A Review of the Birth
of the Military Ministry

By Al Sligh

The military ministry was virtually unknown until BIMI saw the need. In 1968, Dr. Jim Kennard, a pastor of a Japanese speaking church in Okinawa, who was also working with the military, invited BIMI missionary Brother Bob Elzey to come and start a military church in Okinawa.

In May of 1968, Brother Elzey and his family arrived in Okinawa and started Maranatha Baptist Church. The first services were held in the living room of Brother Kennard’s home. They then rented a building in Oyama, Okinawa, a few hundred feet from the main gate of Futenma Marine Air Base. The building consisted of three floors and Brother Elzey was able to rent the top two floors for the work.

The church, Maranatha Baptist, grew at a fast pace. Soon after, three houses were rented behind the church to accommodate the large crowds who were attending. The church grew rapidly especially since it was the only Independent Baptist military church on the island at that time. When Brother Elzey returned to the states to take another ministry, Dr. Kennard became pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church.

Dr. Kennard took the church to a greater height after obtaining a larger building to house the church body. The church grew to over seven hundred in a short period of time. Dr. Kennard saw the need of having a Baptist school and immediately went to work to establish the Maranatha Baptist Academy, which was the first K-4 through 12 Baptist school in Okinawa. Under Dr. Kennard’s leadership, the church soon grew to become the largest church on the island. Larger buses were purchased for the bus ministry and routes were expanded as well.

Dr. Kennard served as pastor of the Maranatha Baptist Church until he returned to the US where he later became the first Military Director for Baptist International Missions, Inc. He has served as Military Director for the past 26 years. There are 22 churches presently pastored by BIMI missionaries throughout the world. Although many bases have closed, others have opened, and BIMI’s military ministry is still reaching and training as many people for Christ as before.

The military church has many unique challenges. One of the main challenges happens during the summer months when some churches lose half of their congregations due to the rotation of troops and dependants. Generally most military personnel transfer every two or three years. The rotation of most troops happens in the summer when schools are not in session. It is not unusual for a church to lose one-third of its members during a rotation. Of course, unmarried military personnel may rotate to another base at any time of the year. Another issue that the military church may have is the transfer of military members to another base, which may be hundreds of miles away, for one or two months. Sometimes personnel are called to leave in a moments notice. So, if that person has a job in that church, then someone must be able to take their place.

Since there is constant rotation, it is necessary for a basic discipleship, training program to be in effect at all times. Most church members are taught how to win a person to Christ and are encouraged to go on visitation several times each week. Sunday morning is truly a special time in the military church, since many guests invited by military members attend on Sunday mornings. So, there is quite a bit of excitement to see who comes and who gets saved. The military church is truly an exciting church.