Transforming people to transform the world
Robert and Kathryn came to France from the United States as missionaries in January of 1988. They have served as the senior leaders of the Paris-based church Le Bon Berger (The Good Shepherd) since they founded it in January 1991. Robert and Kathryn also helped to establish a network of churches in Europe called the Horizon Family of Churches and Ministries during the 1990's. This network was formally established in 2005 and Robert has served as its primary leader until the summer of 2017. The official federation of Horizon churches was admitted into the Protestant Federation of France in 2014.
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The Baxters founded a discipleship school in 2001, a worship school in 2005, and a pastors training school in 2009. These three schools merged and became CFH, "Centre de Formation Horizon" (Horizon Training Center). This structure will allow the establishment of a christian school, an evangelism school, a language school and a missionary training center.
They have participated in some manner in planting more than 20 churches primarily in Europe and French-speaking countries. They serve as advisors to numerous churches, leaders and ministries around the world.
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Robert and Kathryn have a true heart for God and His Church. They are determined, passionate and faithful people, who have dedicated their whole lives to advancing the kingdom of God in France, in the french-speaking world, and in all the earth.
Married since July of 1988, the Baxters have and have two children and two grandchildren and do their utmost to equip future generations for the work of the Kingdom.
Kathryn met the Lord in her first semester at the University of Hawaii where she majored in communications and political science. Soon thereafter, she felt called as a missionary, initially to Asia but ultimately to France. She served as an assistant to the ministry of Bob and Rose Weiner in Gainesville, Florida, for two years befor arriving as a newlywed in France. Of Canadian nationality, Kathryn has served at her husband's side as pastor of Le Bon Berger for nearly 30 years. Kathryn was founder and director of a worship school for several years before it was incorporated into the Horizon Training Center. Passionate for the presence of God, Kathryn is the Worship Pastor at Le Bon Berger and an active participant in citywide worship events in the Paris area. Once a year, she organises a worship conference called "Heaven on Earth". She enjoys teaching from the Bible and training worship teams, and is regularly invited as a speaker in Bible schools and women's conferences in France and Europe. Her most recent missions trip was to Bulgaria in January 2020.
Robert came to Christ as a teenager in 1974 following a vision of heaven and hell. He holds undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Communications. He has been involved in full-time pastoral ministry for more than 40 years. He is the founding pastor of the Paris-based Church, Le Bon Berger, (The Good Shepherd). He has served as the director of the France-based network of Horizon churches and ministries since he founded it in 2005. He is the president of the Horizon Training Center, offering an intense discipleship training program, a graduate-level hermeneutics course, as well as other training events throughout the year. He currently serves as one of the principle national trainers of the EQUIP leadership development program established by renown author John Maxwell. He has been serving as the national director of the French branch of the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem since November 2015. He serves in an advisory function in a number of international ministries and church networks. He is a regular guest speaker in conferences, seminars, and on-line events. His ministry spans most of Europe, French-speaking Africa, French-speaking Caribbean and the United States. He is currently transitioning out of the active pastoral ministry to devote his full energies to strengthening and building up the next spiritual generation of leaders around the world.