When NASA’s Former Head Astronaut Pat Forrester reached the age of 63, he was amazingly successful in his career and had been a Christian for many years. At the same time, he still felt something was missing in his life.
“I loved what I was doing,” he told The Gospel Coalition. “It felt like I was serving the nation well. But I had a restlessness. I felt that there was more than this for me.”
He prayerfully began to make some changes in his life, and the Lord directed his steps to a vibrant and fervent men’s Bible study group at a different church than the one he had been attending.
“I didn’t know any fellowship quite like that. As an army officer and a pilot, I’ve had a lot of camaraderie—but not with that focus, where it was centered on the Lord. I loved it,” he said.
Then, the Lord directed his steps to a position in DC, where he advised top NASA leaders.
Shortly after that, the Lord directed his path to a position as a fundraiser for 9Marks ministry, which he decided to accept. The organization’s vision is to assist pastors and church members with building healthy churches.
General List of What a Healthy Church Looks Like
In a nutshell, Chuck Swindoll’s Insight for Living ministry lists the following as characteristics of a healthy, growing church:
- Glorifies God
- Worships God with a Genuine Spirit of Devotion
- Balances Biblical Instruction with Personal Application
- Exudes Warmth
- Reaches out to Others
- Has a Contagious Style
He also encourages those who are seeking a new church to pray that the Lord will lead them in their search. While the above characteristics are a general list of what a healthy church looks like, there are also other things to take into consideration for making sure the church is a good personal fit, such as ministries within the church where a person is gifted to participate, a style of worship that resonates, and opportunities to connect with and study the Bible with other Christians. Participating in ministries where a person is gifted to participate helps to make life more meaningful and fulfilling.
Responding to God’s Calling
Forrester also spoke about how God redirected his steps at a CrossCon conference in 2024. He was interviewed as a special guest, and the interview was posted on YouTube.
When asked if all he has accomplished in his career is the most important thing about him, Forrester replied, “I would not. I think most of the world, most of the population, would define us by our achievements. And so, for a lot of people, I would be, first and foremost, an astronaut…I definitely don’t define myself by my achievements. I would define myself mainly by my faith and the fact that I was created in the image of God, that I accepted Christ as my Savior, and it’s through Him that I have life. A lot of people would say that I’m an astronaut who’s a Christian. I would say that I’m a Christian who, by God’s kindness and generosity, has allowed me to be an astronaut.”
Forrester said that some of the most important things he has learned as a Christian are:
- Know and study the Gospel
- Don’t be led by feelings; rather, go back to the truths and promises of God’s Word
- Invest in and pursue Gospel friendships because those are for eternity
When asked what he would say to those who want to make their life count, Forrester said that the calling of someone who’s not in full-time ministry is not any less valuable than someone who is in full-time ministry. At the same time, he encouraged those who are in part-time ministry to be generous to those in full-time ministry whenever they are able.
“Every time I went to space, and I was sitting on top of that rocket as part of that crew, I recognized very clearly that there were 1000 people who had invested at that moment so that we could go to space, and we needed senders as much as we need those that will go.”
WATCH: Pat Forrester's Testimony (CROSS CON24)
Photo Credit: ©Facebook/NASA Astronauts
Elizabeth Delaney has been a freelance content writer for over 20 years and has enjoyed having her prose published in both the non-fiction and fiction markets. She has written various types of content, including Christian articles, healthy lifestyle, blog posts, business topics, news articles, product descriptions, and some fiction. She is also a singer-songwriter-musician. When she is not busy with writing or music, she enjoys spending time with friends or family and doing fun social activities such as hiking, swing dancing, concerts, and other activities.