Greg & Collene Kent - Serving in the Dominican Republic

Greg was saved on April 14, 1964, at the age of 7 at First Baptist Church of Westwood Lakes in Miami, FL. At the age of 11 during a mission's conference, he felt God calling him into the ministry, but the thought scared him and he didn't respond. After graduation from high school in 1974 in Ocala, FL, Greg worked for a year and in 1975, he joined the Marine Corp where he served until 1978. After his honorable discharge, he returned home and was active in his church.

Greg met his wife, Collene who was saved at the age of 8, in 1981 at church where they were both serving in Awana Clubs. They were married on June 24, 1983, and six months later Greg was asked to be the youth pastor of their church. After serving in that position for 4 years while working a full time job, God began dealing with him about the ministry once again. During a mission conference in April 1988 Greg surrendered to the ministry and entered Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO to study Pastoral Theology. After a mission conference at the church they were attending in April of 1990, he changed his major to Missions Theology to prepare to be a missionary. Just before graduation in 1992, God began opening doors for them to go to Conyers, GA to start a church.

The Kents arrived in Conyers, GA the end of May 1992 and began preparation to start New Life Baptist Church. They had their first service on October 4, 1992. In 1994, they were praying (claiming Jeremiah 33:3) that God would provide them with more permanent facilities having met in a Day Care Center since the beginning, God answered their prayers and provided them with 6.5 acres, a church building, Sunday school/fellowship hall and a parsonage with a value of $350,000.00 for $21,000.00. They saw souls saved, people mature through personal discipleship and mission giving increase each year through faith promise giving.

After a mission conference in 1996, Greg began praying that God would call a family from their church to the mission field. In February 1997, hewas invited to go to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip and on his return had a burden to make sure they helped someone go there. As a result of their mission conference, God confirmed to him that it was the Kent family He wanted to go to the Dominican Republic. After a teary goodbye, they resigned from New Life Baptist Church in September 1997 to begin deputation.

The family arrived in the Dominican Republic in March 1999 and began their next journey. They began their language studies and attended a church nearby. The next year (2000), they moved to the city where they are now serving to continue their language studies and help a church in a nearby city. This time was very beneficial as they continued to learn the language and the culture of those they were serving.

In October 2001, we began making preparations to start Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva (New Life Baptist Church). In November, they started with a Bible Club for kids each Saturday morning and a Youth Meeting each Saturday night. During that time they saw young people come to Christ and continued to build a base for a church. After much prayer and preparation, they started Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva on June 2, 2002.



"What a thrill it has been to see people saved, follow the Lord in baptism and grow through personal discipleship," said Greg. "We have trained and equipped people to serve as Sunday school teachers and fill other leadership roles with the music, teaching our youth and disciple others." (II Timothy 2:2)



In June 2005, the Kents left the ministry they started and have been working with four other churches helping them with Sunday School teacher training, discipling as well as discipleship training, leadership training, etc. They are now involved at IBVN once again and are blessed to see the people's faith and service to the Lord continue to grow.