Beholding Jesus exists to provide resources to encourage the heart to adore the majesty of Christ and proclaim His worth to others. These resources come from the teaching ministry of Stephen Venable, a senior leader at the Antioch Center for Training and Sending (ACTS) in Colorado Springs.
Stephen met the Lord and was born again through a series of events in 1996 and 1997. After completing his undergraduate degree in Western PA, Stephen had two years of involvement with ministries in the State College, PA area before moving to Kansas City to take part in the Fire in the Night internship at the International House of Prayer (IHOPKC).
Stephen’s calling to night and day prayer began in his senior year of college when he first heard Mike Bickle speak on the Tabernacle of David and the reality of the house of prayer at a conference in Albany, NY. Though it would be several more years until Stephen was ‘set on the wall’ (Is. 62:5-6), so to speak, that night was a marking moment in his journey and powerfully impacted his heart. The next year Stephen first visited Kansas City for the annual Harp & Bowl Conference. There, during a time of worship, Stephen felt the invitation from the Holy Spirit to commit himself to night and day ministry to the Lord for all of his days.
About a year after moving to Kansas City, Stephen accepted the opportunity to work with the Forerunner School of Ministry (now part of International House of Prayer University) in an administrative capacity. It was through this role that the chance arose to be a teaching assistant with Allen Hood, and then later an instructor at the school. More important that year was that Stephen met his amazing wife, Karli, who was at that time also an intercessory missionary at IHOPKC. Married in 2004, Karli and Stephen now have two sons.
After years of working with IHOPU and teaching a variety of courses, the Lord led Stephen to join the leadership team of ACTS in 2012. The same vision of the worth of Jesus that leads to the cry, He must be worshiped without ceasing! yields the conviction He must worshiped without exception! The Lamb is worthy of the praise of every nation, tribe, and tongue. The mission of ACTS, therefore, was a natural extension of Stephen’s calling to night and day ministry to the Lord. It has been a great joy and privilege for Stephen to teach and mentor the ACTS students as they go forth into difficult regions of the earth to proclaim the glory of Jesus among the unreached.
In 2014 the Venable family relocated to Colorado Springs in order to continue to work with ACTS as it entered into partnership with Every Home for Christ. Stephen is presently helping to strengthen the house of prayer in Colorado Springs as he serves ACTS through teaching, writing, and traveling. For more information on how to partner with Stephen and his family as he ministers to the Lord and labors for His fame in the nations, please visit the Giving page.
