Author Spotlight: Steven Stoffelsen
By Steven Stoffelsen
Steven Stoffelsen is a full-time missionary, pastor, and the founder of House of Refuge Street Ministries. For the past fifteen years, he has given up the comforts of living in Canada to respond to God’s call on his life to the nation of Guatemala. He serves the lost and broken, and reaches out to the homeless and women trapped in the sex trade.
Steven and his wife Karla preach the Gospel in many Latin American countries, Canada, and the United States. Their desire is to bring revival everywhere they visit. They live in Chiquimulilla, Guatemala. Steven has a bachelor’s degree in theology from Faith Alive Bible College.
In his early teenage years, Steven walked away from God. He denied God, and a passion for music grew within him. Because he felt empty, he began to call out to God. As God responded, Steven quickly went back to Him. He was instantly delivered from a life of drugs and alcohol. Within a short time, he was baptized in water and the Holy Spirit, and he felt the call of God to enter full-time ministry. He was studying in Bible school within seven months.
His heart has been set on fire ever since. He has never looked back. He has a passion for lost souls. He leads worship, preaches, and encourages the body of Christ. He believes that signs should follow every believer everywhere they go.
Questions and Answers
Q: What inspired you to write the book, Trusting God’s Timing?
A: Trusting God’s Timing is basically a story about my life. I found many other people in the Bible who went through the same struggles I have. They may have lived with different circumstances, yet they learned the same lessons. All of life’s answers can be found in the Bible. We just need to be willing to look for them and allow God to speak to us. I was inspired by seeing many people who have given up because they feel they have waited too long to see their promise come to pass. Many Christians are backslidden today because God didn’t work according to their schedule. We need to trust His schedule.
Q: Have you ever had to wait for anything?
A: In Guatemala, you learn to wait. I had to wait two years before I saw my first convert amongst the alcoholics I work with. Even our journey to find land for the City of Refuge took five years. Now we’re working towards the preparation stage, which has taken a few more years. In this way, I can relate to so many people in the Bible.
Q: What do you dedicate your life to?
A: My life is dedicated to preaching the Gospel. For the past fifteen years, I have lived in Guatemala. We live in a small town where everyone knows who we are. I love to see people connect with the power of God. I don’t think that only needs to be done in a church. I believe that God wants to reach every person right where they are. That’s why we see the power of God touch people inside bars and on the streets.
Q: What’s it like living in Guatemala?
A: Living in Guatemala is much different than North America. First, Spanish is the main language, so if you want to get around you must know some basic Spanish. If you want to make friends and share Jesus with people, you must know a lot of Spanish. It can be very difficult at times, as we have so much extended family that we would like to be with, but they are so far away. We miss seeing our nieces and nephews grow. Both Karla and I are missionaries. We can see her family a bit more than mine, but it still isn’t the same. However, being in the centre of God’s will is the most rewarding thing on this earth!
Contact Information
www.stevenstoffelsen.com
www.facebook.com/stevenkarlastoffelsen
www.facebook.com/TrustingGodsTiming
www.houseofrefuge.ca
Upcoming Events
Book Launch: March 12, Lakemount Worship Centre, Grimsby, Ontario. 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
All other events can be found here
Our 2016 Free Publishing Contest Non-Fiction Winner, Trusting God’s Timing is now available for sale! Click on the image below to order today!
About this Contributor:
Steven Stoffelsen is a missionary pastor and founder of House of Refuge Street Ministries. For the past fifteen years, he has given up the comforts of Canada to respond to God’s call in Guatemala. He serves the lost and broken, reaches out to the homeless, and ministers to women trapped in the sex trade. He preaches the gospel in many Latin American countries, Canada, and the United States. His desire is to bring revival everywhere he visits. Steven has a Bachelor’s degree in theology from Faith Alive Bible College. He and his wife Karla live in Chiquimulilla, Guatemala. For more from Steven, visit his blog at stevenstoffelsen.com.