On the night of August 30, 2003, Robert Rogers’ life changed forever. He and his family were traveling along the Kansas Turnpike on their way home from a wedding in Wichita. A storm had formed over the western portion of the state and was pouring rain over the road. Suddenly, floodwaters from n earby Jacob’s Creek began to swell over the highway in what would become known as the Jacob’s Creek Flood. Rogers’ wife and four children were killed when their van was swept off the road and carried almost a mile downstream. Rogers was separated from his family when he was pulled from the minivan by the overwhelming current. He was eventually rescued by local law enforcement. The tragedy changed Rogers’ life in an instant. In interviews shortly after the incident, he recounted how his faith helped him cope with the loss of his wife and children — both as it was happening and in the immediate aftermath. “I was dying, but I felt peaceful; I felt the presence of God,” Rogers said in a 2004 interview. “I was thinking, we’re all going to heaven. [But] it didn’t feel like the right timing to me; it felt early.” In 2004, Rogers left his job — a comfortable position as an electrical engineer — to found Mighty in the Land Ministry, which combines faith, music and prayer with the goal of encouraging others to live a life of “no regrets,” he said. The ministry is now based in Fort Wayne. Foundation of Faith Rogers grew up in Cincinnati as the youngest of eight children. As a child, faith played a major role in his life. His family was active in their local Catholic parish, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, where Rogers was an altar server, and he graduated from St. Xavier Jesuit High School. But it wasn’t until his teenage years, he said, that he truly embraced his Catholic faith. He bought his first Bible, read it every day, memorized Scripture, completed a Bible study program, and connected with Father Al Lauer, the founder of Presentation Ministries. “Decades later, I have now memorized dozens upon dozens of Bible verses, implanting God’s word in my heart,” Rogers told Today’s Catholic. “That has helped nurture, cultivate and fortify my faith over the years.” Even after Rogers started his own family, faith remained a foundational part of his life. Along with his wife and children, they memorized Scripture and sang praise songs around their piano every night. After that fateful night in Kansas, he attempted to return to his career as an electrical engineer, but it just didn’t feel right. “It felt like a shoe that no longer fit,” he said. “I never really had an overwhelming passion for engineering. My family was my passion. With them gone, the engineering career seemed to lose its purpose and motivation,” he added. ‘Turn the Hearts of People to God’ Shortly after resigning, Rogers began to receive calls from faith communities of all denominations. They had seen his interviews and asked if he would speak about his experiences and the role of faith in his grieving and recovery process. “Upwards of 100 places invited me in 2004, and then about 110 in 2005,” he recalled. With a newfound sense of purpose, Rogers decided to leave behind his old career and start his ministry. He said that while he didn’t envision himself as a full-time spiritual leader at the time, he believes the formation and growth of Mighty in the Land Ministry was guided by the Holy Spirit. Rogers emphasized that through the ministry, he “freely shares” his message wherever he is invited, meaning he doesn’t impose fees or request payment to tell his story. As he put it, his ministry includes “no agent, no fees, pure God.” “Our mission is to teach others to know God personally through a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ and to live a life of no regrets,” he said. “Our vision is to turn the hearts of people to God and turn the hearts of parents and children to one another.” “I am passionate about families,” he continued, “so I strive to turn parents and children’s hearts back to one another. As a ministry, our goal is to help evangelize souls, restore families and heal hearts — all through the grace and power of God.” ‘An Itinerate Ministry’ More than 20 years after founding Mighty in the Land Ministry, Rogers is busier today than ever before, traveling to both secular and religious organizations to bring his message of hope, healing and evangelization to people across the country. “God has entrusted me with an itinerate ministry,” Rogers said. “After 22 years, Mighty in the Land remains a ministry of faith. I share at churches, parish missions, schools, youth camps, communities, conventions, men’s groups, women’s groups, revivals, outreaches, retreats, Legatus, Theology on Tap, theaters, libraries, homes, barns, banquets and even bowling alleys and RV/trailer ministries,” he said. “I travel to any place I am invited and freely share — through word, songs, Scriptures, pictures and videos. [It’s] a message tailored to each group and wrapped around my testimony. As best I can track, I have freely shared over 1,500 times to at least 324,000 people in-person, all by invitation,” he added. Through the years, Rogers has released six books covering topics related to spirituality, ministry and family life — “Into the Deep,” “7 Steps to No Regrets,” “Rise Above,” “Pass the Test,” “Stay Pure” and “Father Your Family.” Copies of his books are available wherever he speaks, and Rogers offers a “pay-what-you-can” model, which allows patrons to pay any price they feel is fair. Music Ministry Rogers says that in addition to acting as the catalyst and context for his ministry, the tragedy of the Jacob’s Creek Flood and his experiences help him get to the core of the most important spiritual questions of today. “The Lord seems to use the gravity of our family’s tragedy to break open people’s hearts so that the Holy Spirit might then enter in and work on their soul,” he said. Rogers said his background in music, specifically his training as a pianist, also contributes to his ministry. “Music plays a very vital role. I have been a musician all my life. I am a pianist, worshipper and composer, and I often begin and conclude my message with timeless hymns or worship songs. I also include one or two original compositions to help convey our family’s story,” he said. “In particular, I regularly share one composition very near to my heart entitled, ‘What Is Heaven Like?’ It is a song I wrote to my heavenly daughter, Makenah, asking her so many of the questions we all have about heaven. It is set to a video of our family’s home movies that is deeply impactful.” Rogers has released three albums of music — “Resurrection,” “Instrument of Hope” and “Instrument of Peace” — that are available at his ministry events. Giving Back In addition to public speaking, the Mighty in the Land Ministry also operates the Mighty in the Land Foundation, a donor-advised fund focusing on caring for orphans and special-needs children worldwide. The foundation is funded by proceeds from the main ministry and by direct donations. The original goal of the foundation was to establish five orphanages in five different areas of the world — one for each family member Rogers lost 23 years ago. To date, the foundation has established eight orphanages in eight countries on five continents — with no signs of stopping. “God seems to continue to multiply it like the loaves and fishes,” Rogers said. “We keep shoveling it out, and God just keeps shoveling more back in — and God has a bigger shovel than we do!” ‘A God of Restoration’ Today, Rogers is remarried and has five children — three sons and two daughters — and he said the future looks bright for both his ministry and his family life. “God is a God of restoration,” he said. “In 2006, I married a beautiful woman from Huntertown, Indiana, named Inga. We celebrate 20 years of marriage this May 20, 2026!” “I also work out of my home ministry office. So, we have a very vibrant and active household. Our children regularly serve at Mass, and I am a brother Knight of Columbus, a Eucharistic minister, a lay lector, cantor, worship pianist, and an active member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Parish in Fort Wayne,” he added. As his ministry moves into its 22nd year, Rogers has exciting plans for what comes next, including authoring more books, recording the entire Bible as an audiobook and competing with his daughter in his fourth Pelotonia cycling event — an annual 100-mile cycling event that raises money for cancer-related charities. The Rogers family rides in honor of Dr. Paul Joseph Rogers, Robert’s eldest brother who died in 2023 from pancreatic cancer, and their father, George Henry Rogers, who passed away in 2012 from lung cancer. As an active member of the St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Rogers says he’s honored to bring his story and insight to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend – whether that means speaking at churches, missions, schools or conferences. “The Bible says, ‘You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but You will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth’ (Psalm 71:20-21). It is so very true,” Rogers said. “God did it for Job in the Old Testament. He has done it for me. He can do it for you.” The post After Losing His Family in a Devastating Flood, Fort Wayne’s Robert Rogers Shares a Message of Faith, Healing and Hope appeared first on Today's Catholic. ...read more read less