SOCP- First Reunion in 25 Years  

Bethany's School of Church Planting (SOCP) first began in 1990. It accepted residential students until 2015, shut down and didn't start back up again until 2023. Alberta and I served in the leadership and teaching staff for 6 years from 1992-1998. 

One of the really fun gatherings during our recent Philippines trip was the first reunion of anyone who had studied at the SOCP. About 150 former students, many of them our current pastors but also many of them serving in other organizations, gathered for a night of fun, fellowship and food! 

The joy was contagious! These 40-50 year old adults reminded us of the 'kids' they once were when they attended Bible school so many years ago. Psalm 126:5 came to mind "those who sow in tears will reap in joy." Those years of discipling, disciplining, agonizing over students was turned into joy as we saw mature Christian leaders join one another to celebrate God's work in their lives. Pray for the alumni of the SOCP to continue what was started in them during their training with Bethany.

Prayer Requests: 

1. Pray for an upcoming trip to Texas. We will be seeing some former co-workers on the way and celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary of good friends from Steve's boat days in New Zealand. We will also stop in Ft. Worth to visit my sister, Nan and her son Grant.

2. Pray for a proposed Entrust women's training scheduled for September in Thailand. Alberta is waiting to see if there will be enough applicants for the course to push through.

3. Pray for us as we prepare for Bethany's annual missionary retreat in July. We will be flying to Minneapolis mid-July to facilitate some workshops on transition.

Serving Christ with You, Steve and Alberta