Life Pacific University is honored to announce “Pastor Steve” as the recipient of the 2026 Beyond Borders Alumnus of the Year Award. Through a life marked by obedience, adaptability, and Spirit-empowered leadership, Pastor Steve has faithfully served across cultures and nations, strengthening the global Church and advancing the Gospel in some of the least-reached regions of the world. From local church ministry to international missions leadership, his journey reflects a steadfast “yes” to God’s call—wherever it may lead—embodying the heart of a servant-leader committed to seeing lives transformed across borders. The award will be presented at the 2026 Alumni and Friends Lunch on May 26, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas. **For security reasons, we have withheld some details about the recipient of this award, who will hereafter be referred to as “Steve”.
LPU President Dr. Angie Richey (’97) shares, “Since our college days, I have known Steve as someone who consistently steps forward with a willing heart, helping others see that even the most complex challenges can be navigated. While serving faithfully on the mission field amid both local and global uncertainty, he and his family have remained steady, optimistic, and deeply committed to the work of the gospel. We are grateful for his leadership and for the enduring faith that continues to guide his life and ministry.”
Foursquare Missions International (FMI) Director Pastor Paul Greer says, “Steve is everyone’s friend. He is the kind of godly man and leader that you walk away from, always hoping you could have more time with.”
LPU Trustee Dr. Ted Vail, who serves as VP of Global Operations for the Foursquare Church, says, “Steve is a ‘non-anxious presence in a turbulent world’ perfectly blended with the ‘less talk, more rock’ (a Steve saying) faith in action that we see embodied in scripture. He smiles wide, laughs hard, loves big, and we encounter God’s grace through his life.”
Early Days
Steve was born in the late 1960s and grew up in a family where ministry ran deep. His parents and grandparents were Foursquare pastors, as were some of his aunts and uncles, creating a legacy of faith that surrounded his upbringing. Still, young Steve was reticent. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life,” he says, “but I knew what I didn’t want to do: be a pastor!”
God had other plans. In 1985, at a Bible Camp, Steve encountered the unmistakable call of God. “I resisted standing up as long as possible,” he remembers, “but could not ignore what the Holy Spirit was speaking. Eventually I stood up and said yes to following Jesus wherever He would lead.”
LPU Years
Called into ministry, Steve began attending Life Pacific University (then LIFE Bible College) in the late 1980’s. His collegiate journey was as unique as his story. “I managed to squeeze a 4-year degree into 7 years,” he jokes. His path spanned multiple campuses (Los Angeles, Christiansburg, and San Dimas) and included academic challenges that tested his perseverance.
Yet, it was within those challenges that God’s provision became evident. Faculty and leaders rallied around him, investing in his growth and calling. Among them were Dr. Dick Scott, Dr. Dan Stewart, Rev. Barbara Middlebrook, Rev. Larry Powers, Rev. Ron Williams, Rev. Dave Metzger, and many others. In a defining moment, Dr. Tom Wymore extended grace, offering him another chance when it might not have been expected.
“I couldn’t have graduated without the support of the entire LPU team,” Steve says. His time at LPU proved both formative and foundational. “Many of my closest and longest friendships were formed during my years at LPU,” he reflects.
In 1994, Steve graduated from Life Pacific College with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible, evidence that academic struggles do not disqualify a life surrendered to God’s call. Reflecting on his journey, he shares a vision still close to his heart: “I’ve always wanted to start a scholarship for ‘average’ students who are like diamonds in the rough… who are recognized to have potential but may struggle academically.”
Family Life
Steve credits his parents and siblings as steadfast supporters throughout his life. In the late 1990s, he married his incredible wife Kim, whose own calling to missions overseas would one day shape their shared journey.
Ministry Beginnings
Steve’s early ministry began as a youth pastor in the Midwest and Northwest. It was during this season that he met Kim, who he refers to as “the bravest woman I know.” The couple married and went on to have three amazing children, the eldest who is now an LPU grad, representing the fifth generation of their family connected to Life Pacific University.
In 2004, Steve and his family returned to the Midwest to plant a church alongside a dedicated team. “It was one of the most meaningful seasons of ministry in our lives,” he shares. During this time, they also embraced a business-as-missions model, opening a coffee shop on a local university campus to engage the surrounding community.
Called to Serve the World
Nearly a decade into church planting, a new opportunity emerged. Foursquare Missions International invited Steve and Kim to move overseas to help develop and strengthen the Foursquare movement.
After seeking confirmation through Scripture, the Holy Spirit, spiritual leaders, family, and unmistakable signs, they said yes. One key confirmation was Kim’s longtime, deeply rooted passion for missions in that region.
Steve and Kim knew this was a serious and pivotal moment; God was leading them into a new season of global ministry. They relocated their family to this foreign region, and faithfully served there for almost a decade, investing in leaders and strengthening the Church in a complex and ever-changing environment.
A Redeemed Chapter: Further Education
While serving abroad, another unexpected door opened. Invited by Dr. Angie Richey (at the time VP of Enrollment) to return to LPU and pursue a master’s degree, Steve sensed God inviting him to revisit a chapter of his life that had once been marked by struggle, and he committed himself to the program. Surprisingly to Steve, he excelled academically. He went on to graduate with his Master of Arts in Strategic Leadership on time, and without struggle. “I felt it was a calling from the Lord,” Steve shares, “to rewrite part of my academic story.”
A Season of Transition
In the early 2020s, conflict erupted in the region where Steve and his family were serving, forcing them to leave the country they had come to love. They temporarily relocated to a neighboring country, hoping the situation would stabilize, but as time passed, it became clear they would not return.
Though the transition was painful, it was not without purpose. God was already preparing their next assignment.
MENACA: A Strategic Calling
Soon after, FMI invited Steve and Kim to consider overseeing ministry in MENACA, a broad geographic region encompassing the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia.
“This was way out of our comfort zone,” Steve admits, “but it was obvious from the moment we were asked that this was from the Lord. Following Jesus will take you to places you never expected to go.”
MENACA, is a region of immense need and opportunity. Spanning 28 nations and nearly one billion people, it includes close to 1,000 unreached people groups, with less than 1% of the population identifying as Christian. Fewer than 3% of the world’s missionaries serve in this region, and resources for ministry are extremely limited.
Despite these challenges, Steve and Kim have embraced the call wholeheartedly, as they partner with national leaders, develop workers, and help create structures where ministry can grow and thrive.
A Life of Saying “Yes”
“Everything I’ve experienced along the way,” says Steve, “has reinforced a simple truth: God can use anyone; He is just looking for people who say ‘yes’ when He calls… and who keep saying ‘yes.’ Today, my wife and I have the privilege of serving in a region where nearly a billion people live and many still have little or no access to the gospel. We believe this is a strategic moment for the Church to respond.”
“My own journey,” Steve reflects, “is far from perfect and often unexpected, and has been a reminder that everything is ultimately from Him, through Him, and for Him.”
Steve’s life stands as a testament to what God can do through a willing heart, one that continues to say “yes,” again and again.
Life Pacific University is honored to celebrate Pastor Steve as the 2026 Beyond Borders Alumnus of the Year, recognizing his faithful witness to Christ through cross-cultural service and his commitment to advancing the Gospel among the nations. Please join us in honoring this outstanding honoree at the 2026 Alumni and Friends Lunch on May 26, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.
🔗 For more information or to RSVP, visit: https://lifepacific.edu/events/2026-lpu-alumni-and-friends-lunch/
