Who We Are

Our Ministry

American missionary, Lynn Kennedy, spent 1995 in France at a French language institute and arrived in Burkina Faso the fall of 1996. As of 1998 she began ministering among the Dagara unreached people group located in SW Burkina and NW Ghana.  Shattering Darkness Ministries was officially founded and received IRS 501c3 designation in 2004. Looking at what the faithfulness of our God has wrought, we stand amazed.

  • The Dagara are no longer considered unreached.
  • The Dagara are now reaching the Lobi, the Birifor and the Djan people groups.
  • SD has 16 established churches (15 houses of worship, 11 Children’s buildings, 11 safe water wells, 13 Pastor’s homes), as well as, 12 new preaching points in the villages of Lokpoja, Navrikpai, Daboulai, Gnikan, Gogoba, Nanin 4, Paikpane, Pora, V-2, V-7, Wapassie and Yagatew.
  • In October of 2014 doors to the Lighthouse, the only evangelical primary school in SW Burkina Faso, officially opened. Adding a grade level per year, we have 1st through 5th grades, with approximately 33 students in each classroom. Twenty-one of those are being helped financially by American sponsors. A generous gift allows us to feed all the children a hot meal each noonday.
  • February 2015 saw the initial class of the Pastor Training Institute begin. Some Pastors are enhancing their skills while others are in training for leadership positions. God has allowed the construction of Pastor Dorms, library, cooking area, showers and storage space. In May 2017, 10 pastors graduated from the PTI.  Our next graduation ceremony will be in 2019 when we celebrate the graduations for 2018 and 2019.
  • We are thrilled to have fully functioning women’s, youth and children’s ministries in 13 of our 16 locations.
  • The base of 70+ trained key leaders is a testimony to our Lord Jesus. You will read about some of them on the Leadership Link.
  • Our Lord does not allow us to be stagnant nor satisfied. He continues to open doors and show needs and He provides the resources as prayer partners, financial partners or working hands. On a separate Link you will read about current projects underway including our S.E.E.D project, our Christian Conference Center, our cafeteria and pre-school and office for the Lighthouse.
  • We emphasize evangelism and committed training for our church members in how to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Through the efforts of our pastors, church members and impact teams we have many new preaching points which we pray will become new churches full of believers.
  •  We have been especially blessed to host Impact Teams from the United States, Canada and Ireland. Through the years we have had those teams help with Kids Kamp, Marriage Retreats, Pastor Retreats, teaching in our PTI, evangelism in our villages and providing medical care to so many who rarely receive that. Those teams have helped open doors and hearts to God’s love and salvation. If you are interested in bringing a team, please see information under our “Partner” tab.

PREACHING POINT

A village targeted for weekly evangelism. A preaching point is an area which has resulted in new converts but without a church building or on-site Pastor. All areas with churches and on-site pastors are a direct result of being at one point a “preaching point”.

MOTO/DIRTBIKE

A small version of a motorcycle that holds one or two people. Gets pastors/evangelists to places during rainy season that even 4-wheel drive trucks cannot reach.

CIRCUIT RIDING EVANGELISTS

In the early days of ministry, various leaders would come to the missionary’s house, grab a moto and be on their way to seek permission to enter a new village; to teach, preach and evangelize; to do follow-up and to do research in finding new unreached peoples. Today our pastors and church members do this work by foot, bicycle or moto. 

IMPACT TEAMS (Partners in Action)

These are teams from America, Canada and Ireland who have come and partnered with us in various ways in order to reach the lost and encourage believers. Impact Teams have served from 1 week to 3 months.  They have taught our Pastors, shared the Word of God, used music and drama to convey the message of Jesus and built homes for our pastors and buildings for our children and youth.  They have drilled wells, treated the sick, prayer-walked and shown “The Jesus Film”.

PRAYER PARTNERS/FAITH PARTNERS

Those who faithfully pray for us. Those who faithfully give of their time and talents and financial resources.

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Refers to our on-the-ground missionary, Lynn Kennedy, and the KEY male and female Dagara leaders who serve together. (Patrice, Celine, Mado, Pascal, Romaric, Simplice, Josué, Francois, Blandine, Valentin)

SENIOR PASTORS

Patrice, Pascal, Simplice, Bassa, Frederic, Michel, Evarice, Maturin, Romaric, Jean-Marc, Josué, Albert, Claude, Joel, Marcel.

CO-PASTORS

Robert.

DIRECTOR OF MINISTRY AND MISSIONS

Hien, Patrice

SD BOARD OF DIRECTORS

On a separate link you will see our Executive Board members with their bios. We are blessed to have ‘prime’ folks from many states and many walks of life serving our Lord Jesus via Shattering Darkness Ministries.

“Rejoice always! Pray Constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not stifle (sadden) the Holy Spirit. Do not depose prophesies but test all things. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Enjoy the village histories in the tab at the top of the opening page. “His” Story…still unfolding.