Christ Rescued Us
Before We Spoke of Freedom, We Needed to Be Set Free
Before there was a ministry called Setting Captives Free, there were two people who needed to be set free. Like every son and daughter of Adam, we were dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), separated from God and unable to give ourselves life. Jesus said, “Everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin” (John 8:34), and that was true of us. But God, who is rich in mercy, did what we could never do for ourselves. Through the death and resurrection of His Son, He forgave our sins, gave us new life in Christ, and began transforming us into His likeness. Before we ever spoke to others about Christ, He first revealed Himself to us and brought us to Himself.
Christ Taught Us
The Gospel Is the Life by Which We Are Transformed
Having brought us to Himself, the Lord did not leave us to grow by our own wisdom or strength. Patiently and faithfully, He began teaching us through His Word. As we searched the Scriptures, we discovered that the gospel is not only the message by which we are saved, but the very life by which we are transformed. We learned that our old self was crucified with Christ, that we have been raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4–6), and that lasting freedom is found not by striving harder, but by abiding in Christ (John 15:4–5). The Lord taught us to fix our eyes on Jesus, trusting that as we behold His glory, He transforms us into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The Lord Raised Up Setting Captives Free
Christ, His Gospel, and His Word Are Sufficient
As the Lord deepened these truths in our hearts, He opened doors to share them with others and raised up Setting Captives Free in 2000. Later, He called Mike into pastoral ministry, where he had the privilege of serving for seventeen years and planting two churches. Throughout those years, the Lord brought us to men and women who sincerely longed for freedom. Many had looked for hope in twelve-step groups, therapeutic and psychological approaches, accountability systems, programs, or greater personal determination. While some of these may offer helpful insights or support, we became increasingly convinced that lasting freedom is found in Jesus Christ alone. Again and again, the Lord brought us back to the same unchanging conviction: Christ is sufficient, His gospel is sufficient, and His Word is sufficient to save sinners and transform saints.
Our Prayer for You
May You See Christ More Clearly
Our prayer is that, as you spend time in God’s Word through these courses, you will come to know more deeply the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the transforming love of the Savior. As you behold Him in the Scriptures, our hope is that He will continue His gracious work of changing you into His likeness, for it is by looking to Christ that we are transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18). If, through these courses, you come to love Jesus more, trust Him more, and see more clearly the glory of His death and resurrection, then the Lord has graciously answered our prayer.
