A Day at Auburn Grace Community (50th Anniversary of the Deaths of Jim Elliot and His Missionary Colleagues)

Over the weekend, Kristy and I had a tremendously encouraging time up in the Seattle area with folks from Grace Community Church in Auburn. I was asked to lead worship at all 4 services (2 morning and 2 evening) and give a brief report on where Kristy and I are headed in the coming months. It was a lot of fun to introduce Kristy as Mrs. Wellcome and get an applause from the congregation.

It was a perfect Sunday to be there, since it was the 50th anniversary of the deaths of Jim Elliot and his missionary colleagues in Ecuador. In honor of the men who were killed, the church showed a 40 minute, edited documentary regarding their story and the repercussions on the lives of the tribesmen who murdered the missionaries. After the film, Pastor Ben called up Steve and Matthew McCully, sons of Ed McCully, one of the murdered missionaries. Steve and Matthew have been attending Grace Community for several years. Their testimony of how their father’s death had impacted their lives was incredibly moving. Further, the stories that they had to share of the thousands of changed lives that were a result of that tragic story were nothing less than awe-inspiring.

One of the men who was involved in the murders later became a follower of Jesus and has come to the United States (and visited Grace Community) several times to share his story. At one missions conference, people were asked to stand if they had been inspired to become missionaries as a result of the story of Elliot and his comrades. Hundreds rose to their feet.

One interesting fact that I had not known was that the missionaries actually had firearms with them when they were murdered. However, they committed to not using them on the tribal people since they were not yet ready for heaven!

At one point during the interview, Matthew mentioned that the impact of those men began with the prayerful financial support of individuals and churches across North America and that people should remember that when writing out checks for Brandon and Kristy! I appreciated the plug for Kristy and I, but I was most excited about the clear explanation of how everyday Christians at “home” could have a part in impacting people’s lives across the world through their financial and prayer support.

Further reading about these men and their story.
“End of the Spear” promotional site and an interactive timeline (under the heading "Path of the Spear.")

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” (Jim Elliot)