Gordon: The Long Journey

Gordon Hogan was enjoying life as a family man, a deacon in a growing congregation and a successful businessman. After 12 years with a leading financial company, Gordon’s promotions suggested a secure career ahead. His congregation in Florida asked him to organize a World Evangelism Mission Clinic. Missionaries challenged the congregation “to select a nation that did not yet have a Gospel preacher, then find and send an evangelist.” The Hogans resolved to work harder to support whoever might be sent. But their elders wanted the Hogans to be their missionaries—to far-off India! After much consideration and prayer, the Hogans agreed. Supporting churches joined the effort and the Hogans prepared to leave.

Though still waiting for India to issue visas, the Hogans left on their planned departure date, November 8, 1960. They flew to Washington D.C. then to London, visiting churches along the way. With two other missionary families headed for other parts of Asia, their immediate destination was Hanover, Germany and its Volkswagen factory. The plan was for each family to buy a camper van for the overland trip to Asia. But the manufacturers pointed out that the normal waiting period for such a vehicle was from six to 15 months. They prayed fervently and received their vehicles within days.

After visits with missionaries and churches in Europe, their road led to Zagred, Yugoslavia, then to Athens and Corinth in Greece. They retraced parts of the apostle Paul’s missionary route through Philippi and Troas, then through Turkey: Assos, Pergamum, Thyatira and Izmir (Smyrna). There, Jane suffered a gall bladder attack but received immediate treatment at an American military hospital. While phoning America about this, Gordon learned that their final appeal for a visa to India had been denied. Already committed, they pressed on: Ephesus, Miletus and through the mountains to Antalya. There, at 2 a.m., Gordon’s van went off the road and overturned. Family members were safe and were entertained by Turkish soldiers while Gordon coordinated local men in turning the vehicle upright. They went on to Laodicea and Iconium, but the road to Lystra was blocked by snow. Some roads—if they could be called that—were difficult, involving long delays. After worshipping with Christians on the American military base in Adana, they pressed on to Antioch (where they found “the street called Straight” of Acts 9:11).

In Beirut, Lebanon, Gordon went to the Pakistan embassy and received a visa to that nation. From Jerusalem they went to Amman, Jordan, where they visited the king’s representative at the royal palace. (On this, Gordon comments, “We discovered that you can do many things if you do not know better,” which explains some things they attempted.)

From Amman to Baghdad was 687 miles with few opportunities for fuel and hospitality, and mountainous places with treacherous ice. Warned that a flooded river blocked their intended route through Afghanistan, they had to enter Pakistan at a southern entry point. That forced them to drive along the northwest border. Later they learned that this was a dangerous area of tribal conflicts—another example of not knowing better. Finally, after four months of adventurous and grueling travels—often sleeping in the vehicle and cooking on camping stoves—the Hogan family arrived in Lahore, Pakistan. “The speedometer on our faithful Volkswagen registered 14,000 miles.” They settled for eight years in Lahore, the first resident missionaries from churches of Christ to that Islamic country.

About a year after the Hogans settled, J.C. and Betty Choate arrived in Karachi, Pakistan. Together, they spread the Good News of Jesus and established congregations, also impacting other nations of southern and eastern Asia with many evangelistic visits. After 91 months based in Pakistan, the Hogans moved to Singapore where Gordon served for 15 years as president of the Four Seas College of Bible and Missions. Their mission work based in Singapore spanned 25 years. Their son David continues there. Back in the United States, Gordon trained future workers as a visiting missionary at Harding University, Freed Hardeman University and Oklahoma Christian University. From 1984 onward, Gordon served as a resident missionary trainer and Bible teacher at Harding University. Until 2008, he led student groups to Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. At this writing, Gordon is 95—a widower since his beloved Jane was taken home eight years ago—and still going strong.

In summing up, he says,

We must understand and believe that with God we can do great things. We need to quit playing at this business of world evangelism. We need to really stretch ourselves in faith, and then God will use us mightily to the accomplishment of that which is beyond what we can imagine or think. Listen to Paul, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh within us…” (Ephesians 3:20).