By Mike Goodwin, President • Evangelistic International Ministries
For more than 25 years, Evangelistic International Ministries (EIM) has carried the gospel around the world under the leadership of my dad, Rocky Goodwin, founder of EIM and former and current pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Warren. Over the past 17 months, both our family and this ministry have faced the deepest trial of our lives.
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17).
This was the verse God brought to my heart on Thursday evening, Oct. 30. For nearly 16 months, our family has walked through the darkest season of our lives. Many of you know that in May of 2019, we buried my mother. Ten months later, we buried my sister Mitzi. We thought that valley might be the deepest we’d ever face. We had no idea that an even darker one lay ahead.
On August 15, 2024, State Police arrived at Dad’s door and took him in for questioning. By nightfall, he was in handcuffs and taken to jail, accused of possessing illicit material that investigators said was found on a personal laptop. Three months prior, a search warrant had been served for all electronic devices in his home and EIM office. We were concerned, yes, but we truly didn’t believe anything would come of it. That changed dramatically on August 15.
After posting bail, Dad was released. In September 2024, we had our first court date, where he was arraigned and formally charged. It would take 13 long months before he finally had his day in court. As we reviewed the evidence, or lack thereof, from the State, and compared it to the evidence we had, our confidence grew. We believed Dad would be found innocent. But during those 12 months of waiting, we also believed God would intervene before the trial ever began. We prayed for dismissal, for resolution, for deliverance. Yet God, in His sovereignty, chose to take us through the trial.
Throughout this season, we clung to the truth that God has the final say. For 27 years, I’ve preached that God is sovereign over all things, that He works all things for our good and His glory, even when we don’t understand. It’s one thing to preach that truth; it’s another to live it.
Another verse that sustained us was II Cor. 12:9, where God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient.” We found ourselves learning to live in that all-sufficient grace. My dad has preached the gospel for 63 years. There are a few verses I could quote to him that he didn’t already know, believe and understand. But as we often said during this journey, “It’s one thing to believe it; it’s another thing to live it.”
I watched my dad draw closer to God than ever before. A man who had preached for three-quarters of his life was now hungering for the Word in a new way. I saw an 87-year-old man age before my eyes. I saw him weep often, discouraged and beaten down. But praise God, I never saw him fall. He may have bent, but he never broke.
This was a man who had buried his wife of 60 years and his precious daughter Mitzi, whom he called his prayer warrior. I saw him cast down but not destroyed. And I didn’t know if this time he would survive. My prayers shifted from asking for justice to asking for his survival. He was sleeping only two to three hours a night. I often wondered how much more he could endure. But every time he reached his lowest, God would raise him up and deposit fresh grace into his spirit.
Then came Oct. 30, 2025. After two days of hearings, the jury entered deliberation. I’ll be honest, it’s terrifying knowing your father’s future rests in the hands of 12 people. But I also knew that Oct. 29-30, thousands of prayers were bombarding Heaven.
At around 6:45 p.m. Thursday, after just 90 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned with a verdict: innocent on all counts. The courtroom erupted. Hands were raised, voices lifted in praise, tears flowed freely and hugs were exchanged. And Isaiah 54:17 rang true: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn…”
After 17 months of uncertainty, God answered the prayers of His people with a clear and public vindication.
Experts confirmed the laptop had been infected by malware through the home’s Wi-Fi network, casting doubt on the integrity of the evidence. Records also showed he had been out of state when some of the alleged activity occurred.
While our hearts rejoiced at the verdict, we also recognize the seriousness of such allegations and the responsibility we carry as a gospel ministry.
We at EIM understand the seriousness of these charges. Evangelistic International Ministries will not allow anyone to work for us or even travel with us who has been convicted of such deplorable behavior. We believe nothing is more serious and sinful than exploiting children in any way.
To all who stood with us these past 17 months, thank you. To the churches who continued to support EIM, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your texts, calls, messages, encouragement, love and especially your prayers carried us. Many of you never wavered in believing in Dad’s innocence. You remained faithful in your monthly support, allowing EIM to continue reaching the world with the gospel. Through it all, we only lost a handful of churches. We praise God for that. Many of you could have pulled your support, and we would have understood. But you didn’t. And because you didn’t, EIM had a fruitful year, seeing souls come to Christ.
Dad has now been reinstated as CEO of EIM and is excited for what lies ahead. As I told him after the trial, “Hey Dad, let’s go finish well.” That’s our desire, to get back on the road and do what God has called us to do.
EIM has already released its full 2026 mission schedule, including Shepherd’s Bag trips to Honduras, Overseas Bible School teams in Tanzania and Mexico, a Barnabas Touch training in Liberia, and a joint medical and dental mission in Tanzania. God has opened remarkable doors for renewed ministry, and we ask for your continued prayers as we step into this next season of global evangelism.
Some have asked if Dad is okay financially. While he hasn’t struggled, this journey came at a cost. His legal expenses were significant, but he covered them himself. For the past 17 months, he has not drawn a salary from Calvary Baptist Church or received his housing allowance from EIM. Yet through it all, God has proven Himself faithful.
In closing, let me leave you with this: “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (II Cor. 12:9-10).
Please know how deeply we love each of you.
