Where in the world is Enid, Oklahoma? And why would someone from just outside New York City want to come to the Bible Belt to preach the gospel? But paradoxes are what we are all about here in the Midwest—trying to eke out an existence in an area dominated by free-will believers, much like the fiddler on the proverbial roof.

Almost two decades ago, Bruce Parnell had a desire to plant a church. The people in Stillwater, Okla., called him and his family to come to that church plant. His emphasis has been on expanding the kingdom wherever he happens to be. So in Stillwater his people ministered to American students at Oklahoma State University and the foreign students as well.

The Lord continued to fan that desire into flame. So it would be natural for the Stillwater church and elders to want to reach out to the military—particularly the Air Force pilot training base in Enid. They asked one of the members who drove the hour-long distance from Enid if he and his ...