APPOINTMENT
Walk With Steve Into Missionary Appointment
Poised For Purpose
Happy parents join Steve to celebrate graduation from
Oral Roberts University
Help: I don’t know what to do!
“What should I major in?” I well remember asking the question to Greg Beggs, the current Regional AG director in East Africa, the summer after my first year in college. We were somewhere along the coast of Tanzania. I expected the standard ministry answer: missions or Bible. I had wrestled with this question for a full year; I still had no clear direction.
His answer surprised me. “Stephen, you are far too worried about this—just choose one. God will use it”. Such a response seemed too simplistic, but generated tremendous freedom within my heart. Returning to college I followed Greg’s advice. I elected to study for a degree in International Community Development. I would later add a second major in Spanish. Quite the interesting combination!
Several people challenged me to consider a specific skill potentially useful one day in accessing parts of the world where traditional missions degrees would not be readily recognized. Africa? Community development? There was one sensible choice to me—the AIDS pandemic was wreaking havoc in Africa.
My academic background at ORU was excellent. Unfortunately, I never adequately considered the credentialing implications that would arise from the lack of Bible and Theology courses in my Community Development degree.
God again intervened. The District Superintendent of Oklahoma, Frank Cargill, granted me special permission to begin the credentialing process with the understanding that I would later complete the required courses through Global University. God’s plan is always best; I have thoroughly enjoyed every course taken through Global!
After graduation from ORU, I returned to Kenya as a Missionary Associate to work with an AIDS awareness program at the University of Nairobi geared towards evangelism. During this time, several students would come to Christ.
In addition, several rough, gangster-types would gloriously experience the power of God. For a period of eight months we would hold Bible studies in their local hang-out, the bar. God would radically save and deliver many of these young men for His glory. This time in Kenya confirmed the desire in my heart to pursue a long-term missions appointment. This generation in East Africa desperately needs a touch from heaven!