Why it’s worth it: A Go Now Missions story

This story was written by Hugh Ells, a Trinity County College student who is serving as a Go Now Missions missionary in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Go Now Missions is a mission sending agency that mobilizes Texas university students to share the love of Christ across the world.

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you are doing what you’re doing? Why do you continue to pursue something? What makes this so worth your while that you give up your time? Your energy? Sometimes even money? I have asked myself this question quite a bit. I’m going into ministry because that’s where I feel called, I have lots of people ask me “why ministry?” It doesn’t pay well. It’s hard to support a family in ministry. There’s so little opportunity at times. Well, let me share a story of why this makes it all worth it.

I’m currently serving as a Go Now missionary at a church in Oregon. I’ve had different opportunities to lead worship and to invest in students. But most recently I got the opportunity to teach some students. We just recently had our VBS. We spent so much time in prayer, in preparation, and decorating. We wrote the lessons and music. We put in late nights and early mornings. In the midst of that we did not cease to pray about this event we planned.

We were planning for around ninety kids. And we ended up with an average of one hundred and thirty kids a day! So, God is already doing amazing things. But the story does not end there. As I mentioned earlier, I got the opportunity to teach these kids. I’ve never taught before, and my biggest worry was whether I was going to be able to teach these kids in a way they would understand. But God made sure to give me the right words. So, I gave a gospel presentation to these one hundred and thirty kids. And while on stage I asked a rhetorical question of “who wants to be a part of God’s family?” And as these kids took it literally, and what felt like half the room raised their hand without hesitation. I was speechless and overwhelmed with joy.

We sat down with the kids and made sure they understood the gospel and asked them if they wanted to do that with their life. We had a total of 43 kids come to salvation in one day! As we talked about how we were going to follow up with 43 kids, my mind was still processing that God just saved all those souls. All that could go through my head was, the best problem possible is figuring out how we make sure these kids get discipled.

This is what makes it worth it. Just one soul makes it worth it. But Jesus likes to do the unthinkable and instead of one or 20, he decided to do 43. And now we are trying to disciple these kids so that they understand what being a follower of Christ truly looks like. God is so good to produce fruit when we are faithful. He promises to use us, and it’s not us that saves them it’s God. I feel so blessed that he chose to use me as a tool to reach those kids.

To learn more about Go Now Missions, go to gonowmissions.com.