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Stephen N. KnickerbockerMy name is Stephen. I got saved at the age of 8 after family devotions while my parents were starting churches in France. I became greatly involved in their ministry and developed a desire to serve the Lord in full time capacity. I attended the French schools and French is my first language as I lived in France for 16 years.
At the age of 16, I told God that whatever He desired for my life, I would do. I went to Crown College and graduated with a degree in Pastoral ministries to start churches and train nationals to reach and pastor their own nation. While in Bible college God gave me the privilege to disciple two young men from west Africa. I was also involved in French Bible studies with French speaking people who had immigrated to the USA. Two young men got saved as a result of our influence and were baptized in our church. |
During the summer of 2008, I went to west Africa to help and encourage a missionary. While in Burkina Faso, The Lord opened opportunities for preaching, teaching, discipleship, soul winning and many other aspects of ministry. When I took the plane to return to the United States, I felt that I was leaving God's will for my life. That is when God gave me a definite desire to go back and obey His leading in my life. While in college God allowed me to meet Julie who shared the same desire to spread the Gospel of Christ in French speaking countries.
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Julie L. KnickerbockerMy name is Julie. I got saved at age 11 after my father explained to me a verse of scripture that I had memorized. He explained to me my condition of sin and my need for the Savior Jesus Christ who could wash me as white as snow if I trusted on Him.
I grew up and desired to be a missionary in a French speaking country because I lived most of my life in Quebec Canada speaking French. I met Stephen at Crown College and knew that, when he went to Burkina Faso, The Lord would call him to go back as a full time missionary. I prayed and God gave me peace about going to Burkina Faso for His glory to be manifested there. We later joined our lives in marriage on August 7th 2010 and we are now excited to see what God is going to do as we yield our lives to Him. |
Our ministry
The Knickerbocker family moved to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in August of 2014. After a year and a half of serving with veteran missionary families, Stephen and Julie began soul-winning efforts in their own neighborhood. These soul-winning efforts resulted in the start of a new Bible study. It was from that Bible study group that the Lord led the Knickerbockers to establish their first church, the Bible Baptist Church of Boulmiougou. The inauguration of the church was celebrated in November of 2016 with 7 charter members. From then on, the church has grown spiritually and numerically, has purchased a property, and has built a facility in which to base its ministries. The church is touching the community with the Gospel each week through door to door visitation and through a weekly children’s Bible club. Stephen is in the process of training national leadership that the church may carry on with the work of the ministry. Since arriving in Burkina Faso, the Lord has added Alina (2016,) Kezia (2018,) and Korben (2020) to their family.
