tennessee and Hawaii and worked at Lifeway. Craig is married to Barbara, and they have three grown children and four grandchildren.
This new practical guide is designed to assist local churches in walking through five sessions that unpack each essential, helping them establish or evaluate an abuse prevention and response plan.
The curriculum provides easy “Next Steps” to implement each essential. Gather a team of five
church leaders who lead or work with children, students, vulnerable adults, the Pastor, deacons/ elders, etc. Go through the five essentials and complete each essential’s next steps before moving on to the next one. Allow about five months to complete all of the “Next Steps.”
Copies of the curriculum are available for each church at the table in the exhibit hall at the Annual Meeting or by e-mailing Dawn in our office at dawn@hpbaptist.net.
Learn more and access the curriculum and training videos online at tinyurl.com/sbcabuseprevention.
Written by Michael Abagon, pastor
First Baptist Church of Wahiawa is proud to celebrate its 90th Anniversary. Its journey has been one marked by faith, resilience, and community.
Founded in November 1925 by Charles J. McDonald, the church began as a small outreach aimed at spreading the gospel beyond Honolulu. With support from local laymen, Pastor McDonald held the first service at a public playground. There, seeds of a vibrant congregation were planted.
This year's celebration theme was titled, "Beauty for Ashes," which is inspired by Isaiah 61. It reflects the church's triumphs over adversity, including challenges from COVID-19 and the devastating Lahaina fire.
The month-long festivities began with a Community Fun Fair which featured shave ice, VBS songs, Bible distribution, and a message of hope. FBC Wahiawa also hosted a drive-thru food distribution in partnership with Aloha Harvest and Waipahu Community Christian Church, reinforcing its commitment to serving the community.
Highlights included a special Anniversary Banquet during the Anniversary Sunday with Dr. Craig Webb and a powerful message from Dr. Edsel Bone. The celebrations showcased music, testimonies, and even baptisms, emphasizing the church’s enduring legacy.
As FBC Wahiawa looks to the future, it prays for a bountiful harvest for the next 90 years and beyond!
Written by Erik Naylor, LBC pastor
On August 8th, 2023, a catastrophic wildfire tore through Lahaina, destroying 2,200 structures and claiming 102 lives, becoming the deadliest fire in the United States in over a century.
Though most of Lahaina Town was destroyed, a small wooden structure survived the hurricane winds and melting fire. In God’s providence, Lahaina Baptist Church (LBC) was surrounded by smoke and flame but was not destroyed.
On September 1st, 2024, one year after the fire, Lahaina Baptist Church resumed meeting in the wooden building that was not claimed by the Maui wildfires. And perhaps that too is a visual picture of this wounded church beginning to
recover from the spiritual devastation that did not ultimately crush her.
By God’s grace, I have been given the extraordinary privilege to serve the saints in Lahaina as the new pastor. We have seen 3 baptisms and 13 individuals join the church since the fire and today our congregation numbers 25 believers.
Thank you for your prayers and partnership through both the fire of 2023 and the spiritual battle that almost claimed this church. Thank the Lord that he will never leave us nor forsake us. And he has tangibly shown us this truth through fellow believers and sister churches like you.
Written by Andrew Large
This month marks 42 years since Andrew Large began his local church ministry as Interim Youth Pastor at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Ennis, TX. Over the years, God called him to various pastoral roles, including Youth Pastor, Music Minister, College Minister, and Single Adult Ministry, serving in Texas, Alaska, Alabama, Florida, and finally, for the past 29 years, in Hawaii.
One of the joys of his ministry has been seeing disciples make disciples and partnering with church planters. Although he is retiring after 18 years at Waikiki Baptist Church, he emphasizes he will never retire from serving God in ministry.
Written by Sara Houser
After serving for 14 years at Songtan Central Baptist Church (English ministry) in South Korea, Pastor Steve Houser has accepted a new calling to serve as Senior Pastor of a Southern Baptist Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. Steve and his family will be transitioning stateside in November to begin serving at Bloomingdale Baptist Church and the surrounding community.
The Houser family has loved living overseas and serving alongside the Hawaii Pacific Baptist churches. Pastor Steve is excited about the opportunity to bring his commitment to preaching the Word, missions, and family ministry along with his connections with the HPBC (and Korea!) to continue to serve the Lord in Kingsport, Tennessee.
Written by Robert Miller
On September 29, Waiehu Community Church (WCC) celebrated the ordination of Kenny Komatsu and Joshua Lockhart at the Ula Ula Café property where the church regularly meets. Pastors and church members from partner churches on O’ahu, Lanai, and Maui came to support and affirm the calling of these two men. These men join Rocky Komatsu as pastors of WCC. During the evening service Rocky Komatsu moderated and Todd Morikawa, Pastor of Kailua Baptist Church on Oahu, brought the message. After the service friends and family shared a fellowship meal. Both Kenny and Joshua are married, raised on Maui, and have been active in various ministries.
Written by Craig Webb
One of the ways your church’s gifts help Hawaii Pacific Baptist churches is through the Send Network. Send Network, of the North American Mission Board, partners with HPBC to evaluate, train, endorse, deploy, and support church planters.
One new church we hope to see in 2025 is being planted by Nasa Sete, focusing on reaching Polynesians.
Nasa was born on Oahu and raised on Maui. His wife, Caroline, was born and raised in Tonga. They have four children, Roman (8) Otani (5), Lesieli (3) and Ruth (1). They live in South Bend, Indiana where they serve at Gospel City Church with Pastor Micah Klutinoty.
Nasa shared that “in 2020, God birthed in my wife and me a desire to reach our Polynesian people through the local church.” After exploring the calling, they plan to move to Oahu in June 2025 to establish a new church plant through Gospel City Church. Please pray for their family as they make moving preparations.
Written by Hannah Denney
August 26th marked the start of University of Hawaii, Manoaʻs first week of school. Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Oʻahu (BCM Oʻahu) in partnership with Louisiana Tech BCM started an outreach on campus through tabling, doing surveys, Gospel henna, video games, and other outreach initiatives everyday to reach as many students as possible. They also met with new students/ contacts who wanted to hear more about the Gospel, and put on multiple events that first week of school to reach and welcome new and returning students.
Through all of these outreaches BCM saw 130 students show up at the first weekly BBQ, along with an average of 30 students at each of the other events. God has been moving and bringing more and more students to Him this semester with, to this day, over 110 Gospel conversations with UH Manoa students, and over 20 indications from students to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior for the first time.
Praise God for how He is working in and through the lives of students on the UH Manoa campus and through the students, student leaders, interns, and BCM Staff who have been called to share their faith and lives with the lost on campus.
Eleele Baptist Church, on the westside of Kauai, held a Vacation Bible School from June 17-June 21, 2024. Kids embarked on an epic adventure by taking the kids on a jungle cruise where they learned how God is King of the ages, immortal, invisible, and the one and only God. The jungle cruise stopped at seven ports of call, each representing one of the 7 C's of History: Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, and Consummation. Larry Hale is pastor.
Chiildren learned about missions that's happening around the world at Connections Church Vacation Bible School. David Whitehead is pastor.
At Valley Isle Fellowship, we are so thankful for the volunteers who dedicated their week to helping with VBS! The Lord once again showed us that Vacation Bible School is truly of His own doing. We carried out the Lord’s will by sharing His love through His Word and the Gospel of Christ. Nick Love is pastor.
Kalihi Baptist (Pastor Alberto Camacho), in partnership with Fellowship Baptist (Pastor Harlan Nakasone), Living Faith Baptist, Hawaii Chinese Baptist (Pastor Andrew Tong), and Lightcast Church of Queens, NY, put on a joint Vacation Bible School this past July 23-26. There were 83 kids who attended the VBS held at Kalihi Baptist, and 13 prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.
Waipahu Community Christian Church (Pastor Glenn Basuel) held a joint Vacation Bible School with Hawaii Christian Baptist (Pastor Rudy Gomintong) and Word of Truth Church from July 15-19, 2024.
The Vacation Bible School at Koza Baptist revolved around celebrating the truth of God and praising God that we are saved by Jesus. Through Koza's VBS, the kids learned that Jesus saves … my Lifeguard walks on water! Annette Macfarlane is director of family life ministries and Chris Eyre is lead pastor.
Waikōloa Baptist Church's VBS week was held at the beginning of summer, June 24-28, with a 19 member mission team from FBC Tuplo, MS. This great week averaged around 50 kids for the week, with one salvation. The theme was scuba, complete with a whale and suspended scuba diver. Trent Thompson is pastor.
Written by Johnny Hom
In August 2024, Nu’uanu Baptist and Central Baptist partnered to send a mission team to Fukuoka, Japan. By hosting a VBS program for Sawara Christ Church, the team was able to share the gospel with many children and parents in the local neighborhood through songs, testimonies, Bible lessons, and activities.
The Hawaii team helped newcomers build connections with the local church through hosting a worship night, a hula lesson, and an English conversation cafe.
In many ways, God sovereignly opened doors to connect with people who desperately needed to hear about Jesus, and He affirmed the great need for continual mission work in the city.
Please pray for Pastor Sasagu Kayama and the members of Sawara Christ Church, and also for the IMB missionaries who are serving in Fukuoka. Team members: Johnny Hom, Dalton Slavens, Irene Nagahara, Andrew Cabagbag, Tani Salazar, Mia Timmer. Bob Gierhart is pastor of Nu'uanu and Dalton Slavens is pastor of Central.
When the books closed on the SBC’s 2023-24 fiscal year, the Annie offering totaled $74.7 million, and the Lottie offering totaled $206.8 million — record highs for both
