Equipped to Lead

We are looking forward to our next trip to Ghana, scheduled for January 25 – February 17, 2019.  I will be teaching Marriage in two new locations and the team will also be teaching three MINTS classes and two conferences on Biblical Womanhood - eleven events in four different cities.

Unexpected Providences 

Our God Does All Things Well

Dear Partners in Ministry,
When we consider the Advent of Christ, we should recognize that virtually everything that happened on that first Christmas was the result of unexpected providences:  A decree by Caesar, angelic visitations, a unique star, a stable and a manger, a virgin birth, shepherds as witnesses. Despite the unexpected nature of these events, everything took place as God had planned and as the prophets had foretold.  What is unexpected to us, is actually the outworking of God’s eternal wisdom and plan for the restoration of all creation.

The details of our Savior’s Advent were directed by providence, and so are the events of our lives.  God is not remote and unapproachable, but is deeply involved in everything that happens to us as His people.  Although we do not always understand God’s plan, by faith we confess that God does all things well – even the difficult and painful things.  And God has promised (Rom. 8:28) that everything in the lives of those who love Him will work together for good.

On the day before Thanksgiving, we received the shocking news that Rev. Dr. John Southworth, our dear friend and ELI colleague, went home to be with his Lord.  His death was a sudden and completely unexpected providence, but we trust in God’s wisdom and timing.

John was a vital part of the work God is doing through ELI in Ghana.  His wise teaching, sage counsel, and infectious love for Christ will be greatly missed by those of us who worked with him and also by his students. From a human standpoint, John will be impossible to replace.  But, while we are grieved at our loss, we rejoice that John has gained the prize he so deeply desired: he is with his Savior.  Please pray for John’s wife, Judy, and their family as they mourn his loss and adjust to his absence.

We were well into the planning for this next trip when I received this news.  I was having trouble finding enough staff and John’s home-going meant we were down to two teachers.  But God provided.  Thankfully, Dan Gilchrist has stepped forward and will be teaching a third MINTS class.  So, the teaching team will be Dan, Stan Armes, me, and Don Mountan, who will working on MINTS administration.  We will also be joined on this trip by JoAnn Johnston, who will be holding two conferences on Biblical Womanhood.  Please pray for each of us as we prepare the materials and as we prepare our hearts for the ministry God has ahead of us.

Thank you for your partnership in this ministry!

For Christ’s Kingdom,
Dan and Susan Steer, ELI West Africa