Hello Brook Hills family!

We are Wade and Joan. We have been members of Brook Hills for about five years, and cannot express how grateful we have been to be a part of this body.

Several years ago we started talking with a missions organization, SEND International, about becoming church planting missionaries. We were leading a singles small group at the time, and members of that small group walked us through that process. They demonstrated living in community together by their prayers, encouragement, and presence through a very long process. To us, they are the Body at Brook Hills.

When SEND International wanted to include the leadership at Brook Hills in the process of training and approving us for becoming church planters, that job fell to Bob F. in our Global Missions department. He talked with us to see where we were, and talked with SEND International to see what they required – both of us and of Brook Hills. In that phase of our journey and since, Bob has been available with counsel and leadership – praying over us, listening to us, assigning classes to take, and interfacing with SEND International. To us, he is the Body at Brook Hills.

Bob had us take a class in Church Planting from J.D. Payne. His teaching had a genuine mark of integrity – any question we asked, his answer was almost always either, “The Bible says this . . .” or “I don’t know.” His teaching has shaped our future ministry. To us, he is the Body at Brook Hills.

Bob also had us go on short term mission trips through Brook Hills. That was how we got to know J.T. and Sheryl Turner. And there has been much rejoicing at our house ever since! We had met Sheryl before when she had taught some of our children in a small group setting. But from the earliest steps the Turners have walked alongside us through our journey to become church planters. They have so much experience in nearly every aspect of our future lives. They have counseled us, prayed with us, cried with us, been patient with us. To us, they are the Body at Brook Hills.

With the help of the Body at Brook Hills we made it through the initial steps and were approved to be church-planting missionaries to Slovenia with SEND International. And this church body kept stepping up to walk alongside us.

We could no longer be certain that we would be here on Sundays as we went to talk in other churches, and so we mournfully stepped away from leading the singles small group – but not the relationships. We joined a small group led by the Turners. That fellowship of believers embraced us and encouraged us. When that small group dissolved, we joined a small group led by Jay and Liz Gordon. Jay has stepped out in leading this small group to cover us in prayer and show interest and support as we’ve continued to move forward in Partner Development. This current small group has repeatedly helped us find joy during this phase of our journey. We are so grateful for them – to us, they are the Body at Brook Hills.

Both Brook Hills and SEND International counseled us to form an Advocate Team – a team of fellow believers to support us practically as well as prayerfully and emotionally. We have seven precious members of Brook Hills who have taken personal responsibility to get us to Slovenia and meet the practical needs that arise along the way. It is overwhelming how much the body has meant to us! To us, the Advocate Team is the Body at Brook Hills.

And there are so many other individuals who have invested of themselves in us through this body. Greta Greene and her family have adopted our entire family. My children are on this journey as well, and have had many members of Brook Hills minister to them through this process. Our daughter Grace has had friends – Lydia and Kaylie – who have personally shown excitement, interest, and support for how this process is affecting her. Our son Benjamin has been encouraged on this journey by Mark Sly. To us, all these individuals and more are the Body at Brook Hills.

And as small as it seems, we have a pastor who knows our names and our journey. He has taken us aside at times to ask how the road has been lately. That is remarkable! To us, Matt Mason is the Body at Brook Hills.

God has been faithful and gracious. And an enormous part of His grace has been poured through this Body at Brook Hills. Thank you Brook Hills family! When God has finished gathering the partners we need in order to get to and survive in Slovenia, you will be going with us. Your hearts, your various means of investment, and we trust that some of you will come physically to work shoulder-to-shoulder with us. To us, you truly have been the Body at Brook HIlls.

To God be the glory!

Wade and Joan Killingsworth have been members of Brook Hills since 2012. They are the parents of seven children, five of whom - Joshua, Grace, Benjamin, Jackson, and Ian - will be joining them in Slovenia. For more informaiton visit slovenesojourn.wordpress.com.