My heroes have always been missionary pilots

“My heroes have always been cowboys,

and still are it seems.”

Willie Nelson

Nothing against cowboys, but my heroes have always been missionary pilots.

While I loved Elisabeth Elliot’s stirring story, like Destin below, when I read Through Gates of Splendor, it was Nate Saint who caught my attention. The man was a mechanical genius, and a first-rate pilot.

Destin Sandlin hosts the Smarter Every Day video series. (He’s the guy who built the bike with the wrong way steering.) In a recent video (picked up by Popular Mechanic) Destin interviewed what he calls a “Super Hero.” It’s part of his #SuperPowerForGood series in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Super Hero in the video is a pilot and trainer for Mission Aviation Fellowship, Brian Shepson. This is a great story. (More after the video.)

Worth noting about Destin’s video series is how the narrative is peppered with ministry references: Through Gates of Splendor, Elisabeth Elliot, Nate Saint, Mission Aviation Fellowship, what missionary pilots carry, how aid gets to people in need, vaccine transport.

This is a great example of being salt. God only knows who will Google the terms above and find a story so many of us have known and loved for years. A story about the love of God, the missionary impulse, a love for people, and the power of the Gospel.

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About Me

Hi, I'm Marty Duren

I’m Marty Duren, a freelance writer, content creator, podcaster, and publisher in Nashville, TN. I guess that makes me an entrepreneur-of-all-trades. Formerly a social media strategist at a larger publisher, comms director at a religious nonprofit, and a pastor, Marty Duren Freelance Writing is the new business iteration of a decade-long side-hustle.

I host the Uncommontary Podcast which publishes weekly. Guests range from academics to authors to theologians to activists on subjects related to history, current events, and the impact of evangelicalism on American life. My voice is deep-fried giving rise to being labeled “a country Batman.” Find Uncommontary in your favorite podcast app.

Missional Press publishes books by Christian writers with the goal of impacting people with the good news of Jesus. 

I’m a longtime blogger at Kingdom in the Midst, where, over the course of many years, I’ve written a lot of words.

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