Velma Tim

Last updated: May 12, 2023

Like Samuel, God called Velma Tim to serve Him with an audible voice. Although she resisted at first, she said a whole-hearted yes to God when she was 22. She later attended Asbury Theological Seminary, and as she prepared to answer the call, she was part of a vibrant prayer ministry on campus.

“Prayer is the core of who we as Christians are,” Velma said. “Prayer is where our relationship with God is developed. The Scriptures come alive when our prayer life and intimacy with God is good. Prayer allows us to be victorious over situations we can’t change unless we have a good prayer life.”

While at Asbury Seminary, she actively participated in and helped to lead several prayer groups. These included daily prayer in Estes Chapel and Wednesday night prayer in Richard Allen Chapel.

“I’ve seen dramatic transformations on campus that couldn’t have been without God,” she said. “I’ve walked with a few students on their journey and seen God take them from total brokenness to a life of victory.”

For Velma, prayer is like communing with a friend. It’s not a checklist, but a relationship.

“Being a prayer warrior is a lifestyle of being hungry for God,” Velma said. “It’s not being satisfied or content with where we are.”

Velma first experienced the power of prayer in her own call to ministry and through the resources God provided for her seminary education. She grew up in Cameroon, in humble circumstances. Her mom sacrificed so that she could have the best education. Therefore, she felt obligated to have a successful career and help her family have a better life.

“Preaching the Gospel was the last thing I wanted to do,” Velma said. “I grew up in a small church and most of the ministers who came were so poor. I told God I would never preach the Gospel.”

However, God asked her to trust him, challenging her with the passage from Jeremiah 1. She realized she couldn’t run from God any longer, so she packed her bags and left home to be mentored by missionaries in a neighboring village.

“I’m grateful that I finally said yes and God gave me a chance,” she said.

She started as a youth leader, training young people in evangelism, small group leadership and church planting. While working with these missionaries, she felt called to Asbury Seminary. However, even after receiving scholarships, she lacked the money for her plane ticket to Kentucky.

“Coming to Asbury Seminary was a miracle,” she said. “I returned from a conference in Kenya just days before I needed to leave and someone gave me an envelope with $1000 inside.”

Velma says that God has been faithful to her family, too. Her siblings are receiving and education and are well established.

“My obedience encouraged their obedience to God and a deeper commitment,” she said. “My cousins said, ‘If you did it, then we can also follow Jesus whole-heartedly.’”

Velma graduated with a dual degree in Christian Education and Christian Leadership in 2017. As she earned her degrees, she worked remotely at International Leadership Institute, training other leaders to go into the field.

“I want to get back to the field as soon as possible,” Velma said. “My heart is drawn to nations that are recovering from natural disasters or war. I want to blend education with leadership training to provide quality training for the next generation.”

Velma is indeed back in the field, now serving as a lead pastor.