Sun, 20 Jul, '08 ITEM report

Hello Everyone, (See new ITEM pictures HERE )
Kiribu, Kenya (Welcome to Kenya). That is the greeting we are giving to five men (plus one Kenyan) who are arriving to spend two days training in ITEM doctrine, methodology, and philosophy of ministry. I mentioned in a recent report a possible theme of "10 down and 10 to go" or "The next 10." Let me explain for those of you who are not sure what I meant.
THE LAST TEN
I came to Africa the first time in January 1998 to teach one course at the Nairobi International School of Theology. God changed my life. I started coming twice a year to teach at the school and at the invitation of some of my students I was soon helping to plant churches in Congo and help with pastor training seminars in Uganda. On top of that I was doing evening and weekend teaching seminars here in Nairobi.
By 2003 we divided that task between church planting and training pastors. The church I was attending at the time assumed the responsibility of the churches and I began to concentrate on training pastors in basic Bible and theology. And it was in 2003 that this organization/ ministry was born: International Training and Equipping Ministries. The step from half-time to full-time with ITEM was made early in 2005.
For the past three years I have been moving between five countries regularly and two others a few times. But there is too much for just one guy to do and finding men from the US who are willing to raise support to help full or part time is not easy. Only one, Bob Allen, has raised some support in order to make one trip a year to the French speaking portion of Africa.
That generally covers the past ten years, that is "10 down." What about the next ten, and why even think of referring to them as "10 to go"? Let me explain.
THE NEXT TEN
I just turned 60 and it is my vision and goal to turn this ministry over to Africans by the time I am 70. That gives me ten years. For ten years we've been building the base. Now it is time to build the structure.
If it had been a 20 year plan in 1998, the "10 down and 10 to go" statement would make more sense. But who could have known (besides God) where we'd be in this ministry 10 years ago? It blows me away to consider where we started, where we've been, and where we seem to be going. When I stop and reflect, I shake my head and think "God has done exceedingly abundantly above all that I could have even dreamed about."
THE PRESENT HOUR
That brings me to the present hour. Instead of having three seminars on this trip, we decided that in place of one of them we would bring our coordinators from six countries to Nairobi to begin training them in ITEM's doctrine, philosophy of ministry, and methodology. We will also be spending time thinking about strategy. My concern is that we continue to develop ways to preserve the fruit our seminars are producing.
IMAGINE
Look down the road with me to the year 2018 when ITEM will have trained regional coordinators in east, west, south, and central Africa. We are not ruling out the north but as of now we have no strong contacts in northern Africa. See also national coordinators in 15 African countries doing ITEM seminars, and envision 4-5 regional directors based here in the States working with the African regional coordinators. And envision thousands of pastors a year going through ITEM's Bible and theology seminars.
So that is where we are going, Lord willing. Many things must fall into place. It isn't going to happen without prayer and diligence. But I am ready to press on in order that I "may finish the course" (2 Tim. 4:7) that the Lord has placed me on.
Thank you for partnering with us in the pursuit of this vision through your prayers and support. Let's keep moving forward with energy and faith.
By His grace,
Steve