Our History
From Walk By Faithto The Bridge
From Port-au-Prince to the U.S. Army, from the El Paso border to the heart of Illinois — the story of a missionary family that turns strangers into brothers and sisters.
From Port-au-Prince to the U.S. Army, from the El Paso border to the heart of Illinois — the story of a missionary family that turns strangers into brothers and sisters.
At the age of nine, Jean Jacob Jeudy accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in Port-au-Prince. He later earned a degree in Social Communication and Broadcast Journalism from the University of Haiti — training that would one day carry the Gospel over radio, TV and the internet.
He served more than 20 years in the United States Army, retiring as an officer, and earned a Master of Science in Information Technology Management from Webster University. That life of service shaped a ministry with a heart for soldiers, veterans and their families.
Pastor Jacob and Sister Rachelle founded Walk By Faith International Missionary Church — known as the First Haitian Church of El Paso. Haitians, Africans, Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians and Caucasians worshiped and prayed together as one family of believers.
The church became part of the Southern Baptist Convention and affiliated with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, joining 50,000 cooperating churches to make an impact for God's Kingdom across the Metro El Paso area.
The military ministry reached cadets, soldiers newly assigned to Fort Bliss, guardsmen, reservists, veterans, those suffering from combat trauma, and their spouses and families.
Sunday services filled the sanctuary with praise, preaching through books like 1 Timothy, children's choirs, a music ministry, women's and men's ministries, youth nights and water baptisms.
From the Texas–Mexico border, Walk By Faith met Haitian migrants who had just received permission to enter the United States — at the bus station, the airport and in the sanctuary — with food, prayer, rides and a place to rest."We welcome anyone as strangers, but by the time they leave our church to go unite with their families, they become brothers and sisters."
Hundreds of newly arrived Haitian families filled the El Paso sanctuary, lifting their hands in worship. A Church Governance Framework of three principles and three objectives kept the migrant program humane, orderly, and a blessing to refugees and the community.
After the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, the church asked the world to pray for Haiti — and kept its promise to the people of La Source, providing food for five schools serving more than 200 children through the Walk By Faith Child Sponsorship program.
Emmily Dorrilus, daughter of Fabrice and Anite, was dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ. Services, radio and livestreams carried the Word in Kreyòl, French, English and Spanish to people who might never enter a church building.
Pastor Jacob continues to preach from the pulpit and to teach online from his study each week, carrying the Word in English, French and Kreyòl to the church family and to believers far beyond Centralia.
The vision of Walk By Faith continues as The Bridge Missionary Bible Church — Eglise Missionnaire Haitienne De La Bible — in Centralia, Illinois: a bridge between people and Christ, and a home for immigrant families, the vulnerable, and all who are searching. For such a time as this.
"Walk By Faith International Missionary Church is more than a church, it's a Kingdom experience. Embark with us."
— Pastor Jean Jacob Jeudy