HARRISBURG (BRN) – It was under the warm Haitian sun and young days in the Caribbean culture that Pastor Noelson Chery, as a 13-year-old boy, recognized his need for a Savior and developed a relationship with Christ.
“Three years later, in 1988, I got baptized and it’s been fun ever since then. It’s been beautiful,” shared Chery.
“I’ve been involved with it [Christianity] since my early youth, in everything that the church had to offer…so I had a beautiful, beautiful time growing up with my wife and other friends serving the Lord.”
Chery and his wife, Edna, grew up together in the church and are what he calls, “youth group sweethearts.”
“I was probably eight, not even 10-years-old, when I saw her and that image never escaped my mind. Yes, we grew up together, alongside of each other and, yes, it took me a long time to finally be brave and declare my love,” said Chery.
He continued: “I knew it somewhat, but [I was] scared to follow the Lord, but praise the Lord I did and here we are. We have been married for over 20 years [and] I am blessed.”
He and his wife have three boys and a nephew that they love dearly and are witnesses to their years of ministry.
A career field that Chery first felt called to in high school, but did not always pursue.
“I had a sense because when the Lord calls you, you know. It’s undeniable. I mean, you might run away from it, you might try to do whatever you want to do, but the calling is on your life.”
Chery continued: “I remember when I was in high school, I have not had anything else more exciting for me then to serve the Lord. So, it has always been clear that there was a calling for my life, but did I follow the calling right away? No, not at all, because I wanted to do my own thing.”
In an effort to pursue the career he wanted, Chery enrolled in law school. Quickly recognizing that the Lord was saying to him, “it’s not happening,” Chery returned to his first love of Christ and followed God’s call into ministry.
In 1998, that call lead Chery and his family to the United States, specifically Pennsylvania, where he served in a number of ministry roles over the years.
These roles include choir director, Sunday school teacher, pastoral aid, assistant pastor at Southwest Baptist Church, a church planter in Philadelphia and, now, an Ethnic Church Health Consultant for the BRN.
“So, I have been all over the map, but when you put it together, the Lord was at work…putting the puzzle together walking me from one end to another,” said Chery.
“Pretty much, I’ve seen – I don’t want to say I’ve seen it all – but I’ve seen a lot [and] Glory be to God. It’s all been part of the training, and the training is still ongoing by His grace.”
At the beginning of this year, Chery added a new ministry role to his list as he accepted an ethnic church health consultant position with the BRN.
“I’m thrilled to be in a position, as an ethnic pastor myself, to identify with ethnic pastors, to get alongside them and to work together for the Kingdom of God, for the advancement of God’s Kingdom on earth,” said Chery.
He continued: “When I came here, I was embraced by a lot of leaders in the Haitian community… they are champions in the BRN and I got introduced to the Baptist Resource Network. I’ve been there for a long time and I’ve learned about ethnic pastors, I’ve been with ethnic pastors in their midst…and we’ve worked together on so many things. So, again, it is God at work.”
In this new position, Chery will be responsible for connecting with and overseeing the BRN’s ethnic churches in the Philadelphia area.
“The work that ethnic pastors have been doing couldn’t be any more important, because this is a time where the world is in turmoil [and] people are looking for somebody who really identifies with them [and] can speak their language,” explained Chery.
“When we come as ethnic men…there are different communities and those communities need the gospel. Not every ethnic community will separate themselves [and] that’s why it’s so important to have ethnic pastors to serve these particular communities.”
From Chery, and the BRN, ethnic pastors and churches can expect love, respect, passion, and an empathy towards their specific ministry.
“We – the Baptist Resource Network – care about the health of the pastor, their family, the health of the church, because what we would like to see, and what we are praying for, is that we all grow,” shared Chery.
“You have our attention, ethnic pastors [and] it is a tremendous honor. [The] Baptist Resource Network is there for us, ethnic pastors, that we are one…and when we come together as a family – the BRN family – it is a foretaste of heaven.”
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The “50 Stories of Transformation” series, told in honor of the Baptist Resource Network’s 50th anniversary, highlights the many ways God has moved throughout Pennsylvania, South Jersey and beyond. Your generous support of the Cooperative Program makes this ministry possible and fuels evangelism and outreach in our local churches and all over the world! Thank you!
