Podcast Archives

Some in the missions world maintain that the Great Commission is simply about serving others—whether or not the gospel is presented. In this week’s upcoming episode, we explain what’s at stake in the long-running missiological debate between prioritism and holism. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. The Missions Podcast is a ministry resource of ABWE.Continue reading “What’s At Stake if We Don’t Preach Christ”

Is missions about proclaiming the word, deeds of mercy, or both? Justin Schell, US director for Union School of Theology and director of executive projects with Lausanne Movement, answers in our upcoming podcast discussion on his new book Come and See: A History and Theology of Mission. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. The MissionsContinue reading “Words and Deeds: One Mission or Two?”

Coming this week: J.R. Stevenson, a missionary in the Middle East, engages us with a different perspective on movements. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. The Missions Podcast is a ministry resource of ABWE. Learn more at abwe.org. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Revival is in the news. What should we be looking for in terms of biblical revival—in our own lives, our families, our churches, and among the nations? We discuss in this week’s upcoming episode. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. The Missions Podcast is a ministry resource of ABWE. Learn more at abwe.org. Want to askContinue reading “The True Sign of Revival”

Does the Old Testament give us a theology of missions? Or are we reading our modern convictions into the ancient text? Dr. Scott Callaham, Ph.D., dean of the Institute of Public Theology, weighs in. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. The Missions Podcast is a ministry resource of ABWE. Learn more at abwe.org. Want to askContinue reading “Is Missions in the Old Testament?”

What does associational church membership have to do with the Great Commission? Everything, in fact. Dr. James Renihan of IRBS shares more in this week’s upcoming show. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. The Missions Podcast is a ministry resource of ABWE. Learn more at abwe.org. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Coming up this Sunday: Upstream Sending Executive Director Nathan Sloan shares what makes missions necessary and why churches can’t afford to lose their zeal for the lost. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. The Missions Podcast is a ministry resource of ABWE. Learn more at abwe.org. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

What defines a “nation” has never been more controverisal. This week, Indian philosopher Vishal Mangalwadi returns to the show to unpack this complex issue biblically. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. The Missions Podcast is a ministry resource of ABWE. Learn more at abwe.org. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

How do you hold together a church of Ukrainians, Poles, Belarusians, and more in the midst of a tense war? A Ukrainian refugee pastor shares in this week’s compelling conversation. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Parenting is always hard. Parenting missionary kids is just… different. This week, ABWE’s own Dr. Cheryl Winget (D.Ed. in special education/educational psychology, Regent University) explains why. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

In this week’s upcoming episode, Alex and Scott wrestle with the baggage associated with the word “missionary” in cultures hostile to the culture. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

In this week’s upcoming episode, Scott and Alex talk to Chris Howles on the must-read missiological resources for the new year. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

In this week’s upcoming episode on Christmas Day, Scott and Alex reflect on the missional implications of the incarnation of Christ. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Coming up: Dan and Amy of ABWE’s Member Care team join to explain why parents of missionaries are often overlooked in churches and missions organizations—and what we can do to change that. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

What’s the key to lasting in ministry—in a world that’s increasingly chewing up and spitting out Christian leaders? Josh Zeichik of Focus on the Family explains why God’s self-sufficiency is good news for those in ministry. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic?Continue reading “Good News: God Doesn’t Need You”

Where do missionaries come from? The church. This week, Ryan Martin, author of the new book Holding the Rope: How the Local Church Can Care for Its Sent Ones, returns to explain how church leaders can call people to step out on mission. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want toContinue reading “Mobilization Starts in the Church”

It’s almost the holiday season. Not a great time for productivity, right? But this week, gospel-centered productivity expert Matt Perman explains why we should be realistic about our limits—and let God’s grace spur us on to greater activity. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggestContinue reading “Missionary: Know Your Limits”

Steve Richardson, president of Pioneers and author of Is the Commission Still Great? 8 Myths about Missions and What They Mean for the Church, explains what he sees as the singularly most important global event right now. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest aContinue reading “The Most Important Thing Happening in the World Right Now”

What is discipleship? Alex Kocman and Scott Dunford explore this often-misunderstood concept and its implications for global missions and local church life. Get more content at missionspodcast.com. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Coming up this week, Brian Fikkert, coauthor of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself, explains why good intentions aren’t enough when it comes to serving the needy across the world. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic?Continue reading “Why Poverty Relief Often Fails”

Even in the Old Testament, God’s heart isn’t just for Israel but for all the world. How should that affect our view of the globe today? We’ll explore in our next episode. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

What do we do when loved ones disagree with our sense of calling into missions? This week, Tara Dunford talks about her family’s decision-making process with missions, and why we need to trust the Holy Spirit to do the persuading. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic?Continue reading “Give the Holy Spirit Some Credit”

In missions and in ministry in general, we often think it’s our job to achieve results. But in this week’s upcoming episode, E.D. Burns shares why we’re only responsible to scatter the gospel seed. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

The world’s pastors need training. But they also need shepherding. This week, Live Global missionary David Prairie shares how we can approach the task of global theological education with a pastoral heart. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Western culture is haunted by the spectre of Christianity. How did the cross revolutionize the direction of history? Author and director of Speak Life, Glen Scrivener, shares in this week’s upcoming episode. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

In our next episode, missiologist Dr. Michael Crane returns to the show to talk about international churches and the unique intersection of missiological issues they unearth. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Coming up this week, we’re having a candid conversation about what happens when a missionary’s church withdraws his or her support. Stay tuned. Believe in our mission? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Christians in the US and across the world live among people that are hostile to truth. Are we equipped to defend our faith? Veteran apologist Josh McDowell asks some penetrating questions in this week’s episode. Believe in our mission? You can support this podcast through ABWE. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

This week, researcher Dr. Jolene Erlacher shares the differences between mobilizing Millennials for cross-cultural missions and motivating Generation Z. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

What does healthcare have to do with theology? Missionary surgeon Steven Chmil shares why having surgical precision is essential in both domains. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Pastor Joel Wayne shares a stirring challenge for Christians on the mission field and at home in changing days. Tune in this upcoming Sunday night to hear the full episode. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Coming up in this week’s episode: missiology Michael Crane explains why missiology’s outdated views of ethnicity need to change. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

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. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic?Continue reading “How to Talk to a Missionary in a Closed Country”

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. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? EmailContinue reading “When Did Christianity Become So Unpopular?”

Joshua Sherif wasn’t always a Christian. But he wrote The Stranger on Our Shore: How Immigrants and Refugees Strengthen the Church not to critique the church, but to praise the church for the way experienced God’s love when he was leaving his Muslim background. Hear more in this Sunday’s interview. Subscribe now to never miss anContinue reading “Do Christians Love Foreigners?”

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. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

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. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops.Continue reading “Too Busy Chasing Methods?”

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. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

This week: It’s back to the basics. Let’s have a conversation about how to do evangelism. Is there a one-size-fits-all method? New episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

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. New episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’sContinue reading “Admitting When Helping Hurts: Peter Greer”

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. New episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. WantContinue reading “Who Will Hear ‘Well Done’?”

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. New episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

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. New episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. WantContinue reading “Will the Soviet Union Return?”

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. New episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’sContinue reading “Jesus’ Imminent Return?”

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. New episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. Subscribe now to never miss an episodeContinue reading “What if Everyone Fundraised Like a Missionary?”

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. New episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. WantContinue reading “Nik Ripken: ‘You Get the Country You Deserve’”

Elliot Clark just wrote Mission Affirmed: Recovering the Missionary Motivation of Paul. What lessons did he learn that he would have applied on the field in hindsight? New episodes Sundays at 7 p.m. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggestContinue reading “What Elliot Clark Would Do Differently”

What is the mission of the church? In this week’s upcoming show, we talk about the biblical role of the church in missions and why this very podcast exists—helping goers think and thinkers go. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question orContinue reading “What Is a Church For?”

Coming up this week: Caleb Suko explains what workers and national believers are facing in Ukraine firsthand. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

Should missionaries stop asking for money? We ask partnership development guru Steve Shadrach of the Center for Mission Mobilization. Subscribe now to never miss an episode when it drops. Support this podcast and impact God’s mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.