Healing the Body and Soul: Steve Taylor—March 2018
March 15, 2018
Faith is for life and for ministry. The two are not separated, and Steve Taylor (’00) lives out that combination every day. Steve and his wife, Fayth, are representatives for Medical Missions Outreach (MMO) in Baltimore, Maryland, an organization dedicated to reaching the lost through partnering with missionaries to provide medical and spiritual care.
Steve came to Faith in 1998 when his parents encouraged him to attend to receive further Bible training. He enrolled in the Pastoral Studies program when he arrived that fall. Steve had been adopted, and during his second semester at Faith, he was reunited with his birthmother. Through a series of events that followed, God directed Steve to change his major to Biblical Studies. This would give him the biblical foundation to pursue what God was leading him to do—medicine.
While at Faith, Steve had the opportunity to go on a missions trip, and this experience made him strongly consider how God could get the most from his life in ministry. After graduating in 2000, Steve pursued other degrees at a variety of schools that would prepare him for the medical field. It was during this time that he met and married his wife. During medical school, Steve spent six weeks in Belize, and upon finishing medical school, he went on a medical missions trip to Honduras with MMO.
After numerous trips with MMO, the executive director contacted Steve and Fayth asking them to consider a representative position with the organization. After much prayer and counsel, Steve left his assistant pastorate position and accepted the position with MMO. As representatives, Steve and Fayth travel across the United States raising support and recruiting people for MMO ministries. As they are available, they also assist missionaries around the globe on medical missions trips, connecting those with physical needs with churches that can meet their spiritual needs as well.
“There certainly can be challenges on medical missions trips,” Steve explained, “but the rewards vastly outweigh any obstacles! The privilege to see someone recover from an illness, the heartfelt smiles readily given as you interact with the patients, and being able to minister to needy people are all examples of the joys we experience on each and every trip. The missionaries do an incredible job of assisting us in translating, if needed, and we are able to minister alongside them at their local church.
“The greatest lesson I have learned while traveling overseas is that God goes with me everywhere He sends me! I see His handiwork all over the world, not only in the various geographies but also in all the people, nations, tribes, and dialects of His earth. God is at work in more places than just America! There are numerous born-again Christians all over the world who are carrying out God’s will for their lives, all while fulfilling the Great Commission.
“Medicine is a wonderful avenue the Lord has given me in which to serve Him. He could have chosen construction, teaching, translating, or any other discipline, but He allowed me to be involved in medicine. I desire to use my education and skills as tools to share the glorious news of Christ with a lost and dying world. To whom much is given, much is required.”