From South Asia to Starkville

Missions Spotlight with Nathan Taylor

Levi and Lindsey (last name removed for security reasons) are Mississippians serving as International Mission Board (IMB) workers in South Asia. Their family of seven will be staying in the FBC mission home in Greenbriar for the coming months. This is their second time to stay here in Starkville, and we are excited to have them back. Take a few moments to read through this Q&A with Levi and be on the lookout for them around the church and Starkville.

Share with us how you became an international missions worker.

For both Lindsey and me, the desire to serve began to grow while we were in college and going to BSU. God was working and moving in our lives. Through BSU, we both had a chance to go overseas on some different trips, and we began thinking, “This is what God is asking us to do with our lives. We want to go to those places where the gospel has never been heard before.” We wanted to go and to see the kingdom of God move in ways that we never dreamed or imagined. Every time we would go overseas, God would put things in our hearts. It became clear to us: “This is what God is asking us to do!”We got married, and shortly after, we knew we were ready to take that next step. We packed up everything we had and moved forward. We have been serving through the IMB for almost 12 years.

How did you end up in South Asia?

Once we chose to serve with the IMB, we attended an expo for applicants in Richmond, Virginia. Unlike others, we weren’t set on a specific country or region. We looked at different jobs in places like East Asia and Southeast Asia. Shortly after we began looking at different regions, South Asia stood out as the most unreached place in the world. We were drawn to the lostness of South Asia.

It was then that we felt God calling us to South Asia. We loved the idea of being a part of a strategy to see people groups engaged and churches started. This region was a great place to go and learn how to do church planting from those doing it before we got there. Wanting to take the gospel to people who had never heard it before was driving our decision. Once we moved there, God continually affirmed us in our decision to serve in this region.

What does ministry in South Asia look like for you and your team members?

Training and equipping is a large part of how our team spends time. National partners (South Asian believers) will be the most effective ministers in the contexts of their cities, towns, and villages, so investing in them is a key part of our strategy. We teach them how to read the Bible and understand it and how to have healthy churches. We spend a lot of time praying and fasting over these groups and partners. Vision casting other like-minded missions organizations in South Asia is important too. We seek to teach and share with them what we are learning.

How can we join you in praying for South Asia?

This ongoing season of COVID-19 has negatively impacted lots of South Asian people who have limited resources. Please pray for their strength and health.

Pray also for the boldness of the South Asian believers. Some are heavily persecuted during COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown.

What is something you and your family will miss about life in South Asia while you’re away?

Being with and living among those people who have never heard the gospel is our heart. When we are back in Mississippi, we’re thankful to be surrounded by more believers than usual, but it can be hard to stay driven and focused.

We will miss the brothers and sisters that we have invested in. Being able to encourage them and walk with them in the Word is a rewarding experience.

Our kids love getting to play with their neighborhood friends, so they naturally miss those friendships.

This is your family’s second time to stay in the FBC house. What are some things you are looking forward to when you arrive?

Fellowshipping with friends, new and old, is one of the main things we are looking forward to when we get to Starkville. We can’t wait to catch up with people we met four years ago. Starkville has a great international community that we connected with last time we were here. It will also be great to meet some new international friends. We also love to eat good food, so we’re very excited about that.

Overall, we look forward to being back in this special community, connecting with people, and having people in our home.