When God Brings the Story Around

Resonate Global Mission missionaries Matt and Emily Slack were supposed to keep serving in Türkiye. Instead they sat in silence in their apartment, trying to absorb their bad news. Months of language learning, relationship building, and ministry dreams—all were suddenly shut down by a denied visa. They were stunned. 

“We were heartbroken and demoralized. We wondered why God had brought us this far for a dead end,” shared Matt.

But their work and experience did not go to waste. God opened another door and is now using the Slacks’ training experience for ministry in another country.

A Closed Door

The Slacks had moved to Türkiye in December 2023 with a mission to build relationships with and share the gospel among some of the millions of people in the country who identify as Muslim. After more than a year of preparation they were finally cleared to leave for the field, and they dove into making a home there, learning the language, familiarizing themselves with the culture, and building relationships. But as the months went by, they ran into roadblocks to securing long-term visas. Despite their best efforts and the assistance of Resonate staff, the Slacks’ visas were denied.

Matt and Emily were crushed. They weren’t sure what their next step should be.

But just as it seemed their story had ended in disappointment, God opened another door. 

A New Opportunity

As many people today relocate throughout the world for education, work, and other opportunities, countries are becoming increasingly diverse. Resonate leaders worked with the Slacks to explore major Turkish populations in Europe and eventually pinpointed a community in London, England. Not only did North London have the highest population of Turks in that country, but Matt had previously served in the city during a cross-cultural internship while attending seminary.

It was a perfect fit.

After preparing again for an overseas move, the Slacks landed in London in late February 2025 and began to familiarize themselves with their new home. They prayed for God’s guidance and for opportunities to connect with their new Turkish neighbors.

A Divine Encounter

One day the couple and their daughter were on a walk on the college campus where they live when they met one of their neighbors, Hilary. She lit up.

“You’re that American family who was in Türkiye, aren’t you?” she asked.

Hilary leads an English-language group at her church, and the group has turned into a Bible study geared toward people from a Muslim background. This year, all of the students in the group are Turkish.

“They were learning a lot about Christianity, but no church leaders in the group were familiar with Turkish culture, language, or Islamic beliefs. This made it difficult for the leaders to fully understand and address the group members’ concerns, questions, and comments,” said Matt.

Hilary had been praying for someone to help, and Matt and Emily immediately agreed to join the team and help lead the group.

‘God Bringing Things Full-Circle’

Because of the couple’s experience living in Türkiye, they were soon able to connect with the students in the group on a personal level. They also have a strong understanding of the language and culture, which Matt said has been able to help him better explain the Bible to the group. During the last meeting, for instance, they were talking about the concept of faith.

The general Turkish vocabulary for faith focuses on an intellectual belief in God, Matt noted: “This is how it is in Islam. However, Turkish Christians use a different word that better captures the personal, trusting faith we have in Jesus. Sharing this was just one way in which I was able to help make their understanding of the gospel clearer, deeper, and more fluent in their lives.”

“Our time in Türkiye and the Middle East was challenging and stressful, but it prepared us in so many ways,” Matt reflected. “It's one thing to read stories about God bringing things full-circle for other people; it's another thing to experience it firsthand. We're so surprised and humbled at how God has brought our past experiences and current ministry focus full-circle.”