How We Became Missionaries

Basically, my family’s journey into missions began in 1986 when I turned 39 years old. I had arrived at my “mid-life crisis” (I prefer “mid-life awakening”). I was approaching the big 4 0. So I critically looked at my life at that point, and what I was doing for a living. I had a good job as an independent computer consultant. But I asked myself this question, “Do I want to be doing for the next 20 years, what I’ve been doing for the last 20 years?” I made good money and because I worked with computers, I always worked in an air-conditioned environment. That was good! I worked hard to do my job well, I did it right. I didn’t compromise quality for speed, and I didn’t waste time.
However, although I helped the companies I worked for be more profitable, I wanted to do something more. I didn’t want to just be a good worker, I wanted my work to accomplish more in this world. So I answered my question above with “No, I don’t want the next 20 years to be the same”. I considered different options, and came to God. I decided I would like to do something for Him. He was a world changer. But I didn’t know what I could do. The reason I didn’t know was because I was filtering what I could do for God through my “skill set”. How could I help God with what I do for a living? Ha ha! Think about that…. How could I help God? Really? I was saying to GOD, “I’m a computer guy. How can I help you with your computer needs?” Good grief! I was putting WAY to much value on my skills! When I finally came to my senses, I asked God what He would like me to do. I made four statements to God.
(1) Lord, I will go anywhere You want.
(2) Lord, I will do anything You want.
(3) Lord, I will pay any price You want.
(4) Lord, I will go anytime You want.
I really felt spiritual when I made these statements to God. I was willing to give everything up for God’s will. He would decide my direction in life. He certainly knew more as to what was good for my life than I did. I put everything on the altar, wept a little, and forgot about it. But God was listening. God. Did. Not. Forget.
I believe God was pleased with what I said. He knew what He could use me for. By the way, God can and will use anyone, if you let Him. God decided before He used me he needed to clean up a couple things in my life. Like, debt, trust, faith, and what I put on the altar. I said a moment ago I believed God was pleased….. I would be questioning that soon. The following year was one of the worst of my life, I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown, and kept questioning God as to why this seeming “evil” was upon me, “a Christian”. Actually, God had a good reason for everything that happened, and I am glad it all happened! It needed to happen! You can read about that experience in the upcoming “House Story” that will be published soon. At the time, I couldn’t imagine missions work as a part of my life. Ten years would go by before God would use us on the mission field.

In 1996, my church, Normandale Baptist Church in Bloomington Minnesota, decided to go on a one week mission trip into Mexico with Bearing Precious Seed El Paso. It was the first mission trip for our church. I was on the mission board. My Pastor at the time was John Hartzell. He told me I should sign up to go. I didn’t want to because I had already taken two weeks of vacation that year, and thought three weeks off was too much. But Pastor Hartzell told me I needed to go. “You’re on the missions committee, how are you supposed to know how missionaries feel if you don’t go to the mission field?” He had a point. So I reluctantly agreed to go with the thought, “It’ll probably be good for my kids”. My daughter had recently completed a Gospel Chalk Art Class. During the six month course, she learned a special drawing called “The Two Ways”. It was a powerful evangelistic drawing that brought people to Christ while the pastor preached. When the missionary from El Paso visited our church, we showed him the drawing. He loved it – so we brought it along on the trip. Of the 120 people of our church, 39 people went on that trip. Let me tell you, if you want a mission-minded church, just send a third of them on a mission trip! The mission was in El Paso, Texas. We took busses into Mexico. The El Paso director at the time, Carlos Demarest, especially liked the chalk drawing! Normally the missionaries would do a puppet program and then show a movie… on a big white sheet hanging on the side of the bus. They usually showed the movie “The Burning Hell”. Now that movie was intense, to say the least! But here was the problem. To show the movie, it had to be dark. And usually half the crowd would leave when the sun went down (single mothers and children). Following the movie, the Mexican pastor would preach for 20 minutes to lead people to Christ.
Now with the chalk drawing, it only needed to be dark at the end (a special black light picture was shown). So, the drawing could start at dusk, and be done as the sun went down. The drawing took about 20 minutes, and the Mexican pastor preached while she drew. Everything was done by the time it was dark. Carlos really liked it because the picture was special and beautiful, the pastor preached the 20 minutes while the drawing kept everyone’s attention, and everyone heard the gospel! We replaced the movie with the chalk drawing every night. And I am telling you, those Mexican people came forward to be saved! It was glorious!

And the end of the week, Brother Demarest brought me into his office. He said, “Brother, I want you to leave your daughter here for the rest of the summer so she can go into Mexico with us on every trip – we get twice as many people hearing the gospel with that drawing than with the movie. We need that chalk drawing! And don’t worry, I’ll take care of her as if she were my own daughter!”
I sat there for a moment hardly believing what I had just heard. I thought, “I’m supposed to leave my 16 year old daughter here for three months and let her go in and out of Mexico???” I responded slowly, “I just can’t do that”. He said, “Fine. Your whole family can stay”. I said, “But I have a house, a job, and a mortgage in Minnesota.” He said, “Who cares about that? God can take care of you!” I have to admit, I felt cornered. Who could respond to that? I wanted to get out of there. I had an idea. I asked Carlos, “Do you believe in prayer?” “I sure do!” He said. “Okay, we’ll both pray about my family coming here as soon as possible and I promise I’ll pray for open doors”. I remember feeling relieved to just get out of that office. That word “impossible” was bouncing all around in my head. Just leave and come here? I didn’t have any savings. I had a mortgage and family responsibilities. Nobody could do what he’s asking. But I did do what I said I would do. I prayed for open doors to come to El Paso.
I told my wife what he said. She agreed about not leaving our daughter. And if all the doors would open, she was with me 100% about going into missions for the summer. (I SO love my wife!). We got back to Minnesota on Friday and had a long talk with my pastor. He talked to the church missions committee, and said because it was urgent, they would support us 100% for the next three months. I could simply close up my house for three months and someone from the church would check on it regularly and water the plants. On Sunday the entire church indicated they were behind us. Every. Door. Opened! Glory to God! On Monday, I walked into my boss’ office. He said, “How was that mission’s trip?” I said, “Great! That’s why I’m giving you my two-week notice. I’m going there for the summer!” “Do you know what you’re doing?” He said. I said with a shaky voice, “No, but God does!”
So two weeks later, my family and I left Minnesota for El Paso, Texas, for three months.
I love telling that story to middle-aged fathers who always say, “That would be impossible for me….” Ha ha! It was impossible for me too, but with God, NOTHING is impossible!

God’s Lessons Here

God ALWAYS has a lesson in the events of your life. The lessons here are associated with the four things I said to God, ten years earlier.
(1) Lord, I’ll go anywhere you want.
He sent me from the land of 10,000 lakes (Minnesota) to the desert of west Texas. I had to look on a map to see where in Texas El Paso was.
(2) Lord, I will do anything you want.
What I was doing on the missions field had nothing to do with the career I had. God didn’t need any of my so-called “Computer skills”. All He needed was a willing heart.
(3) Lord, I will pay any price you want.
Two years later, I would go full-time on the mission field and take an 80% drop in income…. and here God taught me a great secret – “The best thing about being a missionary is you don’t have any money! Because then you HAVE to depend on God. And when you HAVE to depend on God, He ALWAYS COMES THROUGH!”
(4) Lord, I will go anytime you want.
The incredible thing about this story is the time. No middle aged person can decide to go from working a job for years on a Friday and then decide to go to the mission field on Monday. That’s impossible. At least it was until you read this story. God’s timing is always perfect – even when you wait ten years and then have two days to make a life-changing decision.