On Assignment for the Kingdom

Last summer, UGM was actively seeking a Development Director. Today, we’re introducing the unique man whom God called to the position.

Steve Ellisen was on the administrative team at a large church in Eugene, Oregon. He and his wife Kathy had been seeking God’s will for their future and wondering if He had a place for them in Spokane where three of their four grown children live. “Last fall,” Steve says, “this opportunity was put on our radar, and so we pursued it.”

Ultimately, Steve was hired. “I left a church that I loved, people that I loved, to follow God’s call to come here. We came to Spokane for family but also to be a part of the Kingdom at the Mission.”

That’s what it’s about for Steve: The Great Commission. Having served with Campus Crusade for Christ for 31 years—17 of which he served as a regional director—Steve had been transformed by the constant evidence of the power of the gospel. Witnessing lives made new time and again was to Steve what the physical resurrection must have been to Christ’s apostles. He had grown to a point where nothing could stop him from sharing this life-altering truth with anyone who would listen.

Joining Union Gospel Mission felt like the natural next step in this quest. “I am very grateful for the story of the Mission over the 70 years. It seems that the Lord has just shown up over and over and over again in terms of funding for a building or funding for an effort. This is a story of miracles, and I love that. I love the fact that the ‘G’ in the center is big. This is a gospel-centered place, and I’m enthused by that.”

“I love the fact that the ‘G’ in the center is big. This is a gospel-centered place, and I’m enthused by that.”

As the Development Director, Steve is in a place not only to share the gospel, but to mobilize already-existent, powerfully equipped teams to advance the message of Christ’s redemption to many more men and women across the Inland Northwest. What does that look like while sitting behind a desk?

Well, you know what? Steve doesn’t actually spend that much time behind his desk, even though the role is classed administrative. Steve connects daily with members of the teams he oversees. One-on-one meetings with department heads, pop-ins and spontaneous outings with groups, staying available for constantly changing demands, advocating for team members’ needs, and scheduling recurring check-ins with the whole team.

The whole team. That’s the key role Steve has filled. Unifying multiple teams of passionate men and women under the umbrella of gospel-centered Development.

“I think that if a group of people who are tasked with Kingdom work to get done, if they can work together and go against what the enemy wants, which is to blow up teams—to hinder the gospel—then the gospel is going to go forward. The gospel is going to go forward because the Lord said it was going to go forward, but the question is are we going to be a part of it? I want to help strong people who have great giftings and abilities to work together to accomplish great things. We are better together.”

“I want to help strong people who have great giftings and abilities to work together to accomplish great things. We are better together.”

The great things being accomplished through UGM’s Development team are, to name a few: connecting people who want to make a difference in the Inland Northwest with opportunities to give and serve at the Mission; sharing the stories of men and women helped by our services so that more people can find the help they need; communicating with UGM partners across the region; and creating a cohesive experience for all who participate in the good work of sharing the gospel at UGM.

Steve’s love for people, love for Jesus, and love for teamwork is a blessing to the ministry, and he says the blessings go both ways. “I love the staff here. I feel like the heart, the desire, exists across the board to see the gospel go forward. I don’t find it to be in pockets; I find it to be across the board. And what I love about the Mission is the stories of changed lives. It isn’t about people trying harder; it’s about people understanding their need for the Lord and meeting Him, and because His Spirit lives in them, their lives change. And it’s not just talked about. I see the evidence here.”

We are thrilled to have this man of God serving in such a vital way.

Who is he outside of work?

A God-dependent husband, father, grandfather and epic adventurist! “We’ve got four kids. We have loved doing what they were doing: sports, coaching anything. Kathy and I love to get our kayaks out and go explore a new lake, we love to hike, we love to just jump in the car and go find a new spot. We love to explore. I love to work on classic cars, I love riding my bike, I loved riding motorcycles. I love to fish, too. If I can get outside and get in nature, that’s a win.”

Steve and Kathy celebrated 32 years of marriage this year and are glad to be “home” in Spokane, surrounded again by their loving family. 

Fun fact:

Steve’s mother was born and raised in Northern India as the daughter of missionaries. Her first language was an Indian dialect, and she and her pastor husband raised their kids surrounded by relics from her fascinating childhood. Steve has some miniature ivory figures carved so small that they fit into a seed pod. He raised his own children with these and other curiosities as props for passing down the stories that came from his grandparents in India. 

“The thing that motivates me is the Great Commission, going into all the world and seeing the gospel be handed from generation to generation. I feel like this is our moment in time where we are called. This is the Kingdom assignment I have been given today, so I’m excited about that.”

Like Steve, Phil has learned a lot from working at a homeless shelter. Click on this free e-book to read his devotional reflections.