Inside Story
Inner and Outer Transformation
The Navigator Military Ministry
by Mike Smith
When Mike Noel thinks of the transformational work of God, two verses come to mind. Matthew 24:14 speaks to the outward transformation that occurs as the Gospel spreads: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Psalm 51:6 describes the inner transformation God brings about: “Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.”Over the last three years, as he has labored with The Navigators Military Ministry, Mike has seen vivid examples of both kinds of transformation. “God is transforming my life,” says Mike, “and the lives of people around me.”
During 2010, Mike was deployed to Iraq as a platoon leader with a mission to train Iraqi police. Fox*, one of Mike’s Iraqi interpreters, was spiritually hungry and asked him to teach him the Bible. The two met regularly and read through the Gospel of John until one day Fox commented that what he was reading “felt real.”
“He cried tears of joy,” says Mike, “and couldn’t understand why no one had ever told him the Good News of Jesus. Fox started to follow Jesus that day.” Over the following weeks, about 150 young adults from Fox’s town came to him to learn about Jesus.
“We met weekly so I could answer his questions about Jesus,” says Mike. “Eventually, with the reduction of forces in Iraq, Fox was let go.” But the transformation God had begun didn’t stop. “In a dream,” Mike explained, “Fox felt called by Jesus to start a Christian school and he took action.”
The next few months were filled with trials for Fox—including imprisonment for his faith in Jesus. Then God led Fox to another city where he met another Iraqi whom Jesus had called to finance a Christian school. They started the school together and a few months later started a second school. Fox now teaches about Jesus at both!
“God used my relationship with Fox to plant the seed of the Gospel,” says Mike. “That seed grew a hundred fold as Fox shared the Good News of Jesus with the people in his village and then with more than 350 students at the two Christian schools. God is transforming people’s lives ‘to the outer most parts of the world’!”
This outward transformation, however, wasn’t limited to the people of Iraq. The base where Mike was stationed had 100 soldiers and no chaplain services, so Mike invited soldiers to join a weekly study of the Gospel of John, supplemented by a DVD.
“Fifteen soldiers came periodically,” Mike says. “Many of these wouldn’t attend a chapel service, but were willing to attend a meeting in my tent.” One of the soldiers was planning to separate from his wife, Mike explained, but after learning how Jesus forgave others, decided to forgive his wife and recommit to his marriage.
Mike also experienced an inner transformation. “God provided a two-month leave from the Army to serve as an intern with The Navigators People Resource Team,” says Mike. “I learned about listening and healing prayer, and spiritual gifts. I studied topics such as sexual purity and relational healing. And I discovered tools such as the Myers Briggs Personality Test.” Mike commented that all these things helped heal his innermost being. “They gave me the assurance,” he says, “to disciple others from the inside out.”
And that’s exactly what he did. After returning from Iraq, Mike met Peter, an officer in his Brigade Combat Team, who wanted to be a laborer for Christ. “We met weekly to encourage each other in our walk with God,” says Mike, “and I began to train Peter to help others follow Christ.” Peter began meeting with four soldiers at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs to help them grow in the Lord.
God’s transforming work in Mike’s life was used to transform the lives of those around him—even those outside of his immediate “sphere of influence.”
“That’s the power of an ordinary laborer,” says Navigator Military Ministry Director Dave Mead. “Mike is an example of one life, one laborer, having a ripple effect on many people. He changed the lives of many people—in his unit and in a nation.” And the good news, says Dave, is that, “His is one of hundreds of stories of laborers God has deployed within our armed forces in nations all over the world.”
That’s the multiplied impact of a transformed life.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Defense or its components.
