College Graduates Travel Across U.S In Van To Share The Gospel

By Mike Midkiff, East Texas Baptist University

Published: June 07, 2011

MARSHALL—After Stacie Hooks and Jenna Jones graduated from East Texas Baptist University, they felt called by God to spread the gospel, traveling city to city like the early disciples of Jesus in Luke 10. In the past six months, the two have journeyed to cities in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma, seeking show Christian compassion to everyone they encountered. Stacie Hooks (left) and Jenna Jones (right) stand in front of the van that serves as their home and transportation as they share the gospel of Jesus Christ from city to city. Hooks, from First Baptist of Crystal Beach, and Jones, from Crestview Baptist Church of Kountze, disposed of their personal vehicles and brought a van last September, and they began what they call their “VanGo” ministry. “A friend gave us the name,” said Jones, who graduated in May 2010. “The name has stuck with us because that is our ministry in a small nutshell—a van going,” added Hooks, who graduated in May 2009. In a video posted on their blog — www.whoismyneighborvango.blogspot.com — Hooks describes the ministry in this way: “VanGo is two girls, Jenna and I, living in a van, traveling around the nation, city to city, trying to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in whatever way it needs to be done.” The two depend on God to provide gas and food as they travel. And as they go from city to city, they ask God to show them a neighbor who has been overlooked. “We took the command found in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10—‘Go and do likewise’—seriously,” said Jones. “Jesus tells his disciples to carry nothing with them and go town to town telling cities and individuals, ‘The kingdom of God is near.’” Read More From Baptist Standard