LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Missouri native Xander Dewitt returned to Arkansas this summer for a second time through World Changers to put his faith into action by serving others and sharing the Gospel.
Dewitt and the rest of his group from First Baptist Church O’Fallon in St. Louis, Missouri, joined 150 other World Changers in Little Rock July 15-20. They were housed at Life Line Baptist Church.
According to its website, World Changers “is a hands-on mission experience, engaging students in meeting the needs of people in communities across North America.”
“It’s putting faith to work. Not only do we get to share the Gospel, but we get to be the hands and feet of Christ by ministering to people by doing construction work. It allows the church to be salt and light,” Life Line Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Dial said. “To me, it is a Matthew 22:36-40 situation. … This is a loving God, neighbor, and others as one’s self situation.”
During the week, World Changers rehabbed 12 homes. Eligible homeowners applied through the city in the fall to be on this summer’s World Changers’ list. The homes must be owner-occupied, and the owner must be at least 62 years of age or disabled. There are also income guidelines for the program. World Changers works with the city’s Housing and Neighborhood Programs Department to identify eligible homeowners.
Dewitt said World Changers travel to the various cities throughout the country to pour into the people of the communities they serve. Additionally, he said it is an opportunity for youth leaders to pour into their students and introduce them to missions.
“World Changers is what I call an introductory missions trip. To me, going on mission can be very emotionally vulnerable. It can also be very physically taxing. This is a great introduction to that,” Dewitt said.
“The work we are doing is nothing extraordinary. … but it’s crafted in a way that a student can understand what it would be like to go out on a mission. To be far away from home, to be with people you may have never met before and some people that you know and be after a shared common goal of trying to spread Jesus’ name in the community by being His hands and feet.”
Ron McMaster of Brush Creek Baptist Church in Springdale, who has participated in World Changers for 30 years, said the “purpose is not to fix houses, but to lead young people to serve Christ by serving the community because they are the leaders of tomorrow.”
Throughout the week, World Changers presented the Gospel 20 times. Five people prayed to receive Christ.
Life Line Baptist Church has hosted World Changers in Little Rock for 16 years and is one of the most repeat World Changers projects in the country. The two main reasons, Dial said, are the homemade food and the organization.
The church hosts the World Changers and provides breakfast and supper. In recent years, Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief has assisted with the cooking. For lunches for the teams throughout the week, Life Line partners with other churches throughout the community. Dial noted among the partnering churches this year were 13 Arkansas Baptist churches.
“That’s actually one of the big reasons we came back is because they fed us so well,” Dewitt said with a laugh. “They are just so hospitable. I can’t say enough.”
World Changers will return to Little Rock in 2025.
Photos by Alex Blankenship
Click here to see a recap of the World Changers’ week in Little Rock.