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February 2, 2025

Missions Interest

Rob James

The biggest thing is when people place their faith in Jesus Christ, and the Scriptures say they move from darkness to light. You can't even describe what it's like to see someone count the cost, knowing there's a cost to follow Christ, and still make that choice.

How does God open doors in the face of disaster? In this excerpt from Everstory EP30 | Planning to Go, Willing to Stay, Spencer and Rhonda share stories of God transforming broken lives through faith, healing, and service. It’s a powerful reminder of how stepping out in obedience brings light to those in darkness.

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We’ve been through riots, earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, and criminal activity. But, honestly, we don’t want to dwell on those things. What we really want to talk about is what God has done.

The most amazing thing is seeing people place their faith in Jesus Christ. The Scriptures say they move from darkness to light, and it’s beyond words to describe what it’s like to watch someone count the cost—knowing full well the challenges that come with following Christ—and still choose to follow Him. That moment, when someone crosses from death to life, makes everything worthwhile.

We’ve also seen God restore marriages and heal relationships between parents and children. We’ve seen people with financial difficulties learn to trust God, become disciplined with their resources, and experience His provision. We’ve witnessed those who were abused and traumatized from childhood receive deep healing, hope, and freedom through the Spirit of God. We’ve seen people forgive others and walk in the joy that only forgiveness can bring. These are the things we want to talk about—what God has done.

We’ve had opportunities to serve during natural disasters. I remember one large earthquake in particular. Ron and I ran outside as the power went out. It was so powerful that we knew our lives had been forever changed. We held hands and prayed, “Lord, we don’t know what’s happened outside the walls of our yard, but whatever it is, we want to be in the very center of what You’re doing.”

Immediately, we contacted our expat and Indonesian friends to check on them. Then, we told everyone, “Come to our house tomorrow. We’re going to do some relief work.” Over the next six weeks, our house became a base camp. Doctors volunteered their time. People donated rice, tents, and mats.

Sometimes, when we were traveling, another tremor would hit, shaking our car violently. We’d look at each other and say, “What do we do now?” Our answer was always the same: “We’re going to help those people.” So, we kept going. Doctors would work for hours, seeing patient after patient. Those moments of service showed us how God moves in the midst of challenges and suffering.

In one case, after floods devastated an area, we asked the Lord where He wanted us to minister. He directed us to three specific villages. In one of those villages, our team helped build sandbags to protect against further flooding. While we worked, people began asking, “Why are you here? Why are you helping us?”

It was through being Christ in that place that a Discovery Group was formed. That group eventually led to numerous baptisms. That’s how God opens doors—even in the midst of trials.

God is always at work. Our job is to have eyes to see, courage to trust Him, and the boldness to step out in faith to respond to those Kairos moments.

Interested in learning more about global or long-term missions?