“What we have continually seen is that His will is so much better than what we could imagine for ourselves.”

Brandon Bell and his wife, Gina, have served in the Dominican Republic for nearly twelve years, but that wasn’t where they originally expected God to lead them. Today, Brandon serves as a church-planting missionary in La Vega, working alongside a ministry team to evangelize, disciple believers, develop leaders, and establish a growing local church.

In this conversation, Brandon reflects on four years spent preparing for a ministry in Brazil that never materialized, learning to trust God through unexpected redirection, and discovering that cross-cultural ministry often requires patient, relationship-centered faithfulness. He shares stories of families and young people coming to Christ, God’s provision for their church plant, and the joy of seeing Dominican believers begin reaching and discipling others themselves. Brandon also discusses team church planting, raising children on the mission field, and why missionaries need the prayers and encouragement of churches back home.

Through nearly twelve years of ministry, Brandon has learned that following God does not always mean seeing the path ahead clearly. Sometimes it means faithfully serving where He has placed you while trusting that His purposes are larger—and His ways better—than the plans you would have chosen for yourself.

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Brandon Bell and his wife, Gina, serve as church-planting missionaries in La Vega, Dominican Republic, with Baptist World Mission. Sent from Heritage Hills Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the Bells have served in the Dominican Republic for nearly twelve years. Their current ministry is part of a team church-planting effort centered on evangelism, discipleship, children and youth ministry, and developing Dominican believers to take an active role in the work of the local church. Brandon and Gina are also raising their three children on the mission field, where their family serves together in the ministry.

CONNECT WITH THE BELLS

• Email: bells4missions@gmail.com
• Facebook: Bells4DR
• Giving/Support: Baptist World Mission

PRAY FOR THE BELLS

• Pray for the spiritual growth of Brandon and Gina’s three children. Each has professed faith in Christ, followed the Lord in baptism, and is serving in the church. Pray that they will continue growing in their walk with Christ, remain surrendered to Him, and faithfully follow His direction for their lives.
• Pray for men and families to be reached through the church plant in La Vega. Brandon specifically asked prayer that God would bring men to Christ and add whole families to the church. Pray for open doors, boldness in sharing the gospel, and patient faithfulness as relationships are built over time.
• Pray for the children and young people being reached through the ministry. The church is preparing to restart its Bible club and is already transporting a growing number of children to services. Ask God to work in their hearts and to raise up future servants and leaders from among the young people being discipled today.
• Pray for God’s provision for transportation and future church facilities. The ministry is seeking funds for a van to transport children and has already received nearly half of its $30,000 goal. The growing church is also beginning to outgrow its rented meeting place, so pray for wisdom and God’s direction as they consider property for a future church building.
• Pray for continued fruit through discipleship and team ministry. God is already using believers in the church to invite others, study the Bible with them, serve in ministry, and bring people to Christ. Pray that this pattern of believers equipping and reaching others will continue until the church is increasingly led and served by mature Dominican believers.

CONNECT WITH US

• Website: KingdomWithoutBorders.org
• Email: mark@kingdomwithoutborders.org

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What happens when following God's call takes you somewhere you never expected—and then leads you somewhere you never expected to return?

After nine years serving throughout Latin America, missionary Nate Beil has seen God's faithfulness in remote villages, growing churches, unexpected provision, and the lives of national pastors whose quiet sacrifice has profoundly shaped his own faith.

In this episode of Kingdom Without Borders, Nate joins Mark for a conversation about missionary calling, the realities of cross-cultural ministry, putting Bibles into the hands of the Miskito people, partnering with national pastors, and learning that God's plan doesn't always look the way we imagined it would.

Through it all, Nate has discovered something that changed the way he sees missions: God's kingdom is much bigger than we think—and we simply have the privilege of joining Him in what He is already doing.

Nate Beil has served with CORE Missions for nine years, ministering throughout Latin America alongside national pastors and local churches. After two terms on the mission field, Nate and his family recently transitioned back to the United States due to family health needs, but his heart and ministry remain deeply connected to Latin America.

Today, Nate continues traveling throughout the region, strengthening national pastors and churches while helping develop Bible Institutes designed to equip believers for ministry. His years of cross-cultural service have given him a deep appreciation for the faithfulness and sacrifice of national believers—and a growing conviction that God’s kingdom is far bigger than any one country, culture, or ministry.

• The Beil Family: www.thebeilfamily.org
• CORE Missions: www.coremissions.org

Through CORE Missions, Nate continues to partner with national pastors and churches through church planting, Bible distribution, feeding centers, pastoral support, and ministry training throughout Latin America.

• Family Health & Transition // Pray for Nate and his family as they navigate ongoing health concerns and continue adjusting to this new season of ministry based in the United States. Pray for wisdom, strength, and God's clear direction as they serve Him through circumstances different from what they originally anticipated.
• The Miskito Bible Project // Pray for the continued effort to provide Bibles to the Miskito people in their own language. Ask God to provide the resources needed and to use His Word to strengthen believers, churches, and communities throughout the region.
• Bible Institutes // Pray for the development of new Bible Institutes throughout the countries where CORE Missions serves. Pray that God would use these institutes to equip national believers with biblical training and prepare a new generation of pastors and ministry leaders.
• National Pastors & New Church Plants // Pray for the faithful national pastors that CORE Missions partners with, including three new church plants started within the past year. Pray for these congregations to grow spiritually, reach their communities with the gospel, and develop strong national leadership for generations to come.

• Website: https://kingdomwithoutborders.org
• Email: mark@kingdomwithoutborders.org

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. If this episode encouraged you, please leave a rating and review. It helps more people discover these stories of God's work among the nations.

Send us Fan Mail