OSBORN – Flexibility and obedience are important when God redirects His call. Lance Milligan, interim pastor at FBC Osborn, is living in that redirection now.
Milligan, with his family, arrived back in the United States in November of 2024. He came from the global mission field.
“We were in our second term,” he said, “when we attended some meetings in a neighboring country. When we tried to return, they permitted my family to go into the country, but not me.”
Milligan was forced to return to the neighboring country for one month, while his wife packed up to be ready for the return trip to the United States.
“I must give a lot of credit to our national friends,” he continued, “they helped my wife, Katelyn, get things together.”
“My first term,” Milligan said, “was in a more rural area, and we passed our language … without any issues. But, when we returned for our second term, we were moved to a more urban area with a more western culture. It was more difficult to make connections. People were less likely to hang out. It was like starting over.”
“I went to the Lord on bended knee,” he said, “asked Him to open and close doors for our next steps. When we found it necessary to return to the United States, the Lord put in me an excitement to pastor.”
“Osborn is a small congregation, but I’m also working for a company that contracts with FedEx,” Milligan explained. “As the weather changes, we are hoping to spend time in the area to connect with the community.”
FBC Osborn is located next to a school, and that offers an opportunity for ministry too. “FBC Cameron comes to our church to hold an after-school program for the children,” Milligan said. “The church in Cameron is a thriving church and not far away. It is great to have this overlap, and it is well attended.”
A lot goes on in the Milligan household. The Milligans have three children, two boys and a girl. Asher is seven, Asa is four and Avery was born in February.
“Katelyn homeschools and stays in touch with some of our friends in (the mission field),” he said. “She is able to do Bible studies and work with many of the singles with pre-marriage information.”
The Milligan family is also supporting the Fusion program. Fusion is a program out of Midwestern Seminary for students interested in sharing the gospel in another country.
“We worked with a team from Fusion while (on the mission field),” Milligan said. “Tonight we are having a couple of the students over to get to know them and to share about some of what they might expect as they work as a team in another country.”
Sharing the gospel is the ultimate call, and God has redirected the Milligans in the way they do it.
