Pastor Huck Kusner of Calvary Chapel Black Canyon City, AZ, and his wife, Pastora, give a first-hand account of how God has honored their mustard seed-sized faith in a small town for over three decades.

Photos by Calvary Chapel Black Canyon City, AZ

Pastor Huck Kusner prays before he baptizes a new believer in the baptismal font of the freshly built church in Pino Alto, Honduras. Huck and the congregation at Calvary Chapel Black Canyon City (CCBCC), AZ, have been planting churches in Honduras and Nicaragua since 2020.

With a population of 2,400, Black Canyon City, AZ, was nowhere on our radar three decades ago, but when the request for a Calvary Chapel came from one resident, we prayed and answered the call.

A heart for short-term mission evangelism was birthed from the beginning as we teamed up with other Calvary Chapels through Jim Manning with Mission Assist. Under his assistance, occasional weekend outreach trips into Mexico were the norm until 2006, when we began reaching into Egypt with Daniel Ted from Christian Islamic Dialogue.

Excited congregants gather for the dedication of their new church, Good Samaritan Mission—The Road to Calvary in Los Castaños, Honduras. This is CCBCC’s fifth church plant, opening its doors in early 2023.

By 2017, our flock of about 50 people had sent Calvary Chapel Black Canyon City congregants with the Gospel into the Golden Triangle of Thailand, Egypt, Belize, South Sudan, Uganda, Nicaragua, Mexico, Kenya, and mainly the isolated Indian villages of southern Honduras.

**Pastor Huck hands out new believer booklets in Spanish explaining how to grow as a Christian. Pastor Huck remarked, “Our [CCBCC] focus has always been one-on-one, *casa-to-casa* evangelism.”**

Our focus has always been one-on-one, casa-to-casa evangelism. In 2008, under the direction of Lanny and Sherry Neese with Radios 4 Jesus, and also networking with the Good Samaritan Mission in San Marcos de Colón, Honduras, “church planting” was added to our evangelism. Our teams of 12-18 people began to experience anywhere from 70 to 200 professions of faith per day. The new believers were then introduced to a Honduran pastor trained at the Good Samaritan Seminary, who was prepared to move into that village and begin teaching the Word of God.

**At a nearby river, Pastor Huck prepares to baptize congregants of CCBCC’s third church plant in Guinope, Honduras.**

I recall one pastor, who lacked transportation, living a few miles from the village we evangelized; so we all pitched in and bought him a $50 horse. Problem solved! Sometimes churches began by 4:30 p.m. We make certain that people are never left alone without placing an indigenous shepherd, equipped to feed and care for God’s flock, in every village.

**Doubling as a church bus, the sturdy truck carries villagers to their newly constructed church in Guinope for the dedication service.**

It was in February of 2020, when COVID and government restrictions appeared to halt almost all interaction, that our congregation decreased to 27 people. Naysayers even declared we would go broke and close our doors within two months.

**A local Honduran boy fist-bumps Huck during a street evangelism event.**

We responded by moving our services onto our parking lot for 10 weeks before resuming inside our sanctuary. It was truly an act of God at that time watching our offerings increase beyond our imagination. There was no logical reason for this to occur within our depleted flock. Our leadership agreed: This spike in offerings was surely no coincidence; it should be designated for foreign evangelism, and none of the excess funds should stick to our hands.

Huck and his wife, Pastora (center front, facing the crowd), address the congregation at Alto Pino before the baptism service. He estimates that over 10,000 Hondurans have come to faith in Christ through CCBCC’s mission trips.

We have since discovered that we can build a beautiful cinder block church building with a metal roof, including restrooms and baptismal, in isolated Honduran villages for approximately $18,000 each. Since 2020, we have seen God establish churches in El Zarzal, Güinope, Choluteca, Alto Pino, Los Castaños, and even Puerta de Golpe, Nicaragua. These churches have grown by hundreds of souls.

Construction begins on CCBCC’s fourth church plant in the village of Alto Pino. Pastor Huck discovered they could “build a beautiful cinder block church building with a metal roof, including restrooms and baptismal, in isolated Honduran villages for approximately $18,000 each.”

**The entire community in Alto Pino—women, children, elderly, and even those who do not go to church—helped in the construction of their fully enclosed church building.**

All pastors have included “Calvary” in their name, are open to the Calvary Chapel Distinctives, use our logo, and willingly welcome prayer and counsel from us. Working with Arnold and Stephany Tyson Mejia of the Good Samaritan Mission School and Seminary has been a joy—we encourage anyone interested in participating to connect with them.

Prior to the current building in Alto Pino, congregants worshipped under an open structure that seated about 60 people. The congregation has grown to over 100 people hungry to know more about their Savior.

As of today, we have evangelized in nine foreign nations; but we discovered that the fields truly white for a considerable harvest are hidden in the remote mountains of southern Honduras and northern Nicaragua. We never dreamed we would be presiding over church dedications, teaching in their Bible Institute, performing so many baptisms, and officiating their weddings.

**A double wedding is celebrated during the new building dedication service in Guinope.**

“Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” John 4:35

God has done so much with so few over these last three and a half years—when all was supposed to crumble. We know He wishes all to be saved, coming to the knowledge of the Truth, and there is no reason to believe God will stop now.

**The solemn crowd looks on as they watch a member of their Alto Pino church congregation prepare to be baptized by Pastor Huck (right) in the water.**

Pastor Chuck used to say, “Where God guides, God provides.” Our Lord surely has proven Himself. In the early years, we were more concerned with getting our own footing established, never giving much thought to supporting foreign missions. As time passed, the idea of sending a tenth of our offerings to assist the less fortunate seemed like a reasonable idea. I know the subject of money is such a touchy topic, but by God’s design, we rejoice that 38% of our offerings last year went to build God’s kingdom amongst the less fortunate. He has surely done great things, even from a town without a traffic light.

I sincerely wish to encourage all the many small churches and small-town pastors in these last days, not to throw in the towel too soon. Never get yourself in a position due to accusations, negative circumstances, or some thoughtless word of discouragement; two years down the road, you might look in a mirror asking, What if I would have stayed? I wonder if things would have turned around?

**Pastora (right) translates for her husband Huck, as he and Pastor Moses (left) baptize a young woman in Guinope. Moses pastors the congregation at Guinope.**

Our church was literally told we would never recover. What if we had believed that nonsense? I am one of you small-town shepherds here in little Black Canyon City, and the Holy Spirit has confirmed to us that we went to a place with a great need. So did you.

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew 10:22

There is standing room only inside the Alto Pino church. Members of the community gather at the entrances to hear the Word of God preached by a local pastor who was trained at the Good Samaritan Seminary.

One day we might even have a traffic light, a curb, a sidewalk, or even a Circle K convenience store—or maybe not. Who cares? Jesus Christ still does a lot with a little. May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, grant to the people of your area a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Cast your mustard seed faith out there any way you can, and may the eyes of many hearts be opened to the life-saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.

**While going house to house, Pastora shares a Scripture with a man, bringing the Good News to those in remote places.**

Your home church doesn’t have to encompass the entire Milky Way to be productive, but it certainly can reach beyond your city limits. We’re living in the two-minute warning of life as we know it, and clock management is of utmost importance. May we all redeem the time for a great finish whether our church is large or small.

Learn more about CC Black Canyon City at calvarybcc.net

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