How can missionaries serve in the midst of difficult, spiritually-dry seasons? And did Jesus himself ever feel like all his labors were for nothing? Dr. Ian Hamilton—theologian, minister, author, and president of Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Newcastle, England—shares some surprising answers at the recent Radius International Missiology Conference.
Missions done well means staying the course. So how do you know when it’s time to transition off the field and entrust local believers with leadership? Brooks Buser, president of Radius International, discusses his experience among the YembiYembi people in Papua New Guinea at the recent Radius International Missiology Conference.
For some Christians, missions is out of sight and out of mind. For others, it’s the absolute center of the Christian life. Is it possible for us to make an idol out of missions? If so, how would we know we’ve done so? We ask Chad Vegas, co-founder of Radius International and pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Bakersfield, CA in this second RMC22 exclusive.
We recently attended the 2022 Radius International Missiology Conference to capture some exclusive content. Here’s the first in a series of exclusive, behind-the-scenes episodes from RMC. Enjoy!
Thanks to modern technology, our every move is tracked and recorded. What does this mean for missionaries living and serving in parts of the world where evangelism is illegal? And what might it soon mean for Christians in the Western world facing an increasingly hostile environment?
This week, Alex and Scott talk to Andrew, executive director for Live Global about digital security and missions.
Risk is right… or is it? In this week’s upcoming episode, we talk to an IT security expert about the best, most secure ways to communicate with missionaries in restricted-access fields.
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In the US, being a Christian used to be a prerequisite for popularity as a politician or social influencer. That hasn’t been true for a while. But why? And, what can analyzing the state of Christianity in America teach us about the state of Christianity in other nations? Aaron Renn weighs in with some penetrating insights from his First Things article on the ‘three worlds’ of evangelicalism.
Aaron M. Renn is an opinion-leading urban analyst, consultant, speaker and writer on a mission to help America’s cities and people thrive and find real success in the 21st century. He focuses on urban, economic development and infrastructure policy in the greater American Midwest. He also regularly contributes to and is cited by national and global media outlets, and his work has appeared in many publications, including the The Guardian, The New York Times and The Washington Post. He also founded American Reformer. He can be reached at aaron@aaronrenn.com or on Twitter at @aaron_renn.
What changed in the Western mind to make biblical Christianity suddenly so abhorrent in the public eye? Social researcher Aaron Renn shares his “three worlds” explanation in this week’s upcoming interview.
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Joshua Sherif grew up Muslim, escaped from Egypt, and found Christ in the US. In The Stranger at Our Shore, he shares his remarkable testimony, Chicago pastor Joshua Sherif calls the Western Church to reconsider the plight of the modern day sojourners in our land—the strangers at our shore and the ones living right next door—and to return wholeheartedly to its first charge: making disciples.
Joshua was born in Egypt to a Muslim family and immigrated to the United States, where he later came to faith in Jesus. For the past decade, he has planted and pastored in Albany Park, Chicago, IL, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country. His congregation represents more than thirty nationalities, speaking twenty languages. Josh has enjoyed his years equipping and coaching other missionaries and pastors around the world. His story was featured in Love Costs Everything, a documentary produced by CIY and Voice of the Martyrs, concerning Christian persecution.
Western culture has made a radical shift. How should Christians respond? What does the gospel have to say about sexuality? How can we approach a culture of pride as bold, humble missionaries? Alex and Scott talk to Josh Teis, pastor of Southern Hills Church in Las Vegas, N.V., and founder of Idea Network.
To purchase and replay the EveryEthne LGBTQ webinar, click here.
He earned his B.A. in Pastoral Theology from Pensacola Christian College where he met his wife, Heather, and also holds a Master’s in Bible Exposition and his M.Div. from Liberty University. Josh leads Idea Network and hosts The Idea Talks Podcast. Josh and his wife Heather have one son, Jonathan David, and two daughters, Savannah Tyler and Scarlett Noel.
How should Christians talk about sexual sin in our present culture? Pastor Josh Teis takes us back to the pages of Scripture and the Apostle Paul’s approach.
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Enter our giveaway to attend the Radius Missiology Conference in person or virtually. Details at missionspodcast.com/radius22.
Many of us are afraid to directly present Christ to those caught up in the LGBTQ subculture. Should we be afraid? How can we win the person, not just the argument? And what does Scripture say?
In this episode, we cut from our normal format to present you a conversation between Alex Kocman, Jim Childs, Kylie Dulo, and Drew Polanycia that took place in March of 2022 on the Idea Talks podcast. You can hear our previous interview with Jim here.
Jim Childs serves with ABWE in the US through EveryEthne, helping churches engage LGBTQ individuals with the gospel. Learn more here.
This episode is brought to you in collaboration with the Idea Network. To learn more about Idea Network and purchase access to the replay of their LGBTQ webinar with Jim Childs, Christopher Yuan, and more, visit IdeaNetwork.church.
Enter our giveaway to attend the Radius Missiology Conference in person or virtually. Details at missionspodcast.com/radius22.
The Missions Podcast exists to help goers think and thinkers go. Perhaps no other modern Christian publisher is more concerned with helping believers to think deeply about—and experience—the things of God than Banner of Truth. What cross-cultural impact is the Banner having globally, and why should missionaries steep themselves in the riches of the Puritan tradition and historic Protestantism? John Rawlinson, Banner’s general manager, visits the studio for an encouraging conversation.
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Coming up: Are we so busy chasing the latest fads in missions that we forget the tried-and-true? John Rawlinson, General Manager of Banner of Truth Trust, joins the show to talk about the riches of the Puritan heritage and what it means for missions practitioners today.
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Enter our giveaway to attend the Radius Missiology Conference in person or virtually. Details at missionspodcast.com/radius22.
Many missions-minded Christians have read When Helping Hurts and resonated with its message—that sometimes in missionary work, we can do more harm than good in the name of Jesus. But in When Helping Works: Alleviating Fear and Pain in Global Missions, Michael Bamwesigye Badriaki offers a counter-perspective. Is creating “dependence” on foreign missionaries the worst possible outcome? And are we making excuses that allow us to ignore the needy?
Dr. Michael B. Badriaki has worked globally in education, holistic missions, global health, and consulting and leadership development for over 20 years. He is passionate about human flourishing, sharing hope and love with people. Michael is also committed to caring for people and children affected by war, poverty and certain hardships. Michael and Kristen co-founded the Global Leadership Community where together with a global team they seek to nurture leadership through quality education. Michael now serves as high school and middle school principal at Lancaster Mennonite in Lancaster, Pa.
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What’s wrong with creating “dependence” on foreign missionaries? This week, Michael Bamwesigye Badriaki, author of When Helping Works: Alleviating Fear and Pain in Global Missions, challenges our conventional wisdom.
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Should every Christian be in ministry? How do missions and evangelism fit with our theology of work? This week, we take a break from our normal conversation format as Alex Kocman answers in this lecture on 1 Peter 2:9-12 delivered to the Central Pennsylvania chapter of the C.S. Lewis Institute.
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Evangelism can’t be one-size-fits-all. Or can it? This week, Scott Dunford and Alex Kocman discuss their upbringing doing door-to-door evangelism, methods of presenting the gospel, contextualization, and the Book of Acts. If you’ve ever been discouraged in your efforts to share your faith, this conversation will embolden you.
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How can Christian leaders make time to prioritize short-term missions trips? Jason Allen shares how he’s built a missions culture inside of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, which he leads as president. Also featured in this conversation is Paul Davis, president of ABWE.
In addition to his seminary duties, Dr. Allen has served as pastor and interim pastor of several Southern Baptist churches. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, as well as M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Seminary. Currently, in addition to his responsibilities as president of Midwestern Seminary, he serves the church more broadly through writing and preaching ministries.
Too many styles of missions promise fast results. What kind of training to missionaries really need? Brooks Buser of Radius International returns to the show during T4G.
Brooks and Nina Buser planted a church among the Yembiyembi people in Papua New Guinea. In 2016, they returned to San Diego. Both Brooks and Nina participate in the teaching at Radius International as well as leading and traveling to spread the word about the necessity of training. Follow Brooks on Twitter.
Thousands of churches worldwide are closing each year. What can we do to stem the tide? Thad Bergmeier, executive director of EveryEthne, shares solutions.
Join the movement. Sign up to participate in the Day of Prayer for Church Planting.
Why do Americans have such a need for speed in missions, and how can we change that? Alex sits down with Sean DeMars of Confirm and Defend podcast and Caleb Morrell of 9Marks and Capitol Hill Baptist Church.
Caleb Morell is a child of missionaries and graduate of Georgetown University and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He serves on staff at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. Sean DeMars is pastor at 6th Avenue Community Church in Decatur, Alabama. He previously served in Peru as a missionary.
Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, is a theological mecca. In this conversation, Ryan Robertson, president of Reaching and Teaching International Ministries, shares his burden to take the riches of theological rigor in a place like Louisville and unleash is across the globe.
Ryan Robertson has served as the President of Reaching & Teaching since April 2020. Robertson has previously served in executive leadership positions for public companies and other non-profit organizations, and has been a board member of several different charities. In 2014, he obtained his CPA from the State of Massachusetts. Robertson is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Missiology program at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Ryan and his wife Erin have three children and are members of Third Avenue Baptist Church.
How do Muslims think? What should Christians know about the Qur’an? And how is any of that helpful in missions? Our friend Matt Bennett, Assistant Professor of Missions and Theology at Cedarville University, returns to talk about his new book, The Qur’an and the Christian, in this exclusive interview recorded live at Together for the Gospel.
When it comes to the popular methods used on the mission field today, we often talk past one another. What do we mean by “church,” “convert,” or “disciple”? Zane Pratt, vice president of training for IMB, returns to the show.
Missions is no longer from the West to the rest—it’s from everywhere, to everywhere. In this T4G exclusive, Live Global missionary David Prairie explains why their model is challenging traditional missions assumptions.
Sending missionaries is the local church’s job—so why start a new parachurch missions sending organization? Nathan Sloan, pastor and executive director of the Upstream Sending explains in this exclusive interview recorded at the final Together for the Gospel conference.
Nathan has a Doctor of Missiology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Previously, Nathan and his wife Sarah served as missionaries in Kathmandu, Nepal, training national pastors and working with an unreached people group.
Why do so many women and singles pursue missions—and what does it mean for biblical manhood and womanhood? Dr. Lisa LaGeorge, director of CHF Academy at Children’s Hunger Fund in Sylmar, CA, returns to the show to talk about her experiences as a complementarian woman on mission.
Prayer is the beating heart of missions. But how should we pray? Can we repeat pre-written prayers, or is that inauthentic? And what can history teach us about how prayer has sparked missions movements? Our friend Dr. Jonathan Arnold returns to the show to explain in this bonus interview.
Dr. Arnold serves as associate professor of church history and historical theology in the School of Theology and director of Research Doctoral Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has held a range of academic and ministerial positions including, senior pastor, student ministry leader, professor, and college administrator. Read more here.
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American believers aren’t the only ones polarized over the last few years. For believers in Russia, the conflict in Ukraine is driving the same wedge through congregations that the social justice debate is in the West. How is the Russian church doing? How do Russian Christians view Ukraine? And what can American Christians and missionaries learn? Pastor and professor Yevgeny Bakhmutsky answers in this exclusive interview hosted at the final Together for the Gospel (T4G).
It’s the final Together for the Gospel conference, and Scott and Alex are recording on the convention floor and connecting with missions experts and Christian leaders from across the nation. Tune in to our first update!
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Sometimes in missions, helping can hurt. But have we taken that simple fact too far—as an excuse for inaction? Peter Greer, president of HOPE International, explains how missionaries can responsibly approach the problem of poverty and how churches and ministries can avoid mission drift.
Peter Greer is the president and CEO of HOPE International, a global Christ-centered economic development organization serving throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. As an advocate for the Church’s role in missions and alleviating extreme poverty, Peter has co-authored over 10 books, including Mission Drift (selected as a 2015 Book Award Winner from Christianity Today), Rooting for Rivals (selected as a 2019 Leadership Resource of the Year in Outreach magazine), The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good (selected as one of the top 40 books on poverty by WORLD Magazine), Created to Flourish (which his mom reviewed with five stars and a smiley face emoji), and The Gift of Disillusionment.
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Coming this Sunday: Sometimes in the world of missions, our best efforts to help those in need can actually hurt. But has that become an excuse to do nothing? Peter Greer, president of HOPE International, explains.
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Whether you’re in missions or ministry at home, we all struggle to labor in the strength God provides. How can we make sure we’re serving out of the overflow of our hearts? Kyle Farran, ABWE missionary and author of Overflowing: Ministry and Missions That Flow From the Heart.
Serving as the Regional Director of Western Europe, Kyle lives in Portugal and serve the missionaries in that region. His goal is to facilitate effective ministries by providing spiritual care, encouragement, leadership development, and recruitment. Learn more or support Kyle’s ministry.
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Coming up this week: author and missionary Kyle Farran explains who will hear “well done, good and faithful servant” at the end of their race. Tune in this Sunday to hear the full interview.
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For some, the word “committee” means slow, ineffective bureaucracy. How can we keep the passive, maintenance mindset out of our local church missions committees? And what does Scripture have to say about this mode of church organization? ABWE President Paul Davis answers.
In this week’s upcoming episode, ABWE President Paul Davis discusses the biblical rationale for—and critiques of—modern missions programs, teams, and committees in local churches.
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Around the time that the Soviet Union fell, Ukraine experienced massive spiritual revival. Duane Early, who served there as a missionary, is convinced that’s part of the reason Ukraine is being targeted today.
In this interview, he explains the current situation in Ukraine, miracles that happened during that revival, lessons learned, and missiological takeaways that can be applied anywhere.
To help missionaries meet Ukrainian refugees’ needs and share the gospel to those affected by the war, support the Ukraine Crisis Fund.
Duane Early is ABWE’s Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. The Lord led Duane into full-time ministry while a student at the University of Michigan. He continued his education and theological training at Summit University in Clarks Summit, PA, and Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. Duane and his wife, Susan, were involved in two pastoral ministries and one church plant during their first 15 years of marriage. In the 90s, the Lord led them Duane, Sue, and their two daughters to join ABWE in order to open and lead the first team in the country of Ukraine. The team was able to grow both in quantity and quality while developing the Church Ministries Institute, multiply churches, and launch mission endeavors throughout the Russian-speaking world. In 2000, Duane was asked to serve as the Regional Director for Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and in 2009, Duane became Vice President of Global Operations. He began his current role in 2017.
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In our next episode, Duane Early, former missionary to Ukraine and current vice president of strategic partnerships with ABWE, explains how Ukrainians reacted when the Soviet Union fell—and how it informed their missiological tactics.
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In 1927, the evangelical church was split in two—between gospel-proclaiming fundamentalists and followers of the social gospel. Caught in the struggle was Baptist missionary Dr. Raphael Thomas. When his life and ministry took some unexpected turns, he was faced with a choice—and his actions sparked a missions movement nearly 100 years long. Who was Raphael Thomas? Jim Ruff, missionary and author of an upcoming biography on the ABWE founder, walks us through Thomas’ life and why it matters for Christians today.
Jim (M.Div., D.Min.) is a retired church-planting and leadership training missionary to Japan (20 years) and Trainer and Associate Director of training for ABWE (14 years). He’s also served for a term in church planting in the Chicago area. He wrote one of the ABWE Bible courses, and serves as a Proctor for missionaries taking the Methods of Bible Study course. For the past seven years, he’s taught at Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit University.
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Is Jesus is returning at any moment, what happens to missionary efforts? That was a concern of ABWE’s founding missionary, Dr. Raphael Thomas, 100 years ago. Veteran missionary Jim Ruff explains in this week’s upcoming episode.
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Throughout the ministry world, content is exchanged for money. But is this biblical? Or should the rest of the Christian world take a cue from how missionaries have operated all along? In The Dorean Principle, Pastor Conley Owens analyzes the puzzling biblical teachings on fundraising and reaches some startling conclusions that apply to anyone in ministry.
Conley Owens (M.Div., The Log College & Seminary) is a pastor at Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church and a senior software engineer at Google. He lives with his wife and seven children in Sunnyvale, California.
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When we last spoke with our friend Caleb Suko, the Russia-Ukraine war hadn’t yet begun. Now, he’s taken refuge—along with two million others—in another country. In this episode, he provides live updates from Moldova and explains how God is at work among the body of Christ and the masses of refugees.
Since 2007 Caleb has served as a missionary in Odessa, Ukraine where he is pastor at Hope for People Church and director of the “Evangelism Today” center for evangelism and discipleship. Caleb attended Shasta Bible College and graduated from Northwest Baptist Seminary in 2005 with a Master’s of Divinity. Together with his wife Christina their desire is to help believers and churches to do biblical evangelism and discipleship through training seminars on evangelism and discipleship for churches, personal discipleship, and working closely with national pastors to help strengthen and multiply the church in Ukraine and beyond. The Sukos also have five children. Support their ministry.
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We all know that missionary life usually means asking for financial support. That scares many people away. But what if that’s the way all sorts of ministries are supposed to work? Hear Conley Owens, author of The Dorean Principle, explain in the next episode.
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Nik Ripken has collected the stories of suffering believers from all over the world—including Ukraine. In this episode, he talks to us about missions and what he’s learned from time spent with persecuted believers in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Nik (pseudonym) is the author of The Insanity of God (2013) and other books, and previously served as a missionary with the IMB beginning in 1991.
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Coming up in our next episode: Nik Ripken shares his insights from observing the persecuted church in Ukraine and around the world—and what it all has to do with missions and our own country.
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