Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What happens when the life you spent years preparing for suddenly comes to an end?
In this episode of *Open Bible. Open Life.*, Pastor Kyle sits down with Matt Hartford to hear his journey from a college student at NC State with a "holy ambition" for missions to moving his family to Central Asia to plant churches among unreached people groups.
Matt shares what it took to discern that calling, prepare for the mission field, and eventually move his young family across the world. But two and a half years later, everything changed when his infant son was diagnosed with a serious heart condition that forced their family to come home.
From the excitement of being sent overseas to what Matt describes as the "death of a dream," he offers a candid look at the realities of missionary life and the heartbreak of leaving a place and people his family had grown to love. He also shares what it looks like to trust God's providence when your plans are completely upended and continue living out the Great Commission in a very different season of life.
In this episode, you'll hear about:
- How Matt went from an NC State student to a missionary in Central Asia
- How to discern a calling to cross-cultural missions
- The role short-term mission trips played in confirming his calling
- What it was like to grieve the loss of a dream they had spent years pursuing
- How every Christian can take a next step toward God's global mission
Subscribe for more conversations like this!
00:00:00 – Intro: The story of being called from NC State to the globe.
00:00:59 – Welcoming Matt Hartford: A friendship spanning 14 years.
00:02:07 – The special role of the cross-cultural missionary.
00:03:01 – Growing up in a godly, missional family.
00:04:31 – The 19-year-old’s question: "What is the most impactful thing I can do with my life?"
00:05:21 – The influence of John Piper’s books (Let the Nations Be Glad, Don't Waste Your Life).
00:06:33 – Defining UPGs (Unreached People Groups).
00:08:11 – The role of short-term mission trips in confirming a calling.
00:10:42 – A framework for calling: Desire, Design, and Door.
00:12:48 – Matt's wife Victoria: Her own journey and their shared mission.
00:15:59 – The practical process: Applying to the IMB (International Mission Board).
00:17:35 – Roadblocks: Navigating medical issues in the application process.
00:18:28 – Life in Central Asia: Choosing a location and a team.
00:20:29 – Different models: Business as Mission (BAM) and Work as Mission.
00:22:49 – The Dream Death: Discovering their son John’s serious heart condition.
00:24:45 – The heartbreaking decision to leave the field in under an hour.
00:26:26 – Mourning the death of a dream.
00:28:08 – The difficulty of leaving a place that felt like home.
00:30:57 – Life after missions: Assimilating back into America.
00:32:12 – A thank you to Two Cities Church for their support.
00:33:43 – Matt's 12 Resolutions: Linking time, energy, and money to the Great Commission.
00:35:44 – Biblical insights: Jesus and short-term missions.
00:41:40 – Final encouragement: The local church’s role in global missions.
What happens when the life you spent years preparing for suddenly comes to an end?
In this episode of *Open Bible. Open Life.*, Pastor Kyle sits down with Matt Hartford to hear his journey from a college student at NC State with a "holy ambition" for missions to moving his family to Central Asia to plant churches among unreached people groups.
Matt shares what it took to discern that calling, prepare for the mission field, and eventually move his young family across the world. But two and a half years later, everything changed when his infant son was diagnosed with a serious heart condition that forced their family to come home.
From the excitement of being sent overseas to what Matt describes as the "death of a dream," he offers a candid look at the realities of missionary life and the heartbreak of leaving a place and people his family had grown to love. He also shares what it looks like to trust God's providence when your plans are completely upended and continue living out the Great Commission in a very different season of life.
In this episode, you'll hear about:
- How Matt went from an NC State student to a missionary in Central Asia
- How to discern a calling to cross-cultural missions
- The role short-term mission trips played in confirming his calling
- What it was like to grieve the loss of a dream they had spent years pursuing
- How every Christian can take a next step toward God's global mission
Subscribe for more conversations like this!
00:00:00 – Intro: The story of being called from NC State to the globe.
00:00:59 – Welcoming Matt Hartford: A friendship spanning 14 years.
00:02:07 – The special role of the cross-cultural missionary.
00:03:01 – Growing up in a godly, missional family.
00:04:31 – The 19-year-old’s question: "What is the most impactful thing I can do with my life?"
00:05:21 – The influence of John Piper’s books (Let the Nations Be Glad, Don't Waste Your Life).
00:06:33 – Defining UPGs (Unreached People Groups).
00:08:11 – The role of short-term mission trips in confirming a calling.
00:10:42 – A framework for calling: Desire, Design, and Door.
00:12:48 – Matt's wife Victoria: Her own journey and their shared mission.
00:15:59 – The practical process: Applying to the IMB (International Mission Board).
00:17:35 – Roadblocks: Navigating medical issues in the application process.
00:18:28 – Life in Central Asia: Choosing a location and a team.
00:20:29 – Different models: Business as Mission (BAM) and Work as Mission.
00:22:49 – The Dream Death: Discovering their son John’s serious heart condition.
00:24:45 – The heartbreaking decision to leave the field in under an hour.
00:26:26 – Mourning the death of a dream.
00:28:08 – The difficulty of leaving a place that felt like home.
00:30:57 – Life after missions: Assimilating back into America.
00:32:12 – A thank you to Two Cities Church for their support.
00:33:43 – Matt's 12 Resolutions: Linking time, energy, and money to the Great Commission.
00:35:44 – Biblical insights: Jesus and short-term missions.
00:41:40 – Final encouragement: The local church’s role in global missions.
