An Open Door for the Gospel

Sometimes the most significant moments of ministry aren't planned. They happen in the normal parts of life, when relationships become the place where God works.

The Ongoing Story

Earlier, we shared a bit about a sweet girl we'll call Eliana and her new love of riding horses while she was being hosted. During a later hosting with another family, Host Mom Sarah built a meaningful relationship not only with Eliana but also with her mom, who we'll call Natalie, and Natalie's boyfriend.

One day, after Natalie's boyfriend talked about a church they sometimes attended, Sarah asked if they wanted to come to church with her family. Natalie said yes, and they joined Sarah's family for church that Sunday.

It would be easy to overlook a moment like this because there's no ending to share. We can't tell you what God will do in their hearts. We don't know whether this will become a lifelong church home, whether someone will place their faith in Christ or not, or whether years from now they'll remember that Sunday as the beginning of something new.

What we do know is this: relationships create space for the Gospel in ways that a program can’t.

An Open Door

When a parent like Natalie experiences genuine love and hospitality from believers, barriers begin to come down. A church invitation no longer feels like an invitation from a stranger. It comes from someone who's already demonstrated the love of Christ in a difficult time. That kind of relationship makes all the difference.

Hosting helps protect children by surrounding families with community before a crisis leads to foster care. Just as importantly, it creates opportunities for families who may have never attended church, or who haven't been connected to a church family in years, to encounter the hope of the Gospel through people who genuinely care about them.

Because Sarah and her family chose to become a Host Family, one family spent a Sunday worshiping alongside believers who welcomed them with open arms. Because faithful financial partners invest in this ministry, children are cared for, parents are encouraged, and relationships are formed that point people toward Jesus.

We may never know all that God is doing through one invitation to church. But we know He uses ordinary acts of faithfulness to accomplish His plans, and we trust that He will do the same thing for Natalie and Eliana.