Contact
us today! Whitfield Baptist Church
P. O. Box 215
Dalton, Georgia 30722
Wayne Cofield,
Pastor
(706) 278-677
Chris Gardner is the son of veteran missionaries
Austin and Betty Gardner, who are also with Macedonia World Baptist Mission.
Chris was saved and baptized at Liberty Baptist Church in Cartersville,
Georgia where his dad was the founding pastor.
At a very tender age he felt that God was calling
him to preach and give his life to Him in full-time service.
Chris has lived the majority of his life on the
mission field. He arrived in Mexico in January of 1987 at the age of 11.
From there he went to Peru in 1988. Chris speaks Spanish probably better
than he does English. Having been raised in the family of a preacher and
pastor Chris grew up in church and serving God. At age 15 he began working
in the Sunday School and ChildrenÕs ministry in Arequipa, Peru.
It was this same year that he surrendered his life to God to serve him
as a missionary to Peru. At age 18 he began working as the pastor of the
Lighthouse Baptist Church in Belaunde, Arequipa under the direction and
leadership of his dad as senior missionary. Chris has already seen great
things from God in his work in Belaunde. God has seen fit to call several
young men to preach and they are currently studying in the Bible College.
One of the young men from his church also was used of God to start the
First Baptist Church in Mollendo on the Pacific coast of Peru.
Chris attended the Peru Bible College from which
he graduated with his Bachelors degree on December 8, 1996. He was ordained
at his home church, Whitfield Baptist Church on April 17, 1996.
Chris was living and studying in Arequipa when
he had the opportunity to return to the United States to become associated
with Macedonia and to raise partial support. While he was in the States
he preached a ValentineÕs Banquet in Columbus, Georgia where he
met his ÒvalentineÓ. Andria was the piano player for Lighthouse
Baptist Church. The pastor, Brother Clay McNeese, introduced Chris and
Andria. It was nearly love at first sight and they were married 15 months
later on June 7, 1996. Andria was saved and baptized at the Peoples Baptist
Church in Columbus, Georgia. Before their marriage Andria visited Arequipa
for three weeks. God really moved in her heart and gave her a real love
for the folks of Peru. She is really excited about the call of God on their
lives.
Upon arrival in Peru Chris will immediately plunge
into the ministry while Andria will begin her year of language school.
Chris and Andria will begin working in the Lighthouse Baptist Church of
Belaunde, Arequipa. This is the church where Chris was working before returning
to the USA with his family for furlough. The church is still young and
struggling. Chris and Andria will take up their work there once again.
The church now has its own land and has started its first building. It
is situated on the northern corner of Arequipa right next to the airport.
They have literally tens of thousands of folks living all around the church.
They will be helping in the other mission churches they have started too.
Chris will also begin teaching classes in the Peru Bible College. The work
on the field depends entirely on a trained, spirit filled, national leadership.
Andria will be able to help tremendously with the music in all our churches
in Arequipa since she is an accomplished pianist. She will be teaching
piano lessons in the Bible College.
God has called the Gardners to work in the city
of Arequipa. Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru and has a population
of about 1,500,000. The city of Arequipa only has 13 independent Baptist
Churches. There is very little gospel witness outside these churches. The
city of Arequipa has less than one third of one percent of folks that have
accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior after having heard a clear Biblical
presentation of the plan of salvation. The city of Arequipa is located
in the department of Arequipa where there are even fewer churches that
preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Arequipa proudly calls herself the ÒRome
of PeruÓ in reference to her very devout Catholic tradition. Arequipa
has been called the graveyard of missionaries in Peru but God is doing
something special now. What a privilege to be part of what God is doing
there.
Since Arequipa is located in the southern tip
of Peru only 6 hours from Chile it is the GardnerÕs future desire
to reach from their base in Arequipa to Chile, Bolivia and the other Spanish
Speaking countries of South America.