Jonathan Sanders

Biblical Studies/Languages Major, Germantown, Tenn.

“Lord, if you want me to do this, open the door. If not, I’ll keep looking; I’ll keep trusting.”

This was the prayer on Jonathan Sanders’ mind as he heard the news that the GO Trip he’d hoped to join was full.

After listening to a message from Timothy O’Day, a Utah missionary and Union graduate, about the work being done in Utah, Sanders began searching for mission opportunities. This search led him to sign up for a GO Trip.

Soon, his prayers for an open door were answered: the Utah GO Trip team needed one more student.

After the spring semester ended, Sanders, a Germantown, Tenn., native, returned to Union for several days of training, which helped his team not only get to know each other but also learn more about what they would encounter in Utah, which is less than 1 percent evangelical Christian.

While, in Utah, the team spent time prayer-walking, “door-knocking” to invite people to church, engaging with local university students and encouraging the ministry leaders.

“It can feel lonely out there,” Sanders said, but “they were encouraging to us, even more so.”

Sanders returned to West Tennessee in late July. He came back with a heightened desire for the church to pursue a deeper understanding of its beliefs and doctrine.

The biggest impact of GO Trips is that they “bring you out of your own cultural bubble,” he said. He noted that the experience often pushed him out of his comfort zone.

Sanders said GO Trips are “something to pray over and to think about, and if the Lord doesn’t lead you, that doesn’t mean you’re not serving God well.”

“You can serve God well in your community,” Sanders said.

When he graduates with a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies/languages, Sanders hopes to serve a local church while attending seminary.