Fe & Esperanza is the community with New Song’s newest church plant. Pastor Daniel Campos felt called to visit this community in 2016 with plans to lead a bible study, and God has covered it with favor. They got church property and have been growing ever since. We want to share some of what God is doing through Daniel, his family, and this church in the community. Fe & Esperanza means Faith and Hope, and that is exactly what is found in the church
Llaves del Reino – Keys of the Kingdom.
The church “Keys of the Kingdom” in Fe & Esperanza is experiencing great growth! They exist so that people learn grace and share grace throughout the community. Their genuine love and fellowship is felt and received through visitation, encouragement, and prayer in the homes of the community. Pastor Daniel said he is encouraged with how the church is extending love and grace outside their own property. Non-Christians have stated “I’ve never heard or seen anything like it.”
Hermana Elia was born into Catholicism and never understood what a relationship with God was. After a home visit, she came to a service at “Keys of the Kingdom.” She wanted to hear more and kept coming. She grew more intrigued each visit and gave her life to Christ fifteen days after that first service. Elia herself proclaimed “I had never gone to a mass or service and enjoyed it, much less returned home with joy.” The joy of the Lord filled her cup and overflowed, bringing her husband, Fernando, to the Lord just a month later! Fernando told Pastor Daniel “The growth of this church caught my attention like nothing else ever has.” Fernando and Elia are amazing servant leaders!
The Keys of the Kingdom Church has a goal to continuing growing in love. One of the ways they show their love is through a provision care package. They collect food offerings throughout the month as a congregation: a pound of rice here and there, a pack of sugar, some spaghetti noodles, vegetables, whatever one feels to donate. The last Sunday of each month they decide on a family to bless, based on current need. The church goes to that family’s home to give love through encouragement and the care package. The church claims: we don’t have a lot, but of the little God has provided us, we want to keep sharing!
The majority of Nicaraguan churches are almost entirely made up of women and children. Few men visit the church, and even fewer become members. We celebrate alongside Pastor Daniel and the Keys of the Kingdom Church who have had the honor of baptizing seven men in the last six months! To God be the Glory!
Pastor Daniel and his wife, Xiomara, lead a monthly meeting for the married couples in the church Llaves del Reino. They use this time to provide input, listen, and strengthen each other through fellowship and bible study. They feed each other with words of edification and scripture, and also eat refreshments together physically. These times are rich and joyful, through which the Lord strengthens them and ultimately the church as a whole.
Keys to the Kingdom Church started a program called “Planting Seeds” to advance the construction little by little of their church building. It is a dedicated voluntary offering where no amount is too small. Per the capacity of the giver, they have received a cinder block here, 5 pounds of cement there, and so on and so forth since January 2017. They have been amazed to see non-members, and even unbelievers encouraged by their commitment, who have made significant donations to their cause. The church feels blessed to sew into their ownership and see quantifiable advances.
Fe & Esperanza is especially grateful for the support Benita Matamoros offers their women and the other churches. They have a time dedicated to help youth, adult, and senior adult women to grow and mature in grace. This ministry is very powerful and encourages the women the share the message of Jesus Christ through visitation and prayer. They are equipped to reach others in their community with the wonderful, undeserved gift through faith alone.
Pastor Daniel is passionate about sharing the grace and life found through Jesus’ new covenant. He says it is surprising to hear the amount of people respond “I’ve never heard that message or the plan God has for us.” They have always been taught the rules and regulations they must complete and keep to get God’s approval and favor. Daniel says “when they hear and know that only by faith God saves and sanctifies us, they feel joy and rest!”
The preparation and teaching inside the walls of Keys to the Kingdom Church is their training. After hearing a sermon or bible study, a classroom environment is used for members to re-teach the topic and see how much they learned, while having others share input. The church learns love inside the walls, and they are sent out into the community to be love!
Hermana Olimpia is such a faithful servant in the Keys of the Kingdom Church. She is a neighbor and has been part of the church from its very beginning. The local church is still working to complete their building. Currently, they setup and breakdown before and after each activity because the building is not secure enough. Hermama Olimpia keeps every chair, instrument, cable, speaker, and everything the church owns in her home. The church is very grateful for her help, but hopes to move everything to the property as soon as they can complete the building and a storage room.
