Pictured above: Believers gathered together, holding prayer cards that they used to guide prayer before the mission team arrived. 

Interruptions can lead to gospel growth, and that is exactly what Steve, a Florida Baptist pastor, and the 17-member mission team from International Commission experienced recently. While in India, their evangelism efforts reached 3,600 people, with 1,232 new believers praying to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. An unexpected onset of bombings caused an extended stay, resulting in 79 additional professions of faith.

Steve’s heart for sharing the gospel is evident. Each time he travels by plane, he prays for an opportunity to share the gospel with someone. On the last leg of his 46-hour journey home, he met a businessman who was flying to Florida. The man plans to return to Florida in the coming weeks to be baptized in the Gulf.

As the pastor of a smaller church, Steve sought international mission opportunities with a larger group. He was first referred to International Commission more than 30 years ago by the International Mission Board and has been traveling with the group ever since.

No matter which country he visits, Steve works directly with local Baptist churches. He goes house to house in neighborhoods, sharing the gospel, praying with people, and preaching in local churches.

On this trip to India, the team used the EvangeCube and partnered with local pastors and church members who could follow up within their communities for baptism and ongoing discipleship.

Steve has witnessed many remarkable events while serving in remote areas. On one trip he led, which included several members from Lifeway, the team visited an unreached people group experiencing a long drought. During that trip, someone felt led to pray for clouds by day and rain at night. The team prayed and experienced cloud cover each day and rain each night. During that trip, more than 7,000 people accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. New believers burned their idols, and the area now has many local churches preaching the Word of God.

Other extraordinary moments included the sudden healing of tumors and the deaf being able to hear the gospel presentation. “The woman began speaking in her heart language, and we did not know what she was saying, but later found out she had been completely deaf. Her ears were opened to hear the gospel the moment we started sharing,” Steve said.

Steve encourages pastors and members of smaller churches to consider opportunities with International Commission or other mission organizations to share the good news of Jesus Christ. “Persecution is rising, which is fanning the flames of evangelism, and God is working mightily,” he said.