5 minute read
Something to Celebrate
Koza Baptist Adds Silvano Makoto Kuba to Team of Elders
by Robert Miller
On April 27, 2025, Koza Baptist Church was blessed to add to their team of Elders, Mr. Silvano Makoto Kubo. Silvano came to Okinawa in August 2023 in response to the Lord’s call to serve on mission in Japan.
He was born in Brazil to Japanese immigrants. His father was a Church Planter and Pastor in Brazil. Silvano trusted Jesus as his Lord and Savior at the age of 7. As an adult, he sensed the Lord leading him to teach Bible and Geography at a Christian School. He studied Biblical Studies at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, Canada, and served as the senior pastor at the church his father planted in Brazil for 18 years. He currently serves at Okinawa Christian School International (OCSI) as a history teacher. He is married to Lu Kubo and they have one daughter, Liz, who is a student at OCSI.
Ian Richards Becomes Lead Pastor at Guam Christian Life Fellowship
by Robert Miller
Guam Christian Life Fellowship (GCLF) recently called Ian Richards to serve as their next pastor. Before becoming the lead pastor in April 2025, he served in GCLF for 2 years as an elder. In addition to pastoring, Pastor Richards is the chaplain for the Department of Corrections and the president of Pacific Island University, a Micronesian Evangelical Bible College. Richards is married to Amanda, whose maiden name is Moon. Amanda is the second cousin of Lottie Moon, the former missionary to whom our international mission offering is named. Together, Ian and Amanda are raising 4 children. Richards follows former Pastor Pancho Madrid.
Dr. Johnny Hom Graduates from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
by Robert Miller
Congratulations to Dr. Johnny Hom, who graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) on May 9, 2025, with a Doctor of Ministry in Applied Theology degree. He began his studies in the Fall of 2021. His dissertation addressed theological training in Christology. Dr. Hom states that the doctrines of Christ are the essence and foundation of all Christian theology. He previously completed his M.A. in Christian Education at SBTS. Dr. Hom joined the Nuuanu Baptist pastoral team in 2019 and continues to serve as Pastor of Discipleship and Administration. He is married to Melanie, and they have three children.
Send congratulations and encouragement to Dr. Hom at johnny@nuuanubaptist.org.
Puna Baptist Ordains and Installs Joseph Kim as Associate Pastor
Puna Baptist Church celebrated a milestone on Sunday, April 27, 2025, as they ordained and installed Associate Pastor Joseph K. Kim during an afternoon service. Senior Pastor Dr. Alan Tamashiro led the meaningful ceremony. Pastor Rob Thommarson and Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention's Executive DirectorTreasurer Craig Webb served as guest speakers. In a deeply moving moment, Pastor Chul Kim, Joseph's father, delivered a powerful Charge to the Candidate.
The occasion brought together pastors from across Hawaii Island to witness this significant step in Pastor Kim's ministry journey and to lay hands on him for his ordination. Following the service, members and guests enjoyed wonderful fellowship and delicious Hawaiian food.
Send your congratulations and encouragement to Pastor Joseph at sonshine.jk@gmail.com.
Gospel Living Conference Hosted by Kahului Baptist
by Robert Miller
Kahului Baptist Church on Maui hosted the Gospel Living Conference on May 24, 2025. Jeff King, the Community Discipleship Pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, led all three sessions. Pastor King discussed the importance of getting the gospel right and effectively communicating its powerful message to both the church and the community.
Immanuel Baptist Church, where King serves, was the home church of numerous Maui students who attended either Boyce College or The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and later returned home to serve in our churches. Approximately 75 people participated in this Maui event from both Baptist and neighboring churches.
Jay Haynes serves as pastor of Kahului Baptist Church.
The conference was supported in part by a generous gift from the Alex and Bell Waterhouse Lecture Series.
Welcoming John Williams: HPBC's New Manager of Operations
We're excited to introduce John Williams, who joined the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention team on January 1, 2025, as our new Manager of Operations. John and his wife, Gay, have been serving voluntarily as our HPBC Directors of Disaster Relief, and we're thrilled that John has taken on this important operational role on a part-time basis.
John oversees the day-to-day management of HPBC properties and assets, ensuring our facilities are well-maintained and aligned with our mission. He has tackled numerous critical projects with remarkable efficiency, including coordinating the rebuilding of a safety-hazardous fire escape at our dorms and managing roof repairs across multiple Vancouver properties following February's heavy rains.
Beyond property maintenance, John is spearheading our IT infrastructure overhaul, by consolidating internet contracts to reduce costs while improving security. Most exciting is his leadership in deploying Salesforce as our comprehensive database management system, with a mid-August rollout planned.
John's technical expertise and collaborative spirit make him invaluable as we steward the resources God has entrusted to us.
