Astronaut Barry Wilmore Worshiped from Space, Says God's Word Kept Him Grounded
NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore shared how he was able to maintain himself spiritually during his nine-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS). During a March 31 press conference, Wilmore and Williams, who returned to Earth safely on March 18 via the SpaceX Dragon capsule, answered questions regarding life in space.
After learning that Wilmore was still attending church digitally, a reporter questioned why he found that so significant.
"The Word of God, continually infilling me, I need it," Wilmore, who is an elder at Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas, answered. He called his pastors "the finest…on or off, in this case, the planet."
According to Church Leaders, he added that being able to "worship with my church family was vital" despite being in outer space. "It's part of what makes me go."
Additionally, Wilmore would watch services at a friend's church in Tennessee "every single week" while at the ISS.
The astronaut noted that the weekly worship and fellowship opportunities while in orbit were "invigorating."
"Part of what I need, as a believer in Jesus Christ, to continue that focus [is] a system, day in and day out," he said. "Because I need that fellowship, even though it's fellowship from afar."
Although acknowledging that fellowship 250 miles above Earth isn't "fellowship up close," Wilmore stressed, "but I still need it."
With his church, the astronaut led devotions and sang "Amazing Grace" from space.
During an interview last August, Tommy Dahn, pastor of Providence Baptist, shared how Wilmore "ministers to us, almost" from orbit, including calling fellow congregants to encourage them.
According to Wilmore, the motivation behind his actions is "the chance to share the gospel and proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord."
When a reporter asked about the life lessons the astronauts learned from having their "plans kind of fall apart," Wilmore immediately pointed to his faith in Christ.
He said he centers his life "in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ," who is "the end all, be all." Wilmore added that Jesus forgives us and teaches us "about being content in all situations because he's working out his plan and his purposes for his glory and our good," further noting that the "Bible says that."
"And that's contentment," the astronaut continued. "It doesn't mean always happy. It doesn't mean there's no pain. But content and knowing that God's in control, sovereign. God's in control, working out his plan and his purpose."
At the present time, Wilmore and Williams are going through 45 days of rehabilitation as they reacclimate to gravity. Both astronauts avoided placing blame for the failed mission that resulted in a prolonged stay at the ISS before finally returning home.
"There's things that I did not ask that I should have asked," Wilmore admitted. "I didn't know at the time I needed to ask them, but in hindsight, some of the signals were there."
He also refuted the thought that the astronauts were "left and forgotten," saying, "We were nowhere near any of that at all."
"In the big scheme of things, we weren't stuck. We were planned, trained," Willmore asserted.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Brandon Bell/Staff
Originally published April 02, 2025.
