June 14, 2019

When Ben and Katie (Root ’07) Wooster attended Faith Baptist Bible College a little over a decade ago, there were no classes that taught about the challenges of living out of a fifth-wheel trailer 365 days a year with two small children. There was also no way to prepare them for a lifestyle of constantly being on the move from one temporary location to another, year after year—a nomadic way of life that most of us would not be willing to commit to. The Woosters have made those sacrifices for almost 10 years now as missionary church builders with Continental Baptist Missions.

Ben (’08) grew up in Irwin, Iowa, a small town of fewer than 500 people in the southwestern corner of the state. He chose Faith Baptist Bible College after attending a camp where he felt the Holy Spirit leading him to Faith. Katie grew up in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, and chose Faith because it was close to home, and it had the program she wanted to major in. The two of them met during Ben’s freshman year (Katie’s senior year) and were married on May 23, 2009.

The Woosters have been missionary church builders with Continental Baptist Missions for almost 10 years. They travel with a team of builders across the United States to assist with church plants and building projects. While they are on location, they also assist with preaching, teaching, mentoring, and nurturing of all ages of the church body.

It is a ministry that is rewarding, but also extremely challenging.

“We live in a fifth-wheel trailer all year round with two boys (Emmaus, who is five, and Kidren, who is two),” said the Woosters. “It is hard to be away from family, and trailer life can be difficult. When a church build is completed, it is hard to say goodbye to the church family you have ministered to.”

The Woosters have learned to be patient when raising financial support, but have seen God’s blessing in their lives, allowing them to be a help-meet to the pastors they work with by relieving them of some of the stresses of day-to-day responsibilities.

The Woosters currently attend Bethel Community Baptist Church in Fort Scott, Kansas, but their home church is Calvary Baptist Church in Manning, Iowa. They serve in the church choir, share in special music, and just finished coaching two church homeschool basketball teams. Ben plays his trumpet in the orchestra and, on occasion, fills the pulpit. Katie serves in the nursery.

Ben and Katie have learned a lot about missions—both the blessings and the hardships—over the years. Their advice to anyone considering a life of missionary work is simple and practical:

“Serving the Lord just doesn’t happen when on the field, but should be happening beforehand. Missions requires a commitment to serve the Lord no matter the circumstances.”