The Power of Family on Mission

A testimony of walking in faith as a family in God’s Kingdom.

By Kuzaan & Clarien van den Berg, October 7, 2025

Introduction

We hope this article will inspire families, both in the church and in the mission field, to be on mission as families. Our children were 5,8, and 9 years old when we went into missions. Strong families are the cornerstone of healthy churches and ministries that invest in the next generation to make disciples of all nations. We cannot give what we do not have, and Christian families serve as examples to our communities and cultures worldwide.

We have learned as a family in God’s kingdom that there is no substitute for experience. Experiencing God as a family not only strengthens the family but also each individual member within it. This principle was really amplified when the Lord called us into missions, and what came to mind was, ‘How are we going to do this as a family?’ We knew this new lifestyle would challenge our faith and trust in the Lord more than anything we had experienced before. Taking our children with us to church, on home visits, to prayer nights, and on outreaches was already something we did so that they could grow in the Lord alongside us. Being on mission as a family helps us grow by putting our faith in the Lord, trusting that He will provide for us.

The only guarantee we have is His promises in His word, which are the foundations of our faith and hope. Coming from a small country town in South Africa, we had a church willing to send us, but it did not have the resources to fully fund us; it was a step of faith for both us and our sending church. In Matthew we find one of those promises from the Lord that we hold on to, “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life (Matt 29:29 KJV).

Trust and Faith in the Lord

As parents, we are committed by faith that our children will never blame being in missions for lacking anything. We were underfunded but had faith in God that He would provide everything we needed. This can be a cause of stress, but you can also find peace knowing that God is in control and will provide. Through this humbling experience, we have surrendered to the Lord and are content with the resources He provides for our family. Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

When God becomes your only source, it cultivates a deep trust and relationship with the Lord. It removes the fear of what the Lord may ask from you or where He will send your family. We had always lived in a house, and we wanted to trust the Lord that He would provide a home for our family, so we wouldn’t need to live in apartments. Every country God sends us to, we are told that houses are too expensive or rarely available to rent. In all eight countries we have lived in so far, the Lord has provided us with a free or very cheap rental house. There was no way that we could afford a home in any of these countries, but the Lord did the impossible and granted our request for our family.

Every time our children asked for a specific gift or special experience for their birthday or Christmas, we told them that we needed to ask the Lord to provide the gift or the finances to buy it. In this way, we learn to trust the Lord together and to be content with His provision. As a family, we have many testimonies of how the Lord has provided both small and big things we prayed for. I remember our son once asking if he could celebrate his birthday at the Spur Steak Ranches, which had a huge play area for children. However, because we didn’t have the finances to go, we had to pray and ask the Lord to provide for us to be able to celebrate there.

That same day, we had to visit a friend for the weekend in another city, and upon arrival, they said they didn’t feel like cooking and would rather take us to the Spur Steak Ranch so that the kids could play and we could spend quality time together. I remember our son looking at us and smiling because God heard his prayer. These experiences strengthen our faith for the challenges we will face in missions.

In that same year, we were called by God to leave South Africa to go to a country that did not allow Christian missionaries. With only $500 in monthly support, we faced a significant challenge, as we were told the ideal monthly support would be $2,000. We had to leave by faith and trust that Jesus would provide, leaving South Africa with less support than what was recommended. We went to the airport with no cash in hand, but with faith that God would provide for us and with the knowledge that He had already miraculously provided all the flight tickets.

Upon arrival at the airport, we were greeted by our pastor and elders, who came to pray for us and bid us farewell. We had no money for the trip or anything to help us settle into our new host country. We did not know that the church was collecting an offering for us, and the pastor was there to provide us with a sufficient amount for our trip, which was two hours before our flight departed. When you put your faith in God and He is your only option, there you will experience the miraculous.

Spiritual Foundation

From a young age, as a mother, I knew it was essential that our children grow spiritually alongside us, and their foundation would be their own relationship with Jesus. It was our responsibility not just to share the Gospel with them but to demonstrate our faith in Jesus. I personally led all my children to the Lord and encouraged them to practice their faith daily by memorizing scripture, praying together, and introducing them to the practice of fasting. They begin the discipline of fasting from a very young age by not eating breakfast and breaking their fast at noon. As they grew older, they began to fast longer and adopted this as one of the spiritual disciplines we practice in times when we need the Lord for breakthroughs. Fasting helps us face the many challenges we have endured and keeps us mentally, spiritually, and physically healthy. Isa 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

While we were in a challenging season of living and working in a country where Christians are persecuted, we, as a family, faced many dire situations, and the spiritual warfare was intense. As parents, we asked the Lord if we had done the right thing by taking our young children through this experience. The Lord clearly answers us by saying that He loves our children more than we do and that He will not put them through any experience that is not necessary to prepare them for their future. We sometimes have to make tough choices and must trust God for the outcome.

We now understand that every furnace the Lord puts us through is to prepare our character and integrity for the next season. Only through time and experience do we grow in the fruit of the Spirit. Picking up our cross daily to follow Him needs endurance, faith, patience, joy, and peace in the Lord. When we try to protect our children from challenges or suffering, we deprive them of the opportunity to grow and overcome their difficulties. Going through difficult times as a family just strengthens the bond and faith in God, making the family strong to stand together. We can only trust the Lord with our family.

Family on Mission

From the beginning, we included our children in every major decision we made concerning moving to different countries, praying individually, and sharing what the Spirit puts on their hearts, including visions, dreams, and any divine revelation. The challenge is to wait if we disagree until the Lord unites us. We want every member of the family to hear from God themselves, and the benefits of this are numerous. First, we must all be united and hear the same thing from the Holy Spirit; this is extremely important for unity. Second, it keeps us as a family accountable to each other for major decisions that affect the whole family. Third, when we made a united decision, we were ready to face the next season together. If this season is difficult, no one can complain that they did not choose to be there; we face and overcome the challenges together.

We did not formally instruct our children in the ministry work; instead, they accompanied us when we worked in various settings such as schools, camps, or churches. (Deu 6:7-9) At first, they helped pray and later served the people; the benefit is that we, as a family, experience God at work. This keeps them excited to be part of our ministry, and they grow in confidence as we serve together. In the beginning years, we decided that Clarien would homeschool the kids and focus on prayer and intersession. I had to travel alone at times and go out for ministry, but we recognized that this was not ideal for our family. We then selected these opportunities where we can be a family on the mission together. Every ministry that invited us to teach or serve knew that it did not matter who would be doing the ministry; the whole family would be there. This also includes people whom we disciple and live with us; they are considered part of the family.

Travelling can be challenging for children, and we always ensure that we pack some personal items for them. Upon arrival at our destinations, we put these items on the bed to let them feel that that is their personal space. As a family, we planned that every Friday night was family night, where we would cook a meal together and do something fun together. This was a highlight for our children and created a safe place away from ministry. It is essential to have a good balance between ministry and family life.

To be a family on the mission together is a challenge and a test of patience. This is especially true for the men in the family. We like to move fast and get things done, but we will leave our family behind. Every season of a family has a different pace, and we must adapt to the slowest member of our team so that no one is left behind. This presents a significant challenge if we are performance-based rather than relationship-based, this is a personal choice. Are you moving as a family or individually? This is the question every family must answer.

Educational challenges

When we entered the mission field, homeschooling was a relatively new concept in South Africa, and we couldn’t find a homeschooling community close to the country where we lived. One nation also confiscated our homeschool books because they were Christian material, and we had to homeschool without books for two years. We are privileged that Clarien was a schoolteacher and could put together a school syllabus for each of our children for a time. We understood that it was essential to keep our children with us. To send them to a boarding school in another country would have been the wrong choice. We chose not to prioritize their education over family. However, they now have completed discipleship schools with YWAM, and all obtained Bachelor’s degrees in Ministry through CMM College of Theology. We are grateful to their donors and scholarship providers. Trust God with your family; we cannot emphasize this enough.

The Lord provided us with solutions for every educational challenge we faced. The benefit of homeschooling is that a school system does not bind us; the school goes where we are, and they can travel with us anytime, anywhere, without affecting their schoolwork. They actually grow more because they learn and experience new cultures and challenges, moving out of their comfort zone. Working on projects together with our children allows us to spend quality time while they develop the skills necessary for life.

Overcoming Culture and Tradition

When we went into missions, we received a word from the Lord, “seven times through the furnace”. At the time, we did not fully understand the word, but now, 26 years later, we see that every country we lived in was a furnace. We lived in seven countries, excluding South Africa, and in each country, God did a work in our family. Every country was a refining fire, helping us to be rooted more deeply in the Kingdom of God. It was about choosing God’s will over our own comfort, traditions, and culture. We are often asked which country is our favorite. We can honestly answer that it is the nation where God calls us to serve Him. Being in a place you know God sent you gives you the strength to overcome the impossible.

This choice is not about turning our back on where we come from, but to choose God’s will over our own desires, culture, and preferences. We are not going to duplicate our culture but establish the principles of the Kingdom of God. To truly connect with a culture, you must adopt and appreciate the new culture, live like its members, eat their food, and face the same challenges they encounter. To love a new culture is not about accepting everything, but to take the good and challenge the parts that oppose the Word of God. Walking alongside the new culture while you demonstrate Kingdom values is essential.

When we, as a family, worked with the underground church, there were things we did not understand; for example, they only did business and talked with people they knew and trusted. We thought this was bad for outreach until we faced the same persecution. We realized how important it is to listen to the Spirit for everything, because one small mistake can lead to imprisonment or deportation.

In every culture, we cannot rely solely on our education, experience, or previous methods; we need fresh revelation and application tailored to each culture. In one culture, you can be very successful with a particular ministry, but the same ministry is not effective in another culture. The Gospel message applies to every culture, but the vehicle and application of how it is presented may differ.

Our family will always be South African, and we retain many aspects of our own culture, such as hospitality, a slower pace of life, food preferences, and the language. However, we also adopted several good habits from our host cultures that have become integral to our new culture. As a family, the home is our place of rest where we speak our own language and keep our own cultural preferences. Every family has to deal with culture shock and adaptation. This can cause homesickness, anxiety, and stress, and it is essential to process these challenges with the Lord as a family. Understanding that we are part of another Kingdom helps us to let go of the earthly kingdoms we live in. Jesus prayed, “15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (Jn 17:15-17).

Conclusion

Being a family on mission together has been one of the most enriching experiences you can have in life. We have experienced this both in the 9 years we worked a full-time job and served in our local church, as well as in the 26 years we have spent on missions worldwide. Our children are all missionaries today, having served in various countries. Currently, they are part of our team, and they are not part of our team because they are family. They are part of our team because they love the Lord, have been tested over time, possess endurance, and work hard. There is no greater joy for a parent than seeing their children serve the Lord. If Jesus is first in their life, what they choose to do will turn out well because of the Lord. The family is the first church we are given. If we manage our homes well, God can trust us with His family, the ecclesia.

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