Is Reformed theology antithetical to missions? Can Calvinists and Arminians partner together in gospel ministry? Today, Scott and Alex take a swing at these hotly-debated topics and provide answers from a biblical perspective recognizing that God’s sovereignty is fully compatible with the call to repent and believe the gospel—and how the fact that Christ has definitively “purchased for God people from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9) is what fuels all missionary hope.
What does leadership have to do with missions? Everything. Although conversations on leadership are often kept separate from the realm of missiology, Charles Smith believes that now is the time to talk about what gospel-centered leadership—for the church—means for missions.
Charles Smith serves as Vice President for Institutional Relations at Midwestern Seminary and oversees the offices of Admissions, Institutional Advancement, Alumni, Communications, Student Life and Events, and Center for Church Planting and Partnering. He earned a Business Administration degree from Mississippi College in 2007 and a Master’s of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2011, and he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Christian Leadership.
Charles is also a cofounder and general editor of For the Church, which exists to engage, encourage, and equip the Church with gospel-centered resources that are pastoral, practical, and devotional.
Just a few days left before T4G! To join us at our expert panel and luncheon on Thursday, click here.
We speak so much of the “kingdom of God”—but what does that mean, and how does Jesus’ present reign in heaven impact our mission? These questions are often neglected, misunderstood, or purposefully avoided in American evangelicalism, and there’s lots of confusion about Christ’s return and the nature of his kingdom. But understanding Jesus’ present authority over heaven and earth undergirds everything we do in cross-cultural ministry.
We’re taking a break this week from our format to bring you a message delivered by Alex Kocman on March 9, 2018 at ABWE’s New Missionary Orientation, titled “The Authority of the Great Commission” from Psalm 2.
If you’re interested in joining us at T4G, click here to learn more.
Singleness can feel like a death sentence for some—but for women like Lina AbuJamra, it’s a gift to be stewarded. How can God use singles on the mission field? Lina weighs in and shares her perspective as a Lebanese-American physician currently involved in Bible teaching and medical missions to Syrian refugees.
Lina AbuJamra is founder of Living with Power Ministries and has authored several books including Thrive, Stripped, and Resolved. You can listen to Lina’s podcast on iTunes or Podbean and watch her inspiring thousands via the Faith Booster series and other Bible teachings on YouTube and Vimeo. Lina is the host of Today’s Single Christian on Moody Radio and the host of Morning Minutes, a daily audio devotional available on her website.
Lina’s most recent adventure has taken her back to the Middle East and her birth country, Lebanon, where she is providing regular medical care for Syrian refugees. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Lina now calls Chicago home.
If you’re interested in joining us at T4G, click here to learn more.
Of all the world’s religions that are likely to stump Western Christians, Hinduism tops the list. How can Christians make sense of Hinduism’s millions of deities, belief in reincarnation, denial of human suffering, and rigorous caste system? Better yet—how can Christians reach those who hold to such a worldview?
In this episode we go over what Hindus believe, how they think, and some do’s and don’ts of reaching Hindus. If you’ve ever been confused as to how to build redemptive relationships with your Hindu neighbor, this episode is for you.
If you’re interested in joining us at T4G, click here to learn more.
Should Christians read books like the Qur’an—and if so, how? What about other religious texts? To help us answer those questions, we asked is Matthew Bennett, an experienced missionary who served in the Middle East, now instructor of missions and theology at Cedarville University.
In this episode, Matt builds a case for why Christians should meaningfully, fairly, and exegetically engage with other religions’ texts—and why those engaging Muslims might find the book of Hebrews particularly effective.
If you’re interested in joining us at T4G, click here to learn more.
C.T. Studd is credited with saying, “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” But in today’s world where everyone is encouraged to “live on mission,” this classic missionary grit is increasingly absent. What happened, and what are the internal and external motivators that lead someone to risk everything to serve abroad? To answer that question, we invited missionary, author, and researcher David Joannes.
Is every Christian a missionary? Is there a difference between “missions,” “missional,” and “mission?” Is volunteering at my local homeless shelter or sharing the gospel with my unsaved dad “missions?” These are loaded questions—questions which, if we get them wrong, could take the wind out of our sails in terms of engaging in actual cross-cultural ministry. Pioneers USA VP Denny Spitters and 16:15 President Matthew Ellison, authors of When Everything Is Missions, join us to share the hard answers from their new book.
If there’s a single, stand-alone episode of our show that’s worth sharing with your friends, pastors, or acquaintances involved in missions, it’s this one.
You’ve probably heard of the plight of the Rohingya people—an unreached, Muslim people group who have been forced out of Myanmar and are flooding into Bangladesh. The U.N. calls them the world’s most persecuted people group. But you probably haven’t heard about the extraordinary providence of God in sovereignly using tragedy to bring the Rohingya to Bangladesh at such a crucial time when they can be received into the arms of Christian workers—workers who have been praying for them for years.
It’s an amazing story that only God can write. What many have meant for evil, God is meaning for good through this refugee crisis. Tune in and hear it all as we sit down with ABWE’s South Asia Executive Director.
To learn about how ABWE is impacting the Rohingya, read more here.
Do all missionaries need to know apologetics? Some say yes, plenty say no. We invited our friend Dan DeWitt, an expert on the topic, to answer. Join us as Dan shares the advantages—and real limitations—of apologetics, and how mission-minded people can employ apologetics in an incarnational way to serve people in a world suffering the effects of sin.
Dan is Associate Professor of Applied Theology and Apologetics and the Director the Center for Biblical Apologetics and Public Christianity at Cedarville University, and previously served as dean of Boyce College, the undergraduate school of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His areas of expertise include worldview, philosophy, apologetics, and C.S. Lewis—and he writes on all those topics and more on Theolatte, his blog.
Parenting is stressful enough—not to mention the crucial responsibility parents have to raise their children in the way of Christ. Is it worthwhile to expose children to missions, and if so, how early is too early? What are some best practices for instilling a global mindset in our kids?
The director of ABWE’s Next Generation Ministries joins to answer these questions—and hit on other important topics, like ministering to children of missionaries, helping children share their faith, and designing family devotions with global missions in mind. Parents: this episode is for you.
You probably haven’t heard of Vishal Mangalwadi, but if anyone deserves to be a household name among Christians, it’s him. Recognized by Christianity Today as India’s top Christian intellect, Vishal is a social reformer, columnist, and philosopher who has written and spoken extensively to show how William Carey’s view of conversion, theology, and missions essentially made modern India what it is.
Vishal’s projects, Revelation Movement and Truth Matters, trace the historic development of the West and its beachheads through missionary activities and show how, at root, the gospel is to be credited for societal progress.
In this interview, we examine the example of William Carey and ask: what did he get right? What did he get wrong? What bearing did Carey’s eschatology have? How can we see the gospel bear fruit in society without downgrading to a “social gospel?” You don’t want to miss what is easily our most enlightening conversation to date.
Voices in missions today tell us we should all become “global Christians.” In this episode we answer what that means and how to do it—with all the resources everyday believers need to stay informed.
If you missed one of the resources or books we recommended, here’s the list:
It’s December, which means Southern Baptists are hearing the name “Lottie Moon” and instantly associating it with missions. Who was Lottie Moon? Why was the Christmas Offering named after her? What can we learn from her as trailblazing, single female missionary and mobilizer? Lori McDaniel—communicator, pastor’s wife, and Global Mission Catalyst for the IMB—shares why Lottie Moon is the “rebel” she wants to be.
Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email alex@missionspodcast.com. And as a side note, click here to see how your generous holiday giving can impact the unreached worldwide.
Today in missions there’s a lot of talk about contextualization. The “C scale” developed by John Travis makes a case for so-called insider movements—professing believers in the Islamic world who follow Jesus, yet remain culturally and religiously Muslim. Is that biblical? How can we adapt the gospel to new cultures—and how far is too far?
We spend the first half of this jam-packed episode unpacking the C scale and defining contextualization, syncretism, and insider movements. Then, we offer 6 biblical principles for sound, gospel-centered missiology in an atmosphere where the temptation is to downgrade our definition of conversion or the church. Don’t miss a moment of this episode.
How can local church pastors lead the charge to mobilize for missions? ABWE President Paul Davis joins us to share his insights on how pastors can spark missions-minded imagination fueled by culture and Scripture, drawing on his decades of experience in local church ministry at Calvary Baptist Church in Holland, Michigan.
We’re commanded to disciple all the nations. We are also told to care for the orphan and fatherless. What do adoption and foster care have to do with global missions? Is social justice a distraction to world evangelism? Dan Dumas, Special Advisor for Foster Care and Adoption to Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, joins us to answer.
Dan is a teaching pastor and elder at Crossing Church in Louisville, KY. He is passionate about all things leadership, adoption, expository preaching, and biblical manhood. He is the author of Live Smart, the co-author of A Guide to Biblical Manhood and the editor of A Guide to Expository Ministry. Dumas served as a Senior Vice President at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 2007-2017 and currently also serves as a special advisor to the president, Dr. Albert Mohler, and as a faculty member. Dan actively writes on leadership and preaching at his blog and provides a variety of coaching and consulting for businesses, churches, and their leaders. Dan has served in a variety of ministry capacities in many local churches, including Executive Pastor at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California.
Thousands of people groups remain unreached—so where are all the new missionaries we need? They’re in the church. In this episode, Scott Dunford and Alex Kocman explore seven ways to build a sending church culture in your local congregation, whether you’re a pastor or layperson, and how these solutions are the key to mobilizing the next generation of missionaries God has sovereignly placed in the pews.
We’re joined again by Jonathan Arnold to discuss another critical question regarding the Reformation—why should those involved in missions care? How did the theology of the Reformers lead to the modern missions movement, and what lessons can we apply today?
Special guest Jonathan Arnold, an Oxford graduate, author, and professor as the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, joins us to discuss a critical question as we remember the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Did the Reformers really believe in missions and evangelism, or were they guilty of only focusing inward on the church itself? Did missions go on “hiatus” in the timespan between the death of the Apostles and the ministry of William Carey?
Over 2 million Americans go on a short-term missions trip each year. So with more than 4,000 unreached people groups, why not keep sending as many short-termers as possible? In this episode, Scott Dunford and Alex Kocman share four key concerns about short-term—and four tips on how responsible churches and ministries can send short-term missionaries in a healthy, biblical way.
In our first episode, we lay it down straight about missions agencies. Are they biblical, or are they just modern constructs that exist to fill the gap when the local church drops the ball? Do they even work? We grapple with eight concerns and dig into the New Testament for some answers.
