The Missions Show

How do you explain the Trinity to Muslims? On this episode of The Missions Show, Alex and Scott sit down with Dr. Imad Shehadeh, founder and president of Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary , to explore what it means to faithfully articulate and defend the doctrine of the Trinity in a Muslim-majority context. Drawing from decades of theological education and ministry, Shehadeh explains how mis...

In this episode of The Missions Show, Alex and Scott sit down with Dr. Daniel Shayesteh. Dr. Shayesteh shares his powerful journey from a radical Muslim involved in the Iranian Revolution to a follower of Christ. Raised in a devout Islamic context that viewed Christianity as corrupt, he rose to prominence as a religious figure and political activist under Ayatollah Khomeini. But after witnessing d...

Can church planting be done wrong? This episode of The Missions Show explores the debate around Church Planting Movements (CPMs), interacting with a Lausanne article that presents them as a highly effective missions strategy. Alex Kocman and Scott Dunford explain what CPMs are and why they generate both enthusiasm and concern, especially regarding their emphasis on rapid multiplication and minimal...

Did Canada just pass a bill that outlaws particular Bible teaching? This episode of The Missions Show explores the implications of Canada’s Bill C9 (the “Combating Hate Act”) and its potential impact on religious freedom, gospel proclamation, and missions. Guest John Taylor, ABWE missionary in Canada, explains that while the bill aims to curb violence and protect marginalized communities, its vagu...

How do you respond when people say that missions is colonialism? In this episode of The Missions Show , Alex and Scott tackle the increasingly common claim that missions is inherently colonialistic with guest Will Maxson. Prompted by real-world examples and cultural trends, they explore why this critique has gained traction, even within Christian institutions. Maxson acknowledges that while missio...

In April 2001, tragedy struck deep in the jungles of Peru when a missionary flight carrying the Bowers family was mistakenly shot down during a counternarcotics operation gone wrong. Roni Bowers and her infant daughter, Charity, were killed. Jim Bowers and his young son survived. Twenty-five years later, Jim joins Alex and Scott to reflect on that day and what Jim has learned about loss, faith, an...

How should we view Roman Catholicism on the mission field? In this episode of The Missions Show , Alex and Scott tackle the complex and often sensitive question of how Protestant missionaries should engage with Roman Catholics in the context of global missions. They emphasize that missions is not just about generic belief in Jesus, but about faithfully communicating the true gospel with doctrinal...

In this episode of The Missions Show , Alex and Scott speak with ABWE missionaries “Will and Beth McAuliffe” (pseudonyms) about their long journey toward serving among Arabic-speaking people. After years of preparation and ministry in the Middle East, their plans were unexpectedly disrupted when their daughter was born extremely premature with significant medical complications. The experience forc...

How does Scripture order our affections? In this episode, Alex and Scott unpack the historic Christian concept of the ordo amoris —the “order of loves”—and why it matters for missions today. Drawing from Alex’s new book Ordered to Love , they explore how Scripture and theologians like Augustine and Aquinas teach that our loves must be rightly ordered, beginning with God and flowing outward to fami...

How do we exercise discernment on the mission field? In this episode of The Missions Show , Alex and Scott examine common misunderstandings about global persecution and why discernment is essential when evaluating reports of suffering in the church. Drawing from missionary experience, they explain that persecution is not always dramatic or violent, but often appears as marginalization, stigma, or...

How do believers respond to the situation in Iran? In this episode, Scott Dunford talks with “Sam,” an ABWE missionary serving Persian and Iranian communities, about the crisis gripping Iran. Looking at ancient Persia's biblical roots, home of Daniel and Esther, to the 1979 Islamic Revolution that installed a Shiite theocracy, Iran’s story is both historic and volatile. Sam explains the regime’s i...

This week Alex and Scott are joined by ABWE missionary and Western Europe regional director Kyle Farran to explore what true, godly grit looks like in ministry. Rather than defining resilience by personality or overcoming high-pressure moments, they discuss grit as being formed through daily faithfulness, perseverance in the mundane, and steady trust in the Lord. Farran shares insights from Script...

Can reaching Thailand be the key to reaching all of Southeast Asia? In this episode of The Missions Show , Alex sits down with ABWE missionary Benjamin Collins to discuss gospel work in Thailand, a nation with long-standing missionary access yet less than one percent Christian. Ben shares about his role supporting church planters across the country and explains why Thailand remains a crucial missi...

What can the Puritans teach us about missions? This week, Alex is joined by Stephen Yuille, director of Puritan Publishing at Reformation Heritage Books , to explore who the Puritans really were and why they still matter for missions today. Yuille challenges common cultural caricatures of Puritanism, explaining that the Puritans were not merely dour moralists but a vibrant movement of pastors and...

Has global missions strayed from a biblical foundation? In this episode of The Missions Show , Alex and Scott talk with Pastor Jerry Slate Jr. to discuss the theological foundations and practical realities of faithful missionary work. The conversation centers on the question of what sustains missionaries through hardship, rejection, and long seasons of discouragement. Jerry, Alex, and Scott emphas...

Do you believe miracles can still happen? In this episode of The Missions Show , Scott is joined by Dr. Darren Carlson—pastor, author, and founder of Training Leaders International—to discuss the ongoing work of God as revealed in the book of Acts and experienced around the world today. Drawing from Carlson’s new book, Witness: Missional Devotions from the Book of Acts , the conversation explores...

What does missions look like in a global city like Paris, France? In this episode of The Missions Show , Alex and Scott are joined by pastor Billy Bean to discuss A City of Light , a short documentary exploring gospel work in Paris, France. Often overlooked as a missions field, Paris is presented as a strategic global city, shaped by history, migration, and secular ideology, whose influence extend...

New year, new name. The Missions Podcast is now The Missions Show . Why the change? We’re stepping into a video-first world. The show is now on NRBTV, with Lighthouse TV launching soon in central Pennsylvania. We’ve been on YouTube for some time, and this rebrand reflects a move beyond audio-only podcasting to serve a wider audience. What hasn’t changed is the heart of the show. We’ll keep the sam...

In this week's episode, Alex and Scott welcome pastor Aaron Menikoff (Atlanta, USA) and pastor Harshit Singh (Lucknow, India) to discuss how evangelism and missions function through the local church, particularly in the Indian context. Drawing from their book Prioritizing Missions in the Church , Menikoff and Singh argue that missions should not be treated as a side program but as an outflow of or...

In this episode of The Missions Podcast , Alex welcomes returning guest Matt Rhodes—missionary, church planter among Muslims, and author to discuss his new book Persecution in Missions: A Practical Theology . Together they discuss that persecution is not an anomaly but a normative feature of Christian life and global missions, especially in unreached contexts. While Western Christians may experien...

Come celebrate another year of The Missions Podcast! In this special end-of-the-year episode, Alex and Scott recall their favorite discussions from 2025 and important takeaways from each. They also discuss how they are using this holiday season to celebrate the incarnation of Christ. Become a Missions Podcast Premium Subscriber and get access to our exclusive Overtime episode where Alex and Scott...

What's the spiritual climate like in Bangladesh? In this week's episode, Scott interviews Pastor Prodip Das, a Bengali church planter in New York City with ABWE's EveryEthne ministry. Together, they discuss the unique nature and conflict of Christianity and Islam within Bangladesh. Prodip tells his personal testimony and what it is like growing up in a Christian family in the country. Prodip also...

Why is Japan the graveyard of missionaries? In this episode, Alex talks with veteran ABWE missionary Bill Petite, who reflects on 35 years of ministry in Japan. Bill gives an honest look at the spiritual, cultural, and emotional realities of serving in one of the world’s least-reached nations. Bill Petite also speaks candidly about the emotional and spiritual toll of long-term missions, sharing se...

How does the gospel transcend cultural understandings like guilt/innocence, honor/shame? In this episode, Alex is joined by longtime friend of the show, Dr. E.D. Burns, a missionary, author, and ABWE’s Executive Director for Training & Development. E.D. argues that many modern missionary methods fall into error by beginning with culture rather than Scripture. When missionaries adapt the messag...

In this episode of The Missions Podcast , Alex Kocman and ABWE President, Paul Davis, interview Ted Esler , president of Missio Nexus , on the global state of Christian missions. Esler explains that although the global church is experiencing slow and steady growth, many evangelical churches lack a strong understanding of lostness which has contributed to a decline in missionary sending and passion...