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Steve and Ruth Lancaster

Sent from Corsham Baptist Church, Wiltshire

From 2013-2020 Steve and Ruth worked for the Africa Inland Church’s Institute of Bible & Ministry (IBM) in Tanzania. Steve was also Unit Leader for Tanzania East. They lived in the bustling market town of Morogoro, at the base of the Uluguru mountain range, about 120 miles inland from Dar es Salaam.

A trip to Africa in 1984 first set in motion the desire in Steve to serve there. Further frequent visits over the years saw that desire grow, and towards the end of an 18-month trip in Zambia, Steve began to sense a call to be involved in discipleship in Africa. He began preparing for this by attending All Nations Christian College and working for AIM Europe in the UK. After a career in TV production, a change of direction saw Ruth moving into Christian ministry, working with Oak Hall, Tearfund and latterly SAT-7 where she was responsible for marketing and fundraising.

Steve and Ruth worked with IBM in Morogoro. IBM is an ongoing Bible training programme for around 140 pastors and evangelists who are involved in ministry within the Africa Inland Churches (AIC) of eastern Tanzania. This coastal diocese includes over 14 districts or regions and covers over half of the country. The goal and purpose of IBM is to enable, mobilise and inspire these pastors to a closer relationship with God and greater effectiveness in their ministries, thereby equipping them to lead their own congregations, as well as helping them to reach their communities with the gospel message. Various regional seminars, lasting three to five days, are organised from March through to November each year, giving the pastors opportunity to gather together for fellowship, updates, and fresh Biblical input.

IBM’s headquarters are at Sanga Sanga near Morogoro and serve as a central location for the activities of the Institute. The 13-acre site comprises offices, basic sports facilities, agricultural plots, a camp site, a 13-bed retreat house and a large conference centre.

Ruth was the Communications Officer for IBM and her role involved helping to manage the Retreat Centre; handling bookings, accounting and budgeting; fundraising and publicity; and the teaching of occasional English courses. Steve was a Bible teacher, involved in the planning of the regional conferences and the teaching itself. He also preached at a number of local churches, and was AIM’s Unit Leader for eastern Tanzania, which involved management and member care for AIM missionaries.

At the end of 2020 Steve and Ruth left Tanzania for their final Home Assignment before formally finishing serving with AIM in March 2021.

Latest Prayer News

7 February 2023

Give thanks that Geoff Donaldson, one of AIM’s Mission Advisors in Ireland has had a smooth ending to his role within AIM and has followed God’s calling to take up the position of Ireland Director for Europe Christian Mission (ECM). Pray for him as he settles into his new role and that he would rely on the Lord for his strength. 

22 December 2020

“Arriving back in the UK on 21st Dec is going to be a shock to the system in terms of climate and Covid! …The first two months of 2021 will see us on home assignment, and then come 1st March, our term of service with AIM will come to a close. At this point, we’re still not sure what the next chapter looks like and the canvas is looking fairly blank! However, we believe that the Artist in charge of the next tapestry will reveal the pattern according to His timing and purpose. Please pray that we’ll remain patient as we watch, wait, and listen! Pray for guidance with regard to the next chapter; that we’d be open to God’s leading; that God would show us clearly what the next step is; for wisdom as we plan our Home Assignment, including where we should live.”

2 October 2020

Steve writes, “We’re now midway through our conference season… During the three-day course we journey together through the gospel of Mark, although with only 10 teaching sessions we’re only scraping the surface of some of the major events… From a teaching/preaching perspective it has felt as though there has been an extra ‘uummpphhh’ to sessions 9 and 10… The singing that follows these sessions has borne testimony to the fact that hearts and minds have been challenged and blessed, as we’ve considered the awesome power of the cross and the empty tomb. It’s our hope that the teaching the pastors receive will enable and inspire them personally, but that they might also be mobilised to pass on what they’ve learned to their congregations.” Praise God for the four conferences that have already happened, and please pray for the remaining three that Steve is teaching at between now and December.

26 June 2020

“One of Ruth’s goals for this term was to find a good person to employ as an Accountant. Praise God that we have been able to appoint a young man who is a believer and seems suitably qualified. God willing, he will start on 1st July and Ruth will spend several weeks training him in our systems and processes. Please pray for us both as we enter the home straight of our Tanzanian venture! We now have less than six months before we head home and close up here. Pray we would cross the finish line well. Please pray with us that God would show us clearly what he wants us to do in 2021, and the next chapter of life.”

21 February 2020

Steve & Ruth Lancaster are based at the Africa Inland Church’s Institute of Bible & Ministry (IBM) in Tanzania. “Ruth has spent a lot of time over the last few months at Sanga, beavering away at getting the accounts up-to-date, tracking down payment vouchers and receipts. At the moment she’s working on end-of-year financial reports for AIM, but by the end of the month, she’s hoping to have signed-off on ‘the money’, and will then turn her attention to fundraising and marketing. This has been a huge undertaking for Ruth, and her diligence and persistence is definitely winning through. 

In terms of teaching material for this year’s conferences, I’ve chosen to look at the Gospel of Mark, focussing on Jesus as the suffering servant. It’s the shortest Gospel, the earliest Gospel, and probably the liveliest with everything happening at a quick pace… Mark manages to pack a lot into his Gospel, although if you add up all the events that he portrays, they only come to a period of three weeks in the life of Jesus. Ironically, at my current pace, it’s going to take me three months to prepare eleven teaching sessions!” Please pray for Ruth as she finishes work on the financial reports, and for Steve as he prepares the materials for this year’s conferences.

Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest nations; agricultural subsistence dominates its economy. Health and education sectors require massive investments.There is freedom of religion; all major faiths have the ability to share and propagate their faith. Christianity makes up 54% of the population with Islam totalling 31%. LEARN MORE

Church Development

We hope that our church development work with local African churches will lead them to be centres of hope and love that draw more people to Jesus. LEARN MORE

Bible & Theology

Theological & biblical training exists to serve the church to participate in God’s mission in this world — it is about following Jesus, learning from him and growing to be like him. LEARN MORE
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