Tom Eakins Retires
It was almost one year ago that Tom began to express
his intention of retiring from the work of Stauros and from
being a member of the Board.
Tom began working with Stauros,in close association with Arthur
Williams, as far back as 1982. In those early days he was part-time. But it
soon became evident that the gifting Tom had for one-to-one pastoral
care was drawing so many people that by 1983 he found it necessary
to step out in faith and become full time in ministry. But Tom’s gifting
was not only in one-to-one pastoral work, his contribution to Stauros has
proved to be pivotal in so manyother ways.
Stauros meeting
For 20 years or more, Tom and Linda ran a Stauros meeting in their home
on Lurgan Road each Thursday evening. They were a team together
and tribute must be paid to Linda as much as Tom for the way she
supported him through every step. Tom’s frequent travels meant Linda
remaining at home holding the fort. Their home and the Thursday
meeting became a nest of comfort for many people, a hub for what the
Lord was doing through them – on one occasion 47 people squeezed
into their front room to sing and pray and listen to God’s word. Many
people were saved through this ministry and many have gone on to
the serve the Lord in a “full-time” capacity at home and abroad on the
mission field.
Men’s TestimonyGroup
In 1984 Tom gathered together a number of the men whom he had
seen commit their lives to Christ and, with his interest in music, began a
testimony group. For over 20 years Tom and the men’s testimony group
travelled throughout Northern Ireland singing and testifying to the
saving grace of Christ in churches and meeting halls. I am sure that
many of our readers will remember this group and the songs they sang,
especially the song “Wasted years,” which became one of their
signatory tunes.
Ballyards Castle
From the early years Stauros staff and leaders had been expressing the
need for a residential unit, a place where people could go to recover
from addiction and be given the opportunity to set their life on a
different track. In 1990 Tom was instrumental in opening up the door to
residential care and making a Stauros dream come true. He
approached Norman Paynter, who owned Ballyards Castle, and began
praying for guidance and God’s will. Once per week the two men met
in the Castle to pray and seek the Lord in relation to how it should be
used within the Kingdom of God. The result of fervent prayer materialised
in 1994 when Stauros entered into a covenant with the Ballyards
Christian Trust to use the Castle as a recovery centre for people with
addiction problems.
United States of America
Tom was also instrumental in the development of Stauros work in
the United States of America. One night when staying in Scotland in
the winter of 1994, when sleep was not forthcoming, Tom decided to
read the story of Abraham. When he came to Genesis 17:8 he read “I
will give to thee the land ... in which thou art a stranger”. It was another
pivotal moment. Tom was sure he had heard the voice of the Lord
prepare him to go somewhere he would be a stranger. He shared his
convictions with Arthur, and together they waited to see what the Lord
would do. Within a few months, in February 1995, he received a letter
from Elaine Price inviting him to visit the USA to participate in the work
among addicts out there.
In May 1995, Tom, along with Stan Gowdy, visited America for the first
time, and was picked up at the airport by Elaine’s husband, Woody Price. A
central piece of the Stauros jig-saw had just fallen into place. Within two
years Tom was looking for someone to take up the mantle of doing
Stauros work in America. Woody and Elaine had decided to move to
Northern Ireland, and so someone else needed to stand in the gap.
In 1997 Tom met John Burghauser for the first time. And for 18 years
Tom has travelled back and forth to America, encouraging, guiding and
empowering local people to do the Stauros ministry in their own land.
Over the years Tom has seen so many, many people come to know the
Lord, some who have already gone to be with the Lord, and some who
continue to serve Him in ministry and on the mission field. In his so
typical humble way he simply says it was all because of the grace of God,
a God who does not mark iniquity, but loves, and loves and loves again.
Tom’s most obvious character traits are his compassion for the lost and
the broken, his love for people and the special touch of the Holy Spirit
that has been an integral part of his ministry throughout.
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