Dr. Stephen Gober

For Dr. Steve Gober, multiplication is about making disciples. He and his wife, Karoline, served for 17 years as missionaries with the Methodist Church of Costa Rica, working at the Methodist Seminary. Now, as Associate Vice President of the Florida Dunnam campus, he is committed to promoting spiritual transformation and renewal in the lives of students at Asbury Seminary through global partnerships in Latin America and travel courses to Costa Rica.

God invited Steve to join His mission when he was a senior in college at Asbury University. Using the passage of Isaiah 12, God reminded him of the salvation he had received, but challenged him to share that hope with others.

“Isaiah 12 is at the heart of my call,” Steve said. “God takes me back to that as a reminder of my calling today, but through that encourages me to keep an eye on my immediate context and realize that God’s call is always bigger. It’s his heart for the world.”

Over the years, Steve has seen God break the math rules to multiply his ministry efforts exponentially. Whether individually or within a community, God has worked to bring hope as Steve helps train Christian leaders in North America and Costa Rica. Before transitioning to Asbury Seminary in 2010, Steve worked with the Methodist Seminary in Costa Rica as a professor, administrator, and during the last eight years of his tenure, as president of the seminary.

In 2013, the Methodist Church in Costa Rica celebrated 90 years. As part of the festivities, the Bishop Dr. Luis Fernando Palomo, invited the local churches to come together for a National Celebration. Nearly 4000 people gathered in a rented gymnasium to celebrate this historic moment. During the event, Bishop Palomo called graduates of the Methodist Seminary to come forward. More than 100 people filled the gym floor, visually testifying to thousands of lives transformed. 

“This was one of those snapshots in which you saw that God had raised up men and women as leaders to share His love with the nations,” Steve said. “This caused me to realize afresh that I’ve been privileged to be part of something that has a multiplying effect. By giving one person hope, they in turn introduce others to Jesus.”

In 2012, Asbury Seminary formed a partnership with the Methodist Seminary in Costa Rica. As a result, Steve and other faculty lead travel courses, introducing students to God’s heart for the world. Students engage with leaders and those within the community to discuss class themes, work on building projects and participate in multi-cultural worship. New relationships and experiences serve as a catalyst for spiritual transformation and renewal.

In Fall 2019 the Methodist Seminary in Costa Rica celebrates its thirtieth anniversary. Steve has been invited to be one of the keynote speakers at the Methodist Church’s Annual Conference in Costa Rica in December.

“It’s God’s mission at work as He connects languages from across cultures to allow others to be continually transformed,” Steve said.

Steve has served at Asbury Seminary since 2010. In addition to his role as Associate Vice President of the Florida Dunnam campus, he also teaches spiritual formation. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Nazarene Theological College, researching the intersection of spiritual formation and emerging models of non-residential theological education among U.S. Hispanic students. Steve and Karoline have two children. Natalia studies at Asbury University and Fernando is a senior in high school. As a family, they regularly return to Costa Rica to support the continued development of leaders and the life of the Methodist Church and Seminary.