I learned an essential truth at my former church: no one is off the table. Everyone is worthy of love. Everyone needs to hear the gospel, no matter where they come from or what they’ve been through.
By Dr. Tim Orr
It was a sweltering Saturday morning when Michelle and I officially became residents of East Chicago. A week before Michelle landed her new job, we piled into a Ryder truck crammed with furniture and books and a small army of family and friends who helped us haul everything to our new city. Sweat soaked through our clothes as muscles ached from the weight of each box, but we had committed to this move because we believed we needed to live in the community we would be ministering to. We were called to experience life as our neighbors experienced it. A sheltered, isolated life in some distant suburb didn’t sit right with us.
I had come to East Chicago and Gary with a singular purpose—to plant a church. This wasn’t just any new ministry; it was the introduction to a different way of doing ministry that would stretch me into cross-cultural work. I learned an essential truth at my former church: no one is off the table. Everyone is worthy of love. Everyone needs to hear the gospel, no matter where they come from or what they’ve been through. That truth became our driving force as we began this new chapter, ready to reach people we hadn’t met.
We found an apartment in the heart of the city. It wasn’t the kind of place that would impress the Lake Shore Drive crowd, but it had character and was in a location that mattered. Most units were studio apartments, but we got lucky and snagged a one-bedroom on the corner. There was one little detail I neglected to share with our moving crew that day—there was no elevator.
When we finally arrived, I parked the truck back, thinking it would make the move easier. When Jeff, my best friend, saw the building had three stories, he asked, "So, what floor is the apartment on?" I hesitated a bit, then mumbled, “Third.” The look on his face was priceless. Jeff and the rest of our friends were not thrilled to discover they were helping us move to the top floor of a building without an elevator!
We finally finished after what felt like an eternity of lugging boxes up those stairs. Once everything was inside, Michelle and I said goodbye to our moving crew and made the four-hour drive back to Terre Haute. We had one last goodbye to the congregation who loved, supported, and sent us to full-time ministry. It was bittersweet. I preached my final sermon, and Michelle led worship one last time. This church had watched us grow and nurtured our faith, and now they were sending us off to start something new. After the service, there was a send-off party full of hugs, tears, and prayers as we braced ourselves for the unknown.
Welcome to East Chicago
That night, we made the long drive back to East Chicago. By the time we reached our new apartment, we were beyond exhausted. All we wanted to do was collapse into bed. We climbed those three flights of stairs, dropped our bags inside, and opened the windows to let some fresh air in. The cool breeze was a relief after such a long day.
But then, out of nowhere—bang, bang, bang. The sound of gunfire echoed through the neighborhood, and it felt like it was coming from right outside our window. Michelle and I hit the floor in a split second, hearts pounding in our chests. For a few minutes, we stayed there, unsure of what to do. Eventually, we gathered the courage to crawl over to the couch, peek out the window, and see if we could spot anything. There was nothing—just silence.
An hour later, still rattled, we lay down for the night. Sleep didn’t come easy. Instead, we prayed, asking God to calm our nerves and give us peace. As we lay there, we couldn’t help but wonder if we had made the biggest mistake of our lives. Had we jumped into something we weren’t ready for? But even in that moment of fear and uncertainty, there was a deep sense that God had us exactly where He wanted us.
That night, we learned that stepping into this new season would require faith—real, raw, unshakable faith. Living and ministering in East Chicago would mean trusting God in ways we had never experienced before. We would need His strength every day. That first night wasn’t just a rough introduction to our new home; it was the start of a journey where we would learn to depend on Him like never before. And we would find out, in the weeks and months that followed, that it was the best place we could be—right in the center of His will.
This experience laid the groundwork for everything I do today. Moving to East Chicago/Gary, planting a church, and immersing myself in cross-cultural ministry taught me that no one is off the table—everyone is worthy of love and needs to hear the gospel. In those early days, I first learned the importance of living among the people I serve, understanding their struggles, and meeting them where they are. Those lessons have become central to my work with Muslims today.
Attending Islamic College, speaking at mosques, and engaging in interfaith dialogue are natural extensions of that foundational experience. Just as I planted a church in a community where I was an outsider, I now find myself in settings where I might not always fit in—yet I am committed to building relationships, learning from others, and sharing the message of Christ. That early ministry taught me that the barriers between us can be overcome when we start with love and a deep respect for the lives and cultures of those we engage with.
Today, working with Muslims isn’t just about theology or debate; it’s about understanding, living out that belief that every person is worthy of grace and truth, and finding common ground without compromising the gospel. Whether in a mosque or a classroom, the lessons I learned in East Chicago are with me, guiding me to see each person as someone God loves and wants to reach.
Tim Orr is a scholar, Evangelical minister, conference speaker, and interfaith consultant with over 30 years of experience in cross-cultural ministry. He holds six degrees, including a master’s in Islamic studies from the Islamic College in London. Tim taught Religious Studies for 15 years at Indiana University Columbus and is now a Congregations and Polarization Project research associate at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University Indianapolis. He has spoken at universities, including Oxford University, the University of Tehran, and mosques throughout the U.K. His research focuses on American Evangelicalism, Islamic antisemitism, and Islamic feminism, and he has published widely, including articles in Islamic peer-reviewed journals and three books.
