Two years ago, Ben Hagedorn was right on track with his plan. The plan was to become an accountant. He liked control and systems and organization. The more he could protect himself from the unknowns and chaos, the better. His plan also didn't include community. People are messy. And it didn't include God. A life living on faith seemed foolish. There were too many unknowns.
But God.
God opened the door to a better plan for Ben. After an invite to the Salt Company (Salt), Citylight’s college ministry, Ben was given hope and freedom. Through a community of friends and mentors, Ben understood his need for Jesus. He gave his life to Christ and was baptized last year. Ben’s plans changed ... And praise God for it! And it was just the beginning.
Last fall, Ben heard about the summer global mission trips through Salt. He had never been on a mission trip. He had never been out of the country. He had never travelled with strangers. Yet, he knew he had to go.
“I felt called,” Ben confessed. “I didn’t know why I was going. I wouldn’t normally do that. I felt peace. I knew I was going to say "yes," because if I didn’t, it would have felt like I was saying “no” to God. I remember thinking why wasn’t I nervous for a 50-day commitment in Albania? I wasn’t concerned.”
Ben and three other college students served in Albania this past summer. The goal was to connect with other college students. To grow in relationships and to be in proximity and conversation with people so that gospel seeds were planted. A few ways they did this was leading and going on a local student retreat, going in public areas on campus and handing out flyers, and getting meals or coffee with students for one-on-one conversation. While doing this, prayer was an essential part.
“As a team leader I was to plan and lead us day to day in what we were doing,” Ben shared. “I wanted to support my teammates, check in on them and how they were doing. The biggest thing for me was to lead by example. I knew I had a role in showing what certain things should look like. To live more boldly in talking to students. The big vision I was burdened with was an incredible reliance on prayer. I made that known to them. All of us read A Praying Life. I brought it with me and read it going into it. Without God and prayer, we wouldn’t be able to do anything on our own. We prayed every morning, and then it would be answered that afternoon. I think we were all reminded that none of us are on our own doing God’s work. People’s hearts are not on us but only through God.”
Ben and the team witnessed that the power to change hearts rested solely on the ability of God. They witnessed prayer being a big part of this power. Even though they didn’t see actual fruit in the sense of people giving their lives to God, they got to share the gospel. It gave Ben peace. It is not in his or the team’s perfect words to lead others to Jesus. Instead, their job was to faithfully plant the seeds.
“God has the ability and power to grow those seeds in those people after we left. That brings me comfort!”
The Albania team saw God at work. They saw him working through the people they met, through their team and in their own personal faith.
“First thing we saw, and the biggest, was the great commission in action,” Ben said with excitement. “That was our ultimate purpose. Towards the end of the trip, I was talking to one of the girls on our team, Gracie, about this. I’ve never been more joyful in a season than those 50 days. It wasn’t easy with all the walking and the heat. And it wasn’t easy with not as many people to talk to or be receptive. Even through that, we were all extremely joy filled. The leaders back home at Salt would check in, and I would share how I felt extremely happy to do what I was doing. This is not normal for me. What we were doing, going, was our ultimate purpose and God supported us. Through that, Gracie told me that when we are living out the great commission in its purest form, we are filled by the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit filled is glorious! Now, living out the great commission in all my life is what I desire to do. It was a new sense to go out of my way to build relationships and share Jesus with others.”
The team also saw God through intentional conversations. Albania has a rich and relational culture. People were extremely happy to sit down and talk to Ben and the teammates. Students stopped what they were doing to meet.
“Some of it had to do with us being Americans but they valued us,” Ben described. “Muslims who didn’t agree but still got coffee with us if we asked to go get coffee. I learned to be more in the moment. People in Albania don’t have calendars but plan their day only in the moment. I enjoyed it but it made it hard to reach as many people as we could. At the same time beautiful because people really sat down and talked with each other. One of my teammates, Aiden and I got to share our testimony with one Muslim student and it led to great conversation. We didn’t expect conversion but just planting seeds and praying. We depend on God because nothing happens through us without Him. To step out in faith in a courageous way changes a person a lot. It changed me. My prayer is that I carry this dependence on Him the rest of my life.”
One last story is of Ben’s new friend "D." "D" is one of the students Ben met in Albania. After coming back from Albania, Ben and "D" still talk on a weekly basis.
“"D" hung out with us every day and at the end of the trip, he shared with us how much of an encouragement we were to him. It encouraged him to live out more boldly and to share the gospel with his friends. In Albania they are outspoken, so if they don’t like you, they will tell you. It’s not considered bad. It can be discouraging. Doing Bible studies with "D" and living out our faith with him changed his perspective. I’ve kept in touch with him most days since being back. The girls on the team keep in touch with a girl they met as well. We don’t ever want it to seem that we came and now we have forgotten you. "D" and the others are my friends. I understand now why long term missionaries go and stay.”
Life used to be about Ben’s plans. His plans did not include God. It did not include being in community. And it for sure didn’t include giving up a whole summer to share with others about Jesus. Now, because of Jesus, Ben’s life including his vocation is to go and share the good news of Jesus Christ ... And in a community of believers who support, love, and serve alongside him. Ben concluded with this,
“Everybody should consider going. I wish I went sooner. Not that I regret it, but I want to go back. If you were to tell me two years ago that I would go to talk to people in Albania about Jesus, I would have told you that you were crazy. But now! You never know so be open to the idea and to everything God gives you. Leave the door open for Him.”
Like with Ben, short-term trips give our members a glimpse of the long-term call to join Jesus on His mission - whether that’s right here or by crossing real boundaries of language and culture to places with little access to the gospel. It’s been exciting to see how Jesus has worked in and through Citylight this past year as we’ve sought to join Him faithfully - both locally and in sending long-term workers among the nations.
On November 9th, during our Global Focus Week, we invite you to come hear from two of our Global Partners, Dave and Chris Manfred! They have faithfully served for decades in Cambodia, witnessing a church-planting movement among the Khmer people, the Bible translated into new languages, and the first baptisms among previously unreached people groups.
We’ll also celebrate all that God has done through Citylight Global this past year and share opportunities for the year ahead - including:
- Short-term trips
- Discovery Groups – spaces to wrestle with, “What is the mission of God… and what is my role in it?”
- Local mission opportunities
- Global internships (1 year overseas)
Whether you’re simply curious about Citylight’s global opportunities, passionate about sending missionaries, or personally burdened for the nations, we’d love for you to join us!
November 9 | 12:30 – 4 PM | Midtown location
Lunch provided. No childcare available.
Register at https://citylight.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3206828