White, Dennis and Esther Erington
b. 1936
Pentecostal
Kenya

Pastor Dennis White is the senior pastor of the Nairobi Pentecostal Church, Valley Road, one of the largest growing assemblies in Nairobi.

When complications developed in her pregnancy threatening Dennis' safe delivery, his mother prayed for God's intervention promising she would give the child to God if he lived. Dennis White was born on August 25, 1936 in St. Michael Village, Barbados, West Indies. He was the first born of Oliver and Emmy White who are originally from Africa. He was converted in 1942 at the age of six.

Dennis met Esther in Bible College and they were married in 1958. They have a son, two daughters and six grandchildren.

Dennis' call to full-time ministry was confirmed at the age of 18 when his mother told him about her prayer at the time of his birth. Dennis went to West Indies School of Theology where he obtained a Diploma in Theology. He was ordained in 1960 by the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. He pastored Aroma Church in 1957 on the Island of Trinidad, and Bethsaida Church from 1958-1960 on the Island of Antigua. He served Roseah Church from 1960-1969 on the Dominica Island. From 1970 to 1976, he served as president of West Indies School of Theology. Pastor White also served as the General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God in the West Indies.

Following this, the Whites were again led to a pastoral ministry. From 1982 to 1985 they pastored a large congregation, Evening Light Church in Bermuda and later moved to First Assembly Calvary Church (POAC) in Alberta Canada. Presently, they serve at the Nairobi Pentecostal Church.

After their arrival attendance tripled, prompting the Whites to start new congregations in different parts of the city, including NPC West begun in 1994 which now has their own sanctuary and NPC South begun in 1997. In 1998, NPC Central started a Church in Westlands to reach out to the thousands of professionals and business people living in the Asian Community there. The NPC churches also have a radio ministry which runs six weekly programs. They are very socially active in ministering to children, teens, single mothers, widows and women in general, the sick and the bereaved. In a decade, the church has grown from one to four congregations and from 3,000 to over 10,000 in attendance. Pastor White now leads a team of 10 pastors and a staff team of 112 members with seven more pastors in training at Pan Africa Christian College and Nairobi Pentecostal Bible College.

In the light of the plight of street children in Nairobi, the Whites started NPC Kiserian headed by Mrs. Esther White. Facilities were constructed to house a congregation, a school, dormitories, a clinic, a cafeteria and staff who care for over 100 street children and reach out to the surrounding community. The Church's Parental Sponsorship Program provides members with opportunities to help the street children become responsible members of society in the context of a home.

In response to the lack of schools in Nairobi for the ever-growing population and to the need for sound education based on Christian principles, NPC Academy was established several years ago. The school now has 900 children and 40 teachers.

The Whites have challenged African Christians who think missions are the work of white people to identify unreached peoples and send missionaries to them. The Pentecostal Assemblies of God in Kenya, to which NPC is affiliated support about 20 missionaries, most of whom are located in the semi-arid areas of Kenya. One of the projects was to furnish each mission station with a water system and a tank. The churches also raise money and collect goods to be donated to those in need. Last year NPC sent a local missionary couple to Rwanda. After the genocide in Rwanda, the church participated in the relief efforts.

Francis Manana