“As I look back over the life I’ve lived so far, only 35 short years, I can see the promises of God and the goodness of God that has unfolded,” Nathanael Saylor said during his January 29 five-year chapel recognition.
Marketing had always been the plan. Growing up, his mother served as treasurer at their small local church, but ministry wasn’t on Nathanael’s radar. Instead, he dreamt of owning a business and using his success to support his struggling church. That was the goal—until God interrupted.
During his freshman year of college, something changed. “God gripped my heart. He revealed to me his plan and not my plan,” Nathanael recalled. He walked away from his state school, packed his bags, and moved to another state to join a Bible college discipleship program. It marked the beginning of his unexpected journey into pastoral ministry. It’s funny how the Lord has a sense of humor, sometimes calling us to the least expected.
As the youngest member of every church staff he joined, Nathanael quickly noticed a pattern—people assumed he was a “techy guy.” Whether it was computers, graphic design, communications, or marketing, those responsibilities kept landing in his lap. Over the next decade, while serving as a youth and music pastor, Nathanael was also thrust into the world of marketing. And through that, he discovered an unexpected connection between the two worlds.
“The heart of marketing is telling a story and conveying a message in a way that prompts someone to take action,” he said. “And not to cheapen the Gospel in any way, shape, or form, but that’s essentially what we do as Christians. That’s what we do in the church. We have the greatest story ever told that we get to share, and we have a message of hope to convey to the world. We pray through the power of the Holy Spirit that prompts people and moves them into action.”
Throughout those 10 years of ministry, Nathanael and his wife walked through deep personal sorrow. Their hopes for a family were met with the painful reality of infertility, despite being near some of the best medical care in the country. But God, as always, had a plan—one that would unexpectedly unfold in a small town. When the Saylors moved to Athens, Tennessee, it was there that a local doctor—who just happened to share their faith—would change their lives. What was supposed to be another fateful appointment became a two-hour heart-healing counseling session with a God-fearing doctor.
“Had we not moved to Athens, Tennessee, we would’ve never met this doctor,” Nathanael said. “God used him [the small-town doctor] instrumentally in the journey, not just of us having our first child, but of restoring a heart of brokenness that we had carried for nearly three years as we walked through that journey.”
With their four-month-old daughter, the Saylors moved to Indiana, where Nathanael continued pastoring. He searched online for an additional job to supplement his income, and as if by divine design, a marketing position was open at One Mission Society. The Lord’s timing, once again, was perfect.
Nathanael’s journey—his wife, their two miracle daughters, and his unexpected return to marketing—stands as a living testament to God’s faithfulness. He spoke of moments when doubt crept in, he wondered if God had forgotten the promises he made. He had expected God to open specific doors for specific callings. But ultimately, God had a far better plan, leading him down a path he never would have imagined—one that answered every prayer along the way. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 ESV).
With confidence, Nathanael summed up his journey: “God keeps his promises,” he said. “He’s a faithful, faithful God.”
Editor’s Note: Today, Nathanael serves as the creative director for the OMS USA Marketing & Communications Department.
By Olivia Hogsett, Communications Associate, March 2025
