Steps of faith to Thailand
Turner King reflects on his calling to first mission trip
Sometimes God doesn’t call us all at once—He nudges us, patiently and persistently, until we’re ready to listen. For Turner King, saying “yes” to his first international mission trip with Crosspoint Church was the result of a season marked by change, hardship, and deep reflection.
Over the past year, Turner had walked through major life transitions: stepping off the road to start his own business, navigating aging parents, and recovering from open-heart surgery. In the midst of it all, God was clearly at work.
“One thing that has come out of all this,” Turner shared, “is that God told me I needed to be living more for Him instead of doing my own thing—which is what I had been doing up until now.”
Getting There Wasn’t Easy—But It Was Obedient
When Turner saw an announcement about an upcoming mission trip interest meeting, he felt a familiar push. God had been stirring something in his heart—calling him toward ministry—but Turner wasn’t sure what that would look like or where it would lead.
“I wasn’t convinced either way about going to Thailand,” he admitted. “I just knew I needed to go see what it was about and if it was something God wanted me to do."
To many, even the journey itself would seem like a hurdle. About 40 hours of travel, multiple flights, and uncertainty about what awaited him on the other side could have been reasons to hesitate. Instead, Turner trusted.
“The travel wasn’t nearly as bad as I was expecting,” he said with a smile. “I was able to watch about 4 or 5 movies, and it really flew by.”
Seeing Thailand Through New Eyes
Before arriving, Turner admits his expectations of Thailand were shaped by secondhand stories and assumptions. What he encountered instead was eye-opening. In cities like Chiang Rai, Thailand is far more developed and bustling than he imagined. Yet beneath the commerce and movement was a spiritual reality that weighed heavily on him.
“You don’t see churches on every corner,” Turner said. “You see Buddhist temples. Other than Baan Athitaan Church, which hosted us, there was only one other Christian church I saw. There wasn’t much that pointed to God and salvation. It made me realize how few opportunities the people in Thailand have to even hear about Jesus.”
That reality became even more real during time spent serving in local schools through English Fun Days—engaging elementary-aged students with games, crafts, and language lessons.
During the activities, the city schools allowed Turner and the team to share the true meaning of Christmas, by telling the story of Jesus’ birth and explaining the gospel through simple symbols, like red and white bracelets representing Christ’s blood and our purification.
“Only a few even acknowledge they had heard about Christmas. But mostly the kids were shy and didn’t say anything,” Turner recalled. “They just sat politely and listened.”
A Shift in Perspective—and Purpose
In Phayao, a smaller and more rural area, Turner and the Crosspoint team traveled winding mountain roads in the back of a truck to reach schools tucked away from city life.
Limited infrastructure, exposed electrical systems, and scarce resources made a lasting impression. Turner saw the value and urgency of global missions in a new way.
“It opened my eyes,” he said. “I used to think, why are we going overseas when there are so many needs in the U.S.? But the people here are just as important to God and have so little opportunity to hear about how much He loves them. We have needs at home—but we also have so many more resources, especially when it comes to being able to share the Gospel.”
The trip didn’t give Turner all the answers—but it clarified what matters most - growing a deeper relationship with God, surrounding himself with other believers, and learning to listen rather than rush ahead.
“I’ve been in church since I was a child and called myself a Christian,” Turner reflected. “But I never really understood my purpose. I got tangled up in life.”
Turner said, through obedience, community, and trust, this mission experience helped untangle some of that.
If you are interested in joining the next mission team to Thailand, reach out to Crosspoint Church’s Associate Pastor Wesley Peden, wesley@mycrosspoint.org. Or visit projectphayao.com, to learn more.
Over the past year, Turner had walked through major life transitions: stepping off the road to start his own business, navigating aging parents, and recovering from open-heart surgery. In the midst of it all, God was clearly at work.
“One thing that has come out of all this,” Turner shared, “is that God told me I needed to be living more for Him instead of doing my own thing—which is what I had been doing up until now.”
Getting There Wasn’t Easy—But It Was Obedient
When Turner saw an announcement about an upcoming mission trip interest meeting, he felt a familiar push. God had been stirring something in his heart—calling him toward ministry—but Turner wasn’t sure what that would look like or where it would lead.
“I wasn’t convinced either way about going to Thailand,” he admitted. “I just knew I needed to go see what it was about and if it was something God wanted me to do."
To many, even the journey itself would seem like a hurdle. About 40 hours of travel, multiple flights, and uncertainty about what awaited him on the other side could have been reasons to hesitate. Instead, Turner trusted.
“The travel wasn’t nearly as bad as I was expecting,” he said with a smile. “I was able to watch about 4 or 5 movies, and it really flew by.”
Seeing Thailand Through New Eyes
Before arriving, Turner admits his expectations of Thailand were shaped by secondhand stories and assumptions. What he encountered instead was eye-opening. In cities like Chiang Rai, Thailand is far more developed and bustling than he imagined. Yet beneath the commerce and movement was a spiritual reality that weighed heavily on him.
“You don’t see churches on every corner,” Turner said. “You see Buddhist temples. Other than Baan Athitaan Church, which hosted us, there was only one other Christian church I saw. There wasn’t much that pointed to God and salvation. It made me realize how few opportunities the people in Thailand have to even hear about Jesus.”
That reality became even more real during time spent serving in local schools through English Fun Days—engaging elementary-aged students with games, crafts, and language lessons.
During the activities, the city schools allowed Turner and the team to share the true meaning of Christmas, by telling the story of Jesus’ birth and explaining the gospel through simple symbols, like red and white bracelets representing Christ’s blood and our purification.
“Only a few even acknowledge they had heard about Christmas. But mostly the kids were shy and didn’t say anything,” Turner recalled. “They just sat politely and listened.”
A Shift in Perspective—and Purpose
In Phayao, a smaller and more rural area, Turner and the Crosspoint team traveled winding mountain roads in the back of a truck to reach schools tucked away from city life.
Limited infrastructure, exposed electrical systems, and scarce resources made a lasting impression. Turner saw the value and urgency of global missions in a new way.
“It opened my eyes,” he said. “I used to think, why are we going overseas when there are so many needs in the U.S.? But the people here are just as important to God and have so little opportunity to hear about how much He loves them. We have needs at home—but we also have so many more resources, especially when it comes to being able to share the Gospel.”
The trip didn’t give Turner all the answers—but it clarified what matters most - growing a deeper relationship with God, surrounding himself with other believers, and learning to listen rather than rush ahead.
“I’ve been in church since I was a child and called myself a Christian,” Turner reflected. “But I never really understood my purpose. I got tangled up in life.”
Turner said, through obedience, community, and trust, this mission experience helped untangle some of that.
If you are interested in joining the next mission team to Thailand, reach out to Crosspoint Church’s Associate Pastor Wesley Peden, wesley@mycrosspoint.org. Or visit projectphayao.com, to learn more.
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