Blogs 

February 22, 2025 -  Presidential Induction Ceremony


Although the ESWA presidency was turned over to Gary on November 16, 2024, we left for home assignment the next week and returned in early January. The official induction ceremony was held on February 22, 2025. Here are Gary's remarks at the formal induction ceremony. Click here for link to the induction remarks. 


November 2024 - Ministry Video, a New Challenge, & Big Events!

Wow! God has been doing amazing things at ESWA this semester. Students are working hard and being trained, equipped for ministry through their coursework. Not only that, but both the Research Center (Library) and the the new Administration building have been completed. We moved to the beautiful, new campus the middle of this month. On November 16, the buildings were named (Richard & Carol Calenberg Research Center, Jay & Laurie Sedwick Administration Building, and Jacob & Daisy Vambo Palaver Hut) and dedicated to the Lord. Plus, the mantle of leadership was turned over to Gary, who is the new ESWA President!

Below are some links to documentaries about these significant milestones. Click on links below to view.

• (PDF) Gary's remarks on Presidential Turnover
• (PDF) Calenberg's Prayer Letter Giving More Details

 

• (Video Clip) Liz's Fall 2024 Ministry Video Including Nov. 16 Events

 

May 2024 Photo Blog - ESWA Events: Praise God!

The end of the semester concluded with an amazing visit from a DTS Team for graduation and two conferences. Dr. Mark Yarbrough, President and Professor of Bible Exposition from Dallas Theological Seminary, was our commencement and keynote conference speaker. This was truly a wonderful blessing and time of celebration. Here is a photo blog of these events. 

                  

From left to right: End-of-Semester Presentations, May19 Baccalaureate Service, May 24 DTS Alumni Dinner, and May 25 ESWA Commencement Pics!

                      

Dedication & Ribbon cutting ceremony on the new campus site followed by a Presidential Dinner inside the newly built ESWA Library & Research Center!

        

May 27-28 Story of Scripture Conference (photo above on left) by Dr. Mark Yarbrough, President of Dallas Theological Seminary, where c. 550 pastors and leaders from every county in  Liberia were trained! Then on May 30, Dr. Michael Ortiz (DTS VP of Global Ministries & Associate Professor of Missiology as well as the Director of the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (photo above on the right)) led a conference at ESWA on Formal and Informal Theological Education.

 

January 1, 2024: Opening My Eyes & Heart to
God's Heart Through a Children's Christmas Program

God has placed a burden on my heart for the children of Liberia. Each new generation is an “unreached people group” in any culture or country, but here we also face “Liberian realities.” According to the recent statistics since 2020, approximately 43% of Liberians are under 15 with the median age being just 17.5 years (statista.com). Thus, about half of the population are children and youth. This demographic means that ministry to children (and young people) is especially strategic and vital in Liberia.

From my preliminary observations in a few of the churches here in the city, it is customary for children to be sent off by themselves to walk to church, but their parents often do not attend. Some churches have feeding programs in their children’s programs each Sunday to help combat malnutrition and give kids both physical and spiritual food. Most of the children of Liberia face extreme poverty and are sometimes forgotten. But the LORD doesn’t forget them. Jesus invites and welcomes the “little children to come” unto Him. Each person, whether child or adult, is made in God’s image and loved beyond measure. Although this world is often a dark place, there is a sure hope for each person that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

As part of my journey in learning about our new environment, I inquired of our colleague at ESWA, Dr. Jacob Vambo III, about children’s programs in the area. He introduced me to a young man that he mentors, Samuel. Pastor Samuel leads a children’s ministry with 150 kids from age 2 to 13 that meets in the community behind the seminary. Samuel is not yet “trained” in kid’s ministry and is also a Bible college student, but he is doing something and wants to learn. Samuel meets with up to 150 kids every Friday after school outside in their community and teaches them about God and the Bible. I spoke with him two weeks before Christmas and we exchanged ideas. I learned he was hosting a kid’s Christmas program just 10 days from then and hadn’t yet really planned much of the event details. This is common here, and he asked me to help.

So, I ended up leading about 20 children to perform a nativity dramatization. We practiced together three times the week before the December 21st Christmas Program. The day I brought the costumes (borrowed from our SIM team) for the dress rehearsal, the children were overjoyed. Each child rushed up to hug me. They were so grateful. Other volunteers helped the children with Christmas dances and choir performances. On the 21st, even though everyone showed up late, the tiny church was packed full to the brim with many kids -- at least 100, but perhaps even 150. After the program, I shared the Gospel and gave children an opportunity to place their faith in Christ. I gave an invitation, prayed, and all the kids repeated the prayer after me. Then Dr. Vambo shared a few words and prayed with them again. I do not know how many children really believed and were saved, but Pastor Samuel will follow them up. I praise God that he will continue to teach them the Good News of Jesus and the Bible. However, to his own admission, he needs much more training and is willing to learn and pursue this soon.


 
The needs are very great here. I am praying that we can develop a graduate level children’s ministry course at ESWA to help train more pastors, educators, and leaders to (a) share the Gospel; (b) develop curriculum for churches; (c) recruit and train more children’s leaders; and (d) write age-appropriate, biblical lessons for children’s ministry here in Liberia. This will be no small task. Please pray for us to begin this process in 2024. The children of Liberia are on God’s heart.  To God be the glory!
 
By Elizabeth McKnight, January 1, 2024





December 25, 2023 Merry Christmas Greetings from the McKnight Family

Warm Christmas greetings from sunny Liberia! Here is our McKnight family Christmas card for 2023. We are so thankful for WhatsApp, cell phones, electricity, and  internet to be able to stay connected with our son, our Marine eight time zones away, and to our family and friends, five and six time zones away. We love and miss you all. Let us rejoice in our Savior's birth, life, death, and resurrection this Christmas! The Good News of Christmas changes everything and brings peace, hope, joy, and purpose to our lives. That is, to glorify God and make Him known to the ends of the earth. "Glory to God in the highest!" Have a blessed Christmas and New Year! Love in Christ,  Gary and Elizabeth P.S. We will send our next prayer letter out very soon, early in 2024! P.P.S. Also, please do not send mail or packages to our former house at 1904 Silver Leaf Dr., Pantego, TX 76013. Please email us for inquiries or send to our PO Box below. Email is best, because there is no postal service available in Liberia for us to use. Thank you.  Thank you for your prayers and financial support! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Our Contact Info: Email: gary.mcknight@sim.org or liz.mcknight@sim.org USA Texas phones: 817-247-0879 (Gary) or 817-247-2093 (Liz) Liberian phones: +231 country code and 77-865-2586 (Gary) or 77-865-2602 (Liz) For WhatsApp: 817-247-0879 (Gary) or  817-247-2093 (Liz)  Note: if these do not work for WhatsApp, then try using the country code +1 for the USA first. USA Mailing Address: PO Box 14195, Arlington, TX 76094

SIM "By prayer!"

August 15, 2023 Email Update Sent Out

Warm greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Praise God! We arrived safely in Liberia with all luggage to our temporary mission house late on Wednesday night. We are settling in well and much has been accomplished in a short time. We will send a prayer letter out as soon as possible but here is a summary of our first few days. 

• Day one: Cold/warmish showers; some sleep; purchase of Liberian phone SIM cards, groceries, a toaster; and start orientation. We also met our contractor face to face and saw our house renovation progress. 
• Day two: Bumpy ride downtown to Razouks (to buy washer/dryer, microwave, printer, refrigerator), stop at the big supermarket downtown for supplies/lunch, and a trip to the big Orange Liberia building to get internet/router. Then we returned home to set up internet and check emails and we had a lovely supper with some of our SIM Liberia team. 
• Day three (today, Saturaday): Washer/dryer delivery, a one-mile walk down the road to see our house reno and discuss details with our contractor, dinner with Calenbergs, and the set up of Berkey water filtration system to keep us healthy, etc.  

 

Please pray for:

• God’s protection, getting over jetlag, good rest, and good health. 
• Orientation (one month) to the SIM Liberia team and a good transition.
• Good and timely completion of our house reno so we can move in and get settled very soon!
• Our son, Daniel, in CA to continue to learn and grow, and for God to bless him spiritually and in his training as a young Marine.

Ministry partners, friends, and family, you are important parts of our team. Thank you for your faithful prayers and generous gifts, as well as your encouragement and love. We love you and appreciate each and every one of you.  Love in Christ, Gary and Liz

November 26, 2022
ICETE Conference Video - Fruitful Time!
Gary got home safely from the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education conference in Turkey just in time for Thanksgiving turkey! The time there was fruitful for ministry and a great success! Click here to see the video posted on Facebook describing the impact of the conference.


September 25, 2022
ESWA Ministry Video Ready - Go Liberia 2023!
By God's grace and with His help, I finished our ministry video about our July mission at ESWA in Liberia and the confirmation of our call to serve at ESWA full time. Please click on this LINK to view the full 14 minutes video on YouTube. To God be the glory!

For the shorter 3 minute video (does not include student interviews) please click on this LINK to view. Thanks so much for your support!


August 2022 Update by Liz - Gary Interviewed on ELWA Radio

While we were in Liberia serving and teaching at ESWA this past summer, Gary was interviewed for the Light of the Word (LOTW) ELWA radio program that broadcasted on Saturday, July 23rd. Dr. Richard Calenberg, ESWA Seminary President, interviewed Gary (Dr. Gary McKnight) along with Dr. Dee Grimes to welcome them as new faculty. After the interview, Dr. Calenberg teaches and explains Hebrews 12 as part of the LOTW recurring broadcast. Please click on the link "ESWA New Faculty Interview & Hebrews 12" to listen to the audiofile. Thanks. 

April 16, 2020 by Dr. Gary McKnight

Many of us are familiar with, and perhaps even have memorized, Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those called according to His purpose” (NASB). This verse does not teach that everything that happens is good, much less that it is for the best. What it does teach is that in this present fallen world, nothing happens—not the sinful actions of others against us, not our own sins (of either commission or omission), not natural disasters such as tornadoes, not pandemics such as COVID-19—from which God cannot bring good.

From Romans 8:29, we see that the good God is primarily concerned with is that we “become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” How might God bring about His good for us out of this difficult and dangerous time?

The process of becoming more conformed to Jesus Christ, who is “the radiance of His [God’s] glory and the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3 NASB), has been variously described: “sanctification,” from the perspective of holiness; “discipleship,” from the perspective of training; and “spiritual formation,” from the perspective of growth and development.

Glen G. Scorgie has identified three broad dynamics to Christian spirituality or spiritual formation in his book titled A Little Guide to Christian Spirituality. First is the relational, or “Christ with us.” Because we have been justified and adopted by God into His family, we have the opportunity for growing friendship with God (e.g., John 15:15) and participation in biblical community (e.g., 1 John 4:20-21 and the “one another” commands of the New Testament).

The second dynamic is transformational, or “Christ in us.” The growing Christian will manifest increased levels of personal holiness and psychological wholeness (e.g., the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and Christlike humility (Phil 2:1-5)).

The third dynamic is vocational, participating in God’s work, or “Christ working through us.” This includes participating in God’s work in both the church (e.g., Eph 4:11-16) and the world (e.g., Matt 28:18-20).

Scorgie notes that: “these three dynamics—the relational, transformational, and vocational—are always vitally connected, overlapping, and interdependent” (14). It is not possible to choose one and neglect the others.” Pastor David Daniels of Central Bible Church, our home church, summarizes these dynamics as being part of a spiritual pathway involving Belong, Become, and (Go) Beyond.

So the question becomes, “How can we each best cooperate with/facilitate the Holy Spirit’s work of conforming us to Christ’s image during this challenging time?” More specifically, let us each ask:

• How can I pursue a deeper friendship with God?
• How can I pursue/practice biblical community despite the need for physical distancing (not social distancing—we need one another more than ever!)
• What practice(s) can I participate in that will help me train so that I become more like Christ in my thoughts, affections, and actions?
• How does God want me to join Him in His work in my church, my community, and the world?

“Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NASB). The purpose of my posing these questions certainly is not to condemn or lay guilt on myself or any of you who read these words. Rather, let each person take time to ask God what His good and perfect plan for him or her includes at present. What opportunity does He offer you now?

I close with the prayer of Hebrews 13:20-21 (NASB): “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”