A note from Kris: One of the things I am most grateful for is that I am not sending myself. The church that knows me best is the one sending me. What follows is a word from my pastor, Ryan Fullerton — the man who has watched my life and ministry up close for nearly a decade and is willing to commend it. I publish it not to promote myself, but because I believe his commendation belongs to you, our partners, as much as it belongs to us.
Why We Send Seasoned Leaders
In Acts 13:2, the Holy Spirit said to the church leaders at Antioch, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul." What is instructive here is who the Holy Spirit chose. He did not reach for new converts or untested workers. He chose two men from among the church's existing leaders — men already known, already proven, already trusted. Two thousand years later, at Immanuel Baptist Church in Louisville, we are seeking to follow the same pattern.
Beyond the example of Acts 13, there are three further reasons to send seasoned leaders rather than untested ones.
First, recent converts often make proud leaders.
The Apostle Paul tells us that an elder "must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil" (1 Tim. 3:6). Success without seasoning can go to a man's head. It is best to let a man be tried and tested before he is asked to lead others — and it is certainly wise to do so before sending him to lead an entirely new work on the mission field.
Second, discerning qualification takes time.
We are not to "be hasty in the laying on of hands" (1 Tim. 5:22). It takes real time to see whether someone is above reproach, a good manager of his household, and a faithful teacher of God's Word (1 Tim. 3; Tit. 1). Once a man is sent to the field, close observation becomes difficult. It is far better to know whether someone is qualified before sending him where you cannot see him clearly.
Third, existing leaders know something of what it takes to serve the church.
Would you send someone without a driver's license to test-drive a Maserati? Would you send someone who had never boiled water to prepare a meal for a king? No — and neither should we send those who have never shepherded the flock of God to start new churches in the unreached places of the world.
We Know Kris
Kris Castro has been a pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church since 2023. Before that, he was a faithful member for six years. We have heard Kris teach. We have watched him shepherd his home. We have seen him live a godly life in Christ Jesus. He has walked Christians into membership and been called by God to exercise discipline over those who went astray. He has led us in worship and walked with us in small group fellowship.
We know Kris.
This does not make him bulletproof. He will still need to watch his life and doctrine carefully (1 Tim. 4:16). But it does make him tested. We hope that our careful vetting of Kris will help you see that he is a gift of the Holy Spirit to the church (Eph. 4:11). We hope it will increase your confidence and generosity in supporting him.
We know your provision will go toward a man who is preaching a biblical gospel, who knows how to form a biblical church, and who is eager to conduct himself as a biblically qualified elder.
I am delighted to have the opportunity to send out one of our current leaders to the work God has called him to do.
Ryan Fullerton serves as the Lead Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Immanuel is sending the Castro family to Tokyo, Japan, in partnership with Reaching & Teaching International Ministries.
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