Family News: The Gills Are on the Move!

We’re stepping out in faith and obedience like never before. Along with our daughters, Amelia (11) and Grace (9), we’re moving to the USA so Vic can train for full-time gospel ministry—meaning we’re both leaving our stable careers behind. It sounds a bit crazy, doesn’t it? We’d probably think the same if we didn’t know the full story. So, before you sound the alarm, hear us out.

After almost a year of praying and planning, we'll be leaving the UK at the end of July (a month from today). Yup, that's this July.

Our shared story

We both came to know the Lord Jesus Christ from different faith backgrounds: Vic from Hinduism and Simi from Sikhism. Born and raised in Southall, Greater London—a predominantly immigrant town with a large Sikh, Hindu, and Muslim population—we came to faith there, met, and married in 2009. It was also in Southall where we first served together in a new church plant alongside two other couples. Vic served in the leadership team as a lay elder with pastoral and preaching responsibilities.

However, after becoming parents to two children, balancing the responsibilities of a fledgling church plant alongside a demanding full-time job became unsustainable. In addition, the commute from South Buckinghamshire to Southall was taking its toll on us as a young family. After nearly a decade later, in 2019, we transferred our membership to a more local church, Saint James’s in Gerrards Cross, where we currently serve.

We both love serving God and unashamedly telling others about Jesus. It’s very much wired into us because we think that’s how it was modelled to us. However, we recognise the need for a dedicated period of training to enter gospel ministry. For this reason, Vic is eager to pursue full time ministry in a fresh way.

Vic’s story

Since coming to faith in 2005, my greatest joy has included sharing Jesus with unbelievers and encouraging God’s people. Over the years, to equip me for lay ministry, I’ve pursued formal training, including a ministry internship at Times Square Church in New York (USA), an Undergraduate Diploma in Biblical and Theological Studies at Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford, and a church planting training course at London Seminary.

Since then, I’ve actively served in different ways in all the churches I’ve been a member of. In addition, I’ve maintained a regular itinerant preaching relationship with several evangelical churches across the UK.

In 2024, my employer of 20 years–Brunel University of London–announced 2,000 jobs were at risk of redundancies—mine included. After a fulfilling and rewarding career in academic research, the uncertainty prompted reflection on my future. The more I prayed “What next, Lord?”, the more I realised that everything within me just wanted to share Jesus with others. Thankfully, I avoided redundancy. However, something had stirred within me, and I had made up my mind that the time had arrived for something new.

Simi’s story

Like Vic, I love serving God and believe the truths of the Bible are too precious not to be shared. To this end, I’ve enjoyed serving God alongside Vic. Similarly, I have a rewarding career, though balancing being a wife, a mum, and full-time work isn’t easy. I’ve always seen God’s hand on Vic’s life. He has a pastoral care for people, and a passion for explaining the Bible and telling others about Jesus.

I believe obeying God is the best example I can set for our girls. Supporting Vic to attend seminary is both an honour and delight. Sure, I’m a little nervous about practicalities, but I trust the Lord will guide us—His faithfulness has always been evident to us.

So, what’s the plan?

The plan is for Vic to complete a three-year Master of Divinity (MDiv) programme with Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama (USA). To fund the move, we’ll use a combination of savings as well as help from generous family and friends. A scholarship has been secured which will help offset tuition costs.

But why the US? There are a few reasons. As a family, we need a reset. We need to step out of our comfort zone and model trust to our children. Simi and I both felt a complete change of environment is the best way forward for us. We feel ‘security’ had become a bit of an idol. Also, a Godly friend and mentor, whom Vic has known for over 15 years, was able to put us in touch with people he knew at Beeson Divinity School. In addition, Beeson Divinity School ticked all the boxes as a good place: evangelical, a strong emphasis on in-person community, confessional, and interdenominational.

Our priority will be to find a church family and get plugged in. Simi will look after the girls whom we will either enrol in a local school or consider home schooling options. Once the formal training is completed, I’ll prayerfully keep my options open.

We love our sending church family at Saint James and recognise the emerging challenges and opportunities for gospel ministry at home and in the local surrounding areas. What this looks like at the moment, the Lord knows. This could involve church ministry or even a church-based/Christian organisation. I envision serving in some form of cross-cultural ministry, using our South Asian spoken language skills for outreach—likely including pastoral work, church planting, and evangelism.

How you can pray for us

As a family, we would value your prayers in the following areas:

• That we hear God’s voice and walk in obedience.

• That we hear and walk in God’s counsel through His people, the church.

• For practicalities (finding a church family, settling in, schooling, finances, new friends)

Stay connected with us

If you’re reading this, chances are we already know and love you—which means you have zero excuses not to come visit us in sweet home Alabama!

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