When the Lord Redirects Our Steps
Q2 2026
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We want to begin by saying thank you. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, generosity, and patience with our family as we have sought the Lord’s will regarding the ministry at Downham Baptist Church in London, England.
This has not been a light matter for us. When Downham Baptist Church voted for me to come as their pastor, Candace and I were humbled and grateful. We truly believed the Lord was opening a door for us to serve Him there. We prayed, planned, prepared, traveled, raised support, and sought to walk forward by faith.
However, over time, through much prayer, counsel, and consideration, the Lord has made it clear that we should not continue pursuing relocation to England. One of the clearest practical realities before us has been the lack of a permanent visa pathway. We have explored the options available, prayed over them, sought counsel, and waited on the Lord, but at this point there is no clear or stable visa route in sight that would allow our family to relocate and serve there long-term.
Our desire was never to go temporarily or to leave the church in uncertainty. We wanted to go, settle, shepherd, and serve faithfully. But without a clear long-term visa pathway, we do not believe it would be wise or faithful to continue moving forward or to keep the church waiting indefinitely.
Because of this, I have resigned from the role of pastor at Downham Baptist Church. This is not due to conflict, discouragement with the church, or any lack of love for the people there. We love Downham Baptist Church, and we are thankful for the kindness, patience, and encouragement they have shown our family. This decision is simply the result of the Lord redirecting our steps through circumstances that we cannot ignore.
Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” That verse has been very real to us. We made plans, and we sought to make them sincerely before the Lord, but we also recognize that He is the One who directs our steps. We want to follow Him, even when His direction is different than what we expected.
While this is a difficult update to share, we are not discouraged in the Lord. We believe He is still leading, still working, and still worthy of our trust. Our desire remains the same: to serve Christ, strengthen local churches, preach the Word, disciple believers, and help train men, women, and families for the work of the ministry.
For now, we believe the Lord would have us remain where we are in Western New York and continue serving Him faithfully in the opportunities He has placed before us. We are asking the Lord to guide our next steps clearly and to help us steward this season with humility, faithfulness, and wisdom.
We want to thank each of you who have prayed, given, encouraged, and walked with us through this process. Your support has not been wasted. The Lord has used this season to teach us, shape us, burden us, and deepen our desire to serve Him. We are grateful for every church and every individual who has stood with us.
Please pray for us in the following ways:
Pray for Downham Baptist Church as they continue seeking the Lord’s direction for their next pastor.
Pray for our family as we communicate this decision clearly and graciously.
Pray that the Lord would guide our next steps and keep our hearts faithful to His will.
Pray that we would continue to be useful in serving churches, discipling believers, and training others for ministry.
Thank you again for your love, prayers, and support. We are deeply grateful.
In Christ,
Christopher Beane