Immersion 15 – 2024-2025

Interview with Evan Long

Evan shares how his story began at Echo Ranch Bible Camp, where he first served on the facilities team before an accident changed everything. That moment forced him to ask hard questions about his future and opened the door to a new role he never imagined: counseling campers and sharing the gospel on the front lines. From there, his love for ministry grew, leading him to join Immersion 15 to discern whether God was calling him into missions long-term.

Throughout our conversation, Evan reflects on pivotal lessons—like a simple quote that reshaped his understanding of God’s will, the unwavering support of his home church, and the surprising ways God used his skills in music and teaching to build connections in Sitka. He also speaks candidly about the challenges of serving in unfamiliar places, the deep need for the gospel in isolated communities, and how small acts of service can make an eternal impact.

If you’ve ever wondered what mid-term missions look like or how God can use ordinary people in extraordinary ways, Evan’s story offers encouragement and insight. His experience reminds us that saying “yes” to God’s call often means stepping into the unknown—but it’s in those moments that transformation happens.

1. What drew you to Immersion 15? Why did you decide to participate in the program?

In 2022, I came up to Echo Ranch to serve as summer staff on the facility team. I like working with my hands, I wanted some experience before fully working back at home, and I wanted to use the abilities God gave me to serve Him.

After that first summer I decided to return the next summer to do it again. The first week back, I was made a camp counselor, but I really did not enjoy counseling and soon I was back on the facilities team. Within a week, I was in a table saw accident that left my hand temporarily out of commission. The accident really got me thinking: "What am I now going to do for the rest of this summer? What would happen if my ability to do what I love with my hands was taken away permanently? What if I’m meant to do something other than construction?" And then, "What does God really have in plan? How can I serve differently at camp now?"

There was a little pull on the heart strings to specifically serve where I didn’t want to: counseling. So, I did it. There was a lot of spiritual growth while counseling for the summer, and I ended up loving it. I loved being on the front lines sharing the gospel to the campers, learning from the challenges from each camp week, and learning to trust in the strength and power of the Lord. I was given a bigger love for ministry, and I began to wonder: "What if God is calling me to go in a different direction? Is He potentially pointing me towards a ministry path?" Immersion 15 was an idea while I was thinking through those things, so I joined Immersion 15 to know and experience what it would be like to do missions, if this is something that I am called to do.

2. Is there a specific interaction or conversation that impacted you? What happened?

I remember one time sitting in Sunday chapel at camp while Randy (the camp director) was speaking. During the message, he quoted from a book, saying, “Never think of it as ‘What is God's will for me?’ Instead, think of ‘What is God's will?’ Period.” That has really stuck with me, and it changed my thought process about a lot of things in my life. It really gave me a bigger view of God's perspective on things and a big heart to want to share His Glory to others.

3. How did your home church support you before/during the 15 months?

My church has been very supportive from the start. They were a huge blessing helping me jump a huge financial bump. During the 15 months, they were very intentional with me asking for updates, how I was doing, and what they could be praying for.

4. What was a challenge you experienced during the 15 months? How did you see God helping you overcome it/learn from it?

A big challenge for me was when I was in Sitka figuring out how to minister and serve in a brand-new community that I am unfamiliar with. There were times of questioning myself if I was doing enough. I was struggling with building a routine and taking initiative of when and where to serve in the community. God used some of my strong suits to show me what needs needed to be filled. The church that I was serving at needed another drummer. I am a percussionist. The high school needed substitute teachers. I was a substitute. I got to serve the Church through drumming and the high school through subbing. I gained a lot of favorability and trust from the highschoolers which led to opportunities to share my relationship with Jesus. What I was doing felt like little things, but it wasn't. What I was shown and taught during that was the little things, even if they don't feel like much, make a huge difference in sharing the Kingdom of God.

5. Why did you choose to spend your second summer at Echo Ranch?

Originally for my second summer, I wanted to do one of the overseas opportunities that Avant had. I faced many challenges over the winter in Sitka: a lot of learning new things about myself, struggles, strengths, weaknesses, and the difficulties of figuring out how and where to serve in the community. With a lot of prayer and insight from well-trusted believers, it felt appropriate to make a return to Echo Ranch. I was very at ease with this decision, and I also had a feeling that my time at Echo Ranch was not done yet.

6. What did you learn about God during Immersion 15? What did you learn about missions? What did you learn about yourself?

His omnipresence. Just how He is everywhere, how His love is everywhere. I got to really see God's love in a bigger perspective working along with missionaries and others doing Immersion 15. I see it this way: we are called to be imitators of Christ. As He poured His love into us, we are to pour that same love into others. I got to see that firsthand working with others. One thing I learned about missions is the great need. Being in a small town in Alaska, I got to see the real darkness of it through a lot of deaths, hard home lives, and the feeling of being stuck/isolated. The glory of Christ needs to be spread everywhere from your home, town, country, and other places. One thing I learned about myself is that I do want to continue in the ministry path.

7. What surprised you about the experience?

Just how much more challenging it was than I thought it was going to be. I knew that I was walking into a huge challenge, and yet it was so much bigger than I thought. Another surprise was God using me in places and doing things that I thought I could never do or wouldn't be good at to serve others and Him.

8. What would you tell someone considering a mid-term opportunity with Avant?

Do it! It's going to be hard and it's going to be challenging. You will be stretched out of your comfort zone, but that's not a bad thing. It is an experience I think you shouldn't turn away from. God is going to stretch you and use you in many ways. You will really get to see a new perspective in life and you will grow spiritually in many new and different ways.

9. How do you hope God will use this experience in your future?

I hope that this experience is used to continue serving others whether that would be in missions, church, or even my home community.

Learn More About Our Immersion Ministries

If you’re considering a mid-term missionary opportunity, Evan encourages you to say “yes” and allow God to stretch you, transform you, and use you for His glory. Click the button to find out how.

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