Pastor Fred and Sherry Vallette, First Baptist Church, Asbury Park, NJ

Pastor Fred and Sherry Vallette
GMSA – Chile
First Baptist Church, Asbury Park, NJ

Fred was born in Coihueco, Chile of a North American missionary mother and a Swiss-French Chilean born father who was a pastor. He came to Christ as a child and attended high school in Chile and then came to the USA in 1964 with the intention of studying one year at Northeastern Bible College and then going on to study medicine. However, the Lord had other plans for his life. He became very involved in the student missions program at Northeastern as well as playing soccer all 4 years.

Sherry came to Christ as a child during a Good News Club started at her church in north Jersey by a student from Northeastern Bible College. She, too, became involved in missions serving as secretary to the president of the Student Missionary Program (the president being Fred!). In their senior year the Lord led them together as a couple and December of 1968 they were married. Shortly afterward they applied to the Gospel Mission of South America (the mission was founded by William M. Strong, Fred’s maternal grandfather).

In 1970, while they were candidates with their mission they were sent to serve at First Baptist Church, Asbury Park, NJ to gain some practical experience. Their ministry was largely visitation amongst the young couples stationed at near-by Fort Monmouth. Youth ministry was also a vital part of their time at First Baptist. It was a terrific time of learning and life-long friends were made, leading them to make First Baptist their church home.

In June of 1971 they left for their first term in Chile. Fred already knew the language, it being his native tongue. Sherry studied at the Chilean North American Institute of Culture for 10 months. Their ministry began in a section of Santiago, the capital city, known as Villa Frei (a middle-class area of apartment buildings). Fred began with a soccer ball, gathering some of the youth for games. Some came to Christ and from there they began to build through Bible studies, Sunday School, church services, youth meetings, home studies for couples, D.V.B.S., camps, retreats, etc. After constant teaching and grounding in the Word the believers themselves began to do the evangelizing and a local church was formed along with 2 daughter churches. Three national pastors were also a result of this church-planting effort. During this time Sherry (along with teaching women and children at the church) taught in the ABWE school for missionary children having by this time 3 children of their own—David, Timothy, and Heidi. After many years in church planting ministry the Lord led the Vallettes to the south of Chile where Fred began a TV station called “Vida Abundante” (Abundant Life) and they became involved in the area churches (some without a national pastor) encouraging and building up the believers. During these years of church planting Fred also served as a member of the Field Council of the mission and took care of legal work as well.

At the end of the year 2000 the Vallettes returned to the States for a “short time” as Fred had medical issues that needed attention. While living in Pennsylvania and traveling to various churches they became more and more aware of the growing number of Hispanics in the USA, particularly in the Jersey Shore area. Contacts were made and home Bible studies were started which eventually grew and moved into the spaciousness of First Baptist Church. Finally, Fred and Sherry moved to the Jersey Shore area and, today, inspite of physical limitations, Fred pastors the group of Hispanics, many now believers…visitation, counseling, one-on-one Bible study, discipleship, children’s classes, Sunday School, Sunday morning worship services, etc. all a part of this outreach. The believers themselves, just as they did in Chile, are bringing in new people—co-workers, classmates, neighbors, family members, etc. and so God’s work grows to His glory.

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	Pastor Fred and Sherry Vallette GMSA – Chile First Baptist Church, Asbury Park, NJ
	Fred was born in Coihueco, Chile of a North American missionary mother and a Swiss-French Chilean born father who was a pastor. He came to Christ as a child and attended high school in Chile and then came to the USA in 1964 with the intention of studying one year at Northeastern Bible College and then going on to study medicine. However, the Lord had other plans for his life. He became very involved in the student missions program at Northeastern as well as playing soccer all 4 years. Sherry came to Christ as a child during a Good News Club started at her church in north Jersey by a student from Northeastern Bible College. She, too, became involved in missions serving as secretary to the president of the Student Missionary Program (the president being Fred!). In their senior year the Lord led them together as a couple and December of 1968 they were married. Shortly afterward they applied to the Gospel Mission of South America (the mission was founded by William M. Strong, Fred’s maternal grandfather). In 1970, while they were candidates with their mission they were sent to serve at First Baptist Church, Asbury Park, NJ to gain some practical experience. Their ministry was largely visitation amongst the young couples stationed at near-by Fort Monmouth. Youth ministry was also a vital part of their time at First Baptist. It was a terrific time of learning and life-long friends were made, leading them to make First Baptist their church home. In June of 1971 they left for their first term in Chile. Fred already knew the language, it being his native tongue. Sherry studied at the Chilean North American Institute of Culture for 10 months. Their ministry began in a section of Santiago, the capital city, known as Villa Frei (a middle-class area of apartment buildings). Fred began with a soccer ball, gathering some of the youth for games. Some came to Christ and from there they began to build through Bible studies, Sunday School, church services, youth meetings, home studies for couples, D.V.B.S., camps, retreats, etc. After constant teaching and grounding in the Word the believers themselves began to do the evangelizing and a local church was formed along with 2 daughter churches. Three national pastors were also a result of this church-planting effort. During this time Sherry (along with teaching women and children at the church) taught in the ABWE school for missionary children having by this time 3 children of their own—David, Timothy, and Heidi. After many years in church planting ministry the Lord led the Vallettes to the south of Chile where Fred began a TV station called “Vida Abundante” (Abundant Life) and they became involved in the area churches (some without a national pastor) encouraging and building up the believers. During these years of church planting Fred also served as a member of the Field Council of the mission and took care of legal work as well. At the end of the year 2000 the Vallettes returned to the States for a “short time” as Fred had medical issues that needed attention. While living in Pennsylvania and traveling to various churches they became more and more aware of the growing number of Hispanics in the USA, particularly in the Jersey Shore area. Contacts were made and home Bible studies were started which eventually grew and moved into the spaciousness of First Baptist Church. Finally, Fred and Sherry moved to the Jersey Shore area and, today, inspite of physical limitations, Fred pastors the group of Hispanics, many now believers…visitation, counseling, one-on-one Bible study, discipleship, children’s classes, Sunday School, Sunday morning worship services, etc. all a part of this outreach. The believers themselves, just as they did in Chile, are bringing in new people—co-workers, classmates, neighbors, family members, etc. and so God’s work grows to His glory.

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