Our Story
The Footstep Ministries Story
Elizabeth Iliadou left her homeland and family in Greece to attend Gordon College in Massachusetts. A native of Berea—the biblical town remembered for its eager study of Scripture (Acts 17:11)—she brought her Greek heritage with her.
Nearby, David Sparks was studying at Gordon-Conwell Seminary. He had grown up in Texas and attended Berean Christian Academy. Elizabeth’s dorm director noticed the Berea connection and introduced them.
The coincidence was too much to ignore.
As they began dating, Elizabeth’s mother worried about her daughter marrying an American. Elizabeth jokingly assured her that she wasn’t marrying an American—she was marrying a Texan.
Fittingly, they were married in Berea, Greece.
Berea Meets Texas
Returning to Greece became an opportunity to share Elizabeth’s homeland with others. In 1984, she and David brought a small group of friends along, combining her knowledge of Greek culture and hospitality with his passion for teaching God’s Word.
David was serving as a parish minister, using vacation time and study leave to lead the tours. One journey led to another, and in 1994, they felt called to make Footstep Ministries their full-time work.
Their sons, Dave and Adam, traveled with them, spending their childhood summers in Greece. Long before joining the team as adults, the boys were growing up with these journeys as part of family life.
A Journey Back Home
Travelers soon began asking about destinations beyond Greece. David and Elizabeth started scouting locations in Italy. Israel followed, drawing on David’s experience studying there during a college summer.
Turkey held another family connection: Elizabeth’s parents’ heritage was rooted in Asia Minor during the Ottoman era. England was later added to trace the life and history of the church there.
Other travelers wanted to return to familiar places and discover more. Their requests helped inspire seaside and island journeys in Greece and explorations of lesser-known Italy.
New Places, Lasting Connections
After completing university, Adam Sparks joined the team and helped expand the work with high school groups. His wife, Blake, soon joined as well.
Dave joined in 2014 and began expanding the team, adding staff and Christian leaders to accompany travelers. His wife, Jill, followed shortly afterward, taking on much of the administrative work and helping streamline the office through digital systems.
Today, David and Elizabeth remain active in teaching, hospitality, and spiritual guidance, sharing their calling with their family and a wider team.
The Next Generation
What began with a small group of friends now welcomes churches, alumni groups, university students, high school students, and individual travelers.
The purpose remains personal: to help travelers encounter Jesus Christ, the Living Word, through biblical teaching, shared worship, and thoughtful care.
The Same Vision, Every Journey
