A Simple Conversation
I was a senior in high school when I knew I was called to take the Gospel to unreached people groups. God put me on this unexpected adventure in the most ordinary way…. through a simple conversation between two friends on a typical Fall morning.
I was taking my turn working in the church nursery when my friend began peppering me with questions about the Bible. She was a new believer, and at this point I had been a Christian for about ten years. I had the blessing of growing up with godly parents who grounded me in truth, and was part of an amazing community of believers who taught me well. As we stood there with babies bouncing on our hips, she hit me with a question that stopped me in my tracks and left me speechless: “What happens if someone is living in the jungle and never hears anything about the Gospel? What happens to him? Where does he go?”
As I stood there trying to form the words to answer my friend’s question, Bible verses started flooding my mind. All the ones that I had memorized in Sunday School and AWANA over the years, but hadn’t fully contemplated. “Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”
I soberly explained what the Bible has to say about that hypothetical man in the jungle, and decided right then and there what I wanted to live for. I didn’t know how, when, or where, but I knew I wanted to devote my life to bringing the Gospel to people who didn’t have access to it.
Training for the Adventure
As I wrapped up my last year of high school, it seemed the wisest next step would be for me to get some training. I applied to a well-known Christian college near my hometown, but had to pull out before classes began because tuition was too high. If God was calling me to overseas mission work, then going deep into debt was not an option. I felt like I was stuck at a dead end, until I heard about Eternity Bible College. It was too good to be true! A college that was committed to providing quality Bible education without saddling students with debt!
God used my time at Eternity to solidify my knowledge of His Word. Not only did I learn how to study the Bible, but I also learned how to teach it to others. I was able to commute to classes, which meant I could stay plugged in at my home church and apply everything I was learning in class. And surprisingly, I was able to graduate debt free, ready to follow God wherever he would send me!
I went on for further training with New Tribes Missions, and now I’m with a team in the Asia Pacific region of the world, preparing to bring the gospel to the B____ people, one of the many unreached tribal groups in this country who have yet to hear the Gospel in their heart language.
Tribal Church Planting
This church planting endeavor will not be quick or easy. It’s a life-long commitment; learning the tribal language, studying the culture, and building relationships in order to share the Truth in a culturally relevant way. Lord willing, we’ll translate the Word of God into their language, disciple believers to maturity, and establish a mature body of believers who are grounded in their faith and able to disciple others. Even as I type these words, I’m just thrilled at the thought of a church of B____ believers who are living for eternity in their corner of the world!
I’m so thankful for the way God used my time at Eternity Bible College to prepare me for life and ministry! I learned that I was blessed to be a blessing. That humility is essential. That we study God’s Word not to become more knowledgeable, but to plumb the depths of God’s heart and be transformed to His image. I learned that we’re called to worship Him, take pleasure in Him, and to share Him with others.
May God continue to use Eternity to train up and send out workers to reach the unreached!