by Paul Nielsen

I met Geinene Carson and her husband Mat at Missions Fest Northwest in 2005. She has served with Operation Mobilisation since graduating college in 1999. Her first three and a half years were spent serving with a team in Vienna, Austria.

She moved back to the US in 2002 to join OM’s recruiting team. And, for the past year, Geinene has been actively pursuing the development and promotion of a pioneering new Visual Arts Ministry, OM Artslink. Presently, her position is Missions Mobilizer and Artslink Director.

Propel: When you and Mat were dating, did you both feel as though God was taking you in the same direction towards or into missions?

Geinene: Good question. We both had developed an obvious passion for missions and were coming to terms individually that our short term mission experiences with OM could very likely become life-long careers. Missions then, in a sense, was seen as a reality for our lives whether dating or not.

The catch was that we had very different mission experiences and ideas for what our future mission involvement would look like. Matthew had served his first three years in the Muslim world. I, on the other hand, had been serving in secular Europe, gaining a great passion for sharing Christ among Europeans while also developing avenues for using visual art in ministry. We knew God was calling us into missions, but we questioned if we were called to the same type and region of ministry. I love Muslims but didn’t hold the same passion and urgency that Matthew had for them. He had never really experienced Europe nor held the same passion that I had for using the arts. It was an interesting dilemma, one that concerned us both for some time. Our question was “How would God marry our passions and missions experiences?” We wondered if it would end up in one of us sacrificing our passion and ministry and adopt the other’s.

In those early dating days, I remember being somewhat concerned that if I pursued marriage with Matthew, I would have no choice but to go to the darkest parts of the Muslim world, having to sacrifice my independence as well as my artistic talents. Noticing my uncertainty on the matter, a mentor of mine shared a great piece of advice with me, which changed the way I looked at the matter. She said, “Geinene, before you try to figure out if you are called to this ministry . . . you first need to answer if you are called to this particular man.” She further explained to me how once I know of God’s leading in our relationship, then the rest would fall into place as God would have it. She talked about how God could change my heart for ministry, or Matthew’s. God could even change both our ministry paths entirely. This advice really simplified things in my mind. Instead of worrying about all the “ifs,” I just had to simply focus on my relationship with Matthew and find out if he was someone God had placed in my life for a reason.

Propel: Are you and Mat both headed in the same direction in your mission service today?

Geinene: I can now say yes without a doubt. We are headed in the same direction, married in our purpose and cause, complementing each other with differing gifts and talents. As our relationship has developed and we find ourselves married almost two years, we have learned to celebrate our differences instead of being threatened by them. We are discovering a “team” mentality, seeking the Lord’s will together instead of separately. Our differing backgrounds in ministry are beginning to make sense as our lives become uniquely ours.

God recently led us into a most exciting ministry. Like I said before, our question had always been how God would marry our different visions: his for Muslims and mine for the Arts. We share a love for cities and an interest in learning more about urban church-planting through creative means. God opened the door for us to move into the city of Atlanta to help with a dying church. Here we find ourselves surrounded by a most dynamic community. Two blocks away is the biggest Mosque in the Southeast, and in the other direction a most secular art community.

I am gaining a new understanding and experience with the Muslim community while he is most interested in immersing himself in the art community and helping me lead art teams to Europe a couple of times a year. If you ask me, this is really a God designed location for us and a great training ground for where He will be sending us next.

by Paul Nielsen

This issue features Erik (seen pushing over some ruins in Pergamum, Turkey). His experiences, with Operation Mobilisation, sailing round the Earth intrigued me. So I asked if he’d share a few more details of his involvement in missions for Propel.

Propel: You spent 5 years on the Operation Mobilisation ship the Doulos, right? What prompted you to make your initial commitment to serve on the Doulos?

Erik: Yes. For five and a half years. I was first challenged into missions at a seminar called Day of Discovery (Now NVision). After some curiosity into missions I read Unveiled at Last by Bob Sjogren. Very challenging. I was praying and looking for some way to be involved in missions. In February 1999, John Brown University held a missions week, and George Verwer was the speaker. He challenged each of us to go 2 years overseas in a missions capacity. I stood up. At that point, I didn’t know when or where or how, but I’d go. So after 6 months of prayer and prompting I officially applied. Five months after that I was onboard the Doulos.

Propel: You’ve just come back to the states to serve in OM’s home office. What will your new responsibilities be?

Erik: My specific role is heading up their Internships Program. We challenge students to take an academic internship overseas. We have 4,000 missionaries in 100 countries, so we can place anyone, with any background, with any set of skills or studies, and send them anywhere. We want to see these students have their world view changed, and enter into a missiological lifestyle. Whether they go long term overseas or work at home, they will be better equipped for life and be more involved in missions and their church.

Propel: What was your field of study in college? How have you used that in your service with OM?

Erik: Mechanical Engineering was my field of study. I was able to use it in the engine room of the Doulos. I worked as an Engine Rating for 10 months. Then because of my degree, and the school’s ABET accreditation, I was able to take an exam with the US Coast Guard and get my marine certificate. I served in that capacity for 14 months.

Propel: What were the most difficult and the most rewarding aspects of teamwork in a mission context?

Erik: Well, people are people. Different ways of working, different values. But Christians have Christ at the center so that makes it easier. But tensions do arise from time to time. Most rewarding? It’s fascinating to learn about each other’s cultures.
I am a team person. I much prefer to do things as a team. We all bring different talents to the table. That’s what makes the Doulos amazing. 300 people from 40 nations working together. And the same is true in our office here. There is a lot of talent in that, and we can do some amazing things for God together. We are greater than the sum of the parts.

Propel: In light of your missions service, is there another line of study or tidbit of knowledge you wish you had in order to be a better missionary?

Erik: It would be nice to have more Bible Study, but that should never be something to stop a person from being a missionary.

Propel: What have you found to be helpful in keeping your mission vision alive and growing?

Erik: Listening to other missionaries and hearing their stories. That is probably my biggest motivation. Just the other day, I was able to listen to a missionary from Afghanistan – amazing!

Propel: From your experience, what word of advice or encouragement would you offer to others on the journey of deepening mission involvement?

Erik: For me it was a seminar, some books, a couple of short term mission trips. And then the Doulos and a lot of prayer. It’s one step at a time. Talk to missionaries. Go to seminars and mission conferences. For me, if I see and hear what God is doing, then I get excited and want to join in.

Propel: Is there a passage of Scripture that keeps you going, keeps you involved in missions?

Erik: Acts 13:41 says, “For I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.”

God is at work in the world, and it is amazing to see. I played a small part on the Doulos which is only a part of OM, which is only a part of the missions movement, which is a part of the greater work of God.