From Derek Murphy, New ICPA Executive Director
After 25 years of service as the Executive Director of the Intermountain Church Planters Association (ICPA), Stephen Edwards is stepping down from that position at the end of August, 2022. On September 1 2022, I will become the new Executive Director. I have asked Steve to remain with the ICPA, part time, as one of my staff members. Over time, I will be asking Steve to share some of the insights he has gained over the years. I know he wants to publicly thank some of our most faithful partners from years past, especially faithful members of our Board of Directors. Please keep your eyes open for the articles that will be coming.
In 25 years, Steve and our association of churches had the opportunity to see 27 churches planted, where more than 25,000 Christians gather to worship and hundreds are baptized every year. Steve would want me to give proper credit. It has not been all his work, it is the work of the Lord and the churches we have partnered with and planted. We have also seen 3 movements of church plants from our investment. Eagle Christian ('95) has grown itself and has gone on to launch several churches as well as 3 campuses in the greater Treasure Valley. Real Life Ministries ('98) has planted over 10 churches in Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington and Plant Utah ('16) in Utah County has seen 4 churches planted in one of the most unreached people groups in the country.
In the last few years Steve has started some of the most important work of his life, in my opinion. Five years-ago he started a Life Transforming Group (discipleship group) with 2 Boise Bible College students and out of that group of 3 they have seen over 100 individuals actively engaged in disciple making, weekly. This meets one of the largest problems we are facing in the church today, raising up leaders. Steve is doing something about that problem and personally investing in young men who will be our future. I don’t know another Executive Director doing work like this at this level. He is doing something bold to meet our church leadership crisis.
During the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020, Steve started diving into prayer in ways that never seemed possible when he was on the road. He began prayer walking 8 miles each day in order to keep himself healthy and to sit at the feat of his Father in Heaven. Ever since I have known Steve he has said, “Every move of God starts with Prayer.” He has lead the way in prayer over every church plant in his 25 years, but Since 2020, he taken his commitment to prayer to a whole new level. He has experienced the presence of God in ways that taught him new insights into the fear and wonder of God. I watched this in real time and saw the new life inside of him. Steve is in his 70’s and I saw how real the gospel is, how it is just as relevant at 77 as it is at 17. His journey gave me hope to renew my prayer life in 2021 and start prayer walking daily because of his example. The number of people Steve prays for by name every day is astounding to me. If you are reading this article it would not surprise me if you are one of them.
I, Derek, will be stepping into the ICPA Executive Director role starting Thursday, September 1st. Along with Steve, I will be taking my ICPA role Part Time as God also uses my life to plant a new church planting church in Salt Lake City. It has been my privilege over the past 20 years to be Steve’s friend and partner, please join me in congratulating Steve on 25 years of faithful service, doing his part to see God’s Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. Please pray for us as we move forward together as a team to see His mission continued forward. We are praying for 100,000 souls in the next 10 years!