Tag Archives: pastoral ministry

Babies, Schools, and Church Planting in Papua New Guinea: Bill and Lori Smith

What does ministry fruitfulness look like in Papua New Guinea? Alex Kocman talks with Bill and Lori Smith, veteran ABWE missionaries who have served in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for nearly 40 years. The Smiths share their journey into missions, the unique cultural and spiritual challenges in PNG, and the dual nature of their ministry—trainingContinue reading “Babies, Schools, and Church Planting in Papua New Guinea: Bill and Lori Smith”

Ministry in Asia: The Realities of Family Life (Part 1)

What does missionary life look like in a hard place like East Asia? In this week’s episode, Alex and Scott sit down with two ABWE missionaries to East Asia. Together they talk about what ministry looked like during their time in Asia, the benefits and struggles of living on the field with kids, and howContinue reading “Ministry in Asia: The Realities of Family Life (Part 1)”

A Light on a Hill: What Washington, D.C. Taught One Church About Missions With Caleb Morell

Are our strategies of evangelism getting in the way of God’s strategy to advance the gospel? In this week’s episode of The Missions Podcast, Alex and Scott talk with returning guest Caleb Morrell, Assistant Pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. Together they talk about the history of Capitol Hill and the balanceContinue reading “A Light on a Hill: What Washington, D.C. Taught One Church About Missions With Caleb Morell”

Prioritizing the Old Ways in Missions With Kevin DeYoung | Missionary 2024

Why is it difficult to rely on the traditional methods of missions? In this exclusive interview from Missionary, Scott Dunford sits down with Kevin DeYoung, pastor, author, and founder of Clearly Reformed, as they discuss good models of ministry and why missionaries need to prayerfully trust in the ordinary means and methods of bringing theContinue reading “Prioritizing the Old Ways in Missions With Kevin DeYoung | Missionary 2024”

What is Really Happening in Modern Missions? Chad Vegas | Missionary 2024

What are the main problems in today’s mission world? In this exclusive interview from Missionary, Alex and Scott sit down with Chad Vegas, pastor, author, and co-founder of the Missionary Conference. Chad analyzes a few of the problems relating to how the church should be raising up and training future missionaries and how churches needContinue reading “What is Really Happening in Modern Missions? Chad Vegas | Missionary 2024”

Prayer Habits From Top Ministry Leaders With Peter Greer

Are you satisfied with your prayer life? In this week’s episode of The Missions Podcast, Alex and Scott sit down with returning guest Peter Greer to talk about prayer. They discuss the importance of prayer, why it is so hard but vital to prioritize in ministry, and prayer lessons from some of the top ministryContinue reading “Prayer Habits From Top Ministry Leaders With Peter Greer”

Worship Practices and Liturgies with Zac Hicks

Does your church worship bring people together or divide them? This week on The Missions Podcast, Alex and Scott talk with author and pastor Zac Hicks. In an age where worship through music is so critical and critiqued by Christians and non-Christians alike, what should our worship services look like? How do church leaders balanceContinue reading “Worship Practices and Liturgies with Zac Hicks”

The Simplicity of God | Classical Theology with Jeriah Shank

Are we over-complicating God in our theology? In this week’s episode, Alex sits down with Jeriah Shank, a pastor, theologian, and author as they discuss divine simplicity. They’ll explore how a simple God satisfies the ontological argument for God, supports the missional effort, and ultimately enhances God’s glory and majesty. Jeriah Shank recently received hisContinue reading “The Simplicity of God | Classical Theology with Jeriah Shank”

Moldova and the Pursuit of Proper Doctrine With Mihai Chisari

What is happening with the church in Moldova? In this week’s episode, Alex and Scott sit down with Mihai Chisari, a pastor and Live Global National Partner, as they discuss the challenges of evangelism and discipleship in one of the poorest countries in Europe. They’ll discuss several factors that make ministry hard in this 96%Continue reading “Moldova and the Pursuit of Proper Doctrine With Mihai Chisari”

Exposing the Errors of the ‘Second Great Awakening’ With Paul Davis

Was the Second Great Awakening helpful to the Christian cause? In this episode, Alex and Scott sit down with ABWE President Paul Davis to discuss the lasting effects of Charles Finney in the Second Great Awakening on the church today. As a former pastor and church leader, Paul explores the manipulative tactics in evangelicalism broughtContinue reading “Exposing the Errors of the ‘Second Great Awakening’ With Paul Davis”

Preaching People Out of the Pews: How to Mobilize From the Pulpit

Is your pulpit a launch pad for mission, or a podium for pew-warmers? In this riveting discussion, Scott and Alex delve into the critical role of pastoral preaching in mobilizing the church for missions. They discuss common pitfalls to avoid and share their favorite Scripture passages for missions-focused messages. They also explore how to seamlesslyContinue reading “Preaching People Out of the Pews: How to Mobilize From the Pulpit”

Planting by Pastoring: A Vision for Starting a Healthy Church With Nathan Knight

Is church planting just a numbers game, or is there a deeper, biblical vision for launching new congregations? In this episode, we sit down with Nathan Knight, author of Planting by Pastoring: A Vision for Starting a Healthy Church, to challenge the entrepreneurial mindset that often infiltrates church planting. Knight unpacks the biblical foundation forContinue reading “Planting by Pastoring: A Vision for Starting a Healthy Church With Nathan Knight”

Exposing Pastoral Blindspots: Paul Davis on Common Missions Mistakes

In this episode of the Missions Podcast, hosts Alex and Scott engage in a compelling conversation with ABWE President Paul Davis, delving into the blindspots that pastors often encounter when it comes to missions. Paul shares his observations and experiences from working with global teams and local churches, highlighting recurring areas where mission teams andContinue reading “Exposing Pastoral Blindspots: Paul Davis on Common Missions Mistakes”

How to Last in Ministry: Josh Zeichik on the Temptations of Leadership

Increasingly, we’re seeing people in ministry disqualify themselves or adopt harmful, abrasive, and even abusive styles of leadership. How can pastors, missionaries, and engaged lay leaders equip themselves to persevere in God’s work? Josh Zeichik, director of church engagement for Focus on the Family, explains why pastors and missionaries must be “focused.” Originally from LosContinue reading “How to Last in Ministry: Josh Zeichik on the Temptations of Leadership”

How to Hold the Rope: Ryan Martin on Caring for Missionaries

Sending missionaries is only half the battle. If churches don’t continue to care for missionaries, both the missionary and the church will fail in ministry. In this episode, Ryan Martin shares critical insights from his new book Holding the Rope: How the Local Church Can Care for Its Sent Ones. Ryan serves as director ofContinue reading “How to Hold the Rope: Ryan Martin on Caring for Missionaries”

Turnaround: Dr. Jason Allen on Transformative Leadership in Ministry – #FTC22

What can Christian leaders do when radical change is needed in a ministry? Dr. Jason Allen, president of Midwestern Seminary, shares insights missionaries, pastors, and everyday believers from his new book Turnaround: The Remarkable Story of an Institutional Transformation and the 10 Essential Principles and Practices that Made It Happen. Watch the video version ofContinue reading “Turnaround: Dr. Jason Allen on Transformative Leadership in Ministry – #FTC22”

Charles Spurgeon as a Sending Pastor With Geoff Chang – #FTC22

Charles Spurgeon is beloved as the “prince of preachers.” But what did his church do for global missions? We explore with Geoff Chang, Assistant Professor of Church History and Historical Theology and the Curator of the Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Seminary. Watch the video version of this episode here. You can access all of ourContinue reading “Charles Spurgeon as a Sending Pastor With Geoff Chang – #FTC22”

A Pastoral Approach to Theological Training

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. David Prairie serves on ABWE’s Live Global team doing theological education, pastoral training, and ministry mentoring for students and church leaders internationally. HeContinue reading “A Pastoral Approach to Theological Training”

Mission-Driven Christian Leadership in Cowardly Times: Joel Wayne

Where are the leaders in the church—much less the mission field? Pastor Joel Wayne of bethechurch.org and Chapel Pointe weighs in this week on how churches and missionaries can solve the leadership pipeline and raise up leaders when it counts. Joel’s is also the founder and executive director of Be the Church, a movement to revitalize theContinue reading “Mission-Driven Christian Leadership in Cowardly Times: Joel Wayne”

Doing Missions Committees Right: Paul Davis Shares

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. Mentioned in this episode: Missions by the Book (Chad Vegas and Alex Kocman) Launch Point 7 HabitsContinue reading “Doing Missions Committees Right: Paul Davis Shares”

Sending When It Hurts: Josh Teis on the Pastor’s Job in Mobilization

Everyone says they believe in sending missionaries. But what about when it hurts? What about when your church’s most gifted people leave? And what about when missions seems to compete in priority with local outreach? In this episode, Josh Teis weighs in. Josh pastors Southern Hills Baptist Church in Las Vegas, N.V. He earned his B.A. inContinue reading “Sending When It Hurts: Josh Teis on the Pastor’s Job in Mobilization”

Chad Vegas: Defining the ‘Proclamational Model’ (Part 1)

Watch the video version of this episode here. In the missions world, there’s a rift between movement practitioners and advocates of biblical proclamation. Why the disagreement? And is there such a thing as the “proclamational model”? Chad Vegas weighs in this week. Chad is the founding pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Bakersfield, the foundingContinue reading “Chad Vegas: Defining the ‘Proclamational Model’ (Part 1)”

The Case for Missionary Care With Ryan Martin

Everyone’s talking about “care”—self-care, healthcare, pastoral care, and the list goes on. What’s the biblical case for churches to care for missionaries on the field, and how can we do it well? Ryan Martin answers. Read Ryan’s articles on the topic: “Missionary Care Begins with the Local Church: A Look at 3 John 5-8” “PartnershipContinue reading “The Case for Missionary Care With Ryan Martin”