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Dave’s new faith rapidly changed the way he lived both in his personal life and in his professional life.

In 1989, when NASA’s Galileo spacecraft began its 360-million-mile voyage to Jupiter, Dave found himself in the right place at the right time. Not long after the launch, the mission’s controllers discovered the spacecraft’s large umbrella-like antenna wouldn’t open. Several of the spokes refused to expand, making the antenna about as effective as an umbrella in a hurricane (uh-oh). Consequently, the data transmission rate would be so slow (10 bits/second at Jupiter) that the mission would fail to achieve most of its goals.

Dave led a team of 25 scientists, programmers, and engineers over a 3-year period to develop a technique, called antenna arraying, that would ultimately help save the mission. Together with other key improvements in the receiving system, their antenna arraying technique increased the communications system by 100 times (1,000 bit/sec) and enabled every major goal of the Galileo mission to be accomplished. Dave’s team received special commendation for their part in this achievement. They were so successful with antenna arraying that they were given the task of expanding this capability for use in all missions.

What was the reason for this success? Dave says, “The credit for the success of this work can be directly attributed to what Jesus says in the gospels. If you want to be great, you must become a servant—just like Christ did.”

He really wanted his group to be successful so he made every effort to practice this principle of servanthood. Success requires team players to “jump in” and do what it takes to get the job done. The team leader leads best by being an example.

When there was a “dirty” job to be done, Dave chose to be the fi rst to do it, even when it meant cleaning up a toilet spill (true story!). If something was needed, he would even spend his own money if it meant saving time and trouble. Through it all, Dave discovered that others will follow the example of a willing leader and won’t complain when the going gets tough.

God blessed his team’s effort and gave them success. God even used Dave’s leadership to reach out to nonbelievers. Once, when their team had accomplished a diffi cult goal, one of Dave’s coworkers, a person without a clear belief in God, commented, “We were so successful, there must be a God in heaven looking out for us.”

This story of a scientist becoming a servant is a great example of how faith in Christ can impact not only a person’s life, but also the people around him or her!

How are you going to allow your faith in Christ to impact the world around you?

CONTENTS

WHY IMPACT EVENTS?

Figure and Image Credits

1. GAS GIANTS PLAYING BIG BROTHER Living Under God’s Protection

2. TWO WORLDS COLLIDE—SUCCESSFULLY Believing in the Sovereignty of God

3. ROVING AROUND STRANGE NEW WORLDS Growing Beyond your Comfort Zone

4. SHINING LIGHT ON THE SOLAR SYSTEM Walking in the Light of Christ

5. LIVING IN THE HABITABILITY ZONE God Has You Right Where You Should Be

6. IMPACT EVENT IN ACTION: DR. DAVID ROGSTAD Doing Science with a Servant’s Heart

© 2011 Reasons To Believe • www.reasons.org731 E. Arrow Hwy, Glendora, CA 91740 • (800) 482-7836

Cover Image: ©Solarseven I Dreamstime.com

All Scripture quotations in this publication are taken from the HOLY BIBLE:NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® (NIV®). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by

International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.All rights reserved.

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