International Commission Podcast

It's another Porchcast from North Carolina! This time, Bucky and Grace vlog the Celebration Dinner, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the setup and program for one of our biggest fundraising events of the year. You'll have to bring your own food, but pull up a chair and join us for dinner to hear some amazing testimonies from the mission field in Asia and the Middle East! You'll hear from Nor...

Join Bucky and Grace for a wild ride through the weirdest modes of transportation they’ve ever taken! From unconventional animals to questionable vehicles on land, sea, and sky, the duo shares hilarious "only on mission" travel stories that prove the journey is often just as memorable as the destination. But beyond the bumpy rides and sketchy engines, there is a beautiful purpose to the chaos. The...

In this episode of the International Commission podcast, Bucky Elliott and Grace Swanson begin with a deep dive into character development, as Grace shares her recent journey of learning to view others through "Jesus goggles", choosing to love even when it’s difficult and surrendering emotional frustrations to God. Bucky expands on this by distinguishing between "peacekeeping" and "peacemaking." H...

In this episode of the International Commission podcast, hosts Bucky Elliott and Grace Swanson offer practical encouragement for evangelical Christians considering their first missions trip. The duo addresses common anxieties about international travel to help you know what to expect when flying overseas and to lower the barriers to going into the field. The first segment explores the profound spi...

Hosts Bucky Elliott and Grace Swanson share powerful testimonies from recent mission trips, highlighting how God works in unexpected ways when we make ourselves available. Bucky details a week of evangelism partnership in Vermont, where the team overcame initial skepticism from local leaders by employing creative outreach strategies at laundromats and gas stations. Authentic conversations led to s...

Bucky and Grace talk to Richard Greene, co-author of a brand-new, one-of-a-kind devotional designed to take you and your family on a journey through time and around the world to find your place in God's Great Commission work.   📘Get the book! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G29CSQLB 🔔 Subscribe for more videos about Christian cross-cultural missions, inspiring stories, and practical evangelism tips!...

Bucky and Guy (Area Vice President for Oceania) talk about every Christian's role in interceding for the lost in prayer. Why do we need to pray for people in order to see them come to Christ? What's the difference between our role and Jesus' as mediators between man and God? What actually happens in the spiritual realm when we pray? What happens in our own hearts? Plus, stay tuned for another edit...

Catch up with Bucky, Brooke, and Grace to hear about what God is doing in our ministry and in our personal lives. Each of us are in different life stages; engaged, married with a first kid, and married for 19 years with five kids - but all of us work in full-time missions. What is that like, and what is God teaching us? How can you be partner with us to take the gospel around the world? Then stick...

Road trip! Hop in the car with Bucky, Laura, and Shara as we drive through the mountains of Vermont and talk about how God is preparing the ground to see a great harvest for His Kingdom in New England. Buckle up to hear what we've observed about Vermont's culture, landscape, and climate — both physically and spiritually. Get a front seat view of what happens in local churches before IC brings a sh...

International Commission's E&E Training presents "Going", which is the final training in a 5-part series entitled, "The 5 Habits of a World Christian". "Going" features special guest, Donnie Todd, who serves with the global mission mobilization ministry, Via. In this training you will learn: -What the Bible says about God's heart for the nations and a Christian's responsibility for going to th...

Ramadan is a special time of the year to talk about Jesus with Muslims. Do you know how? On this episode, Brooke and Bucky talk about how you can pray for Muslim people in your life and demonstrate really simple tools that can guide a conversation so that you can proclaim the gospel with confidence and kindness. ⭐️ Help us out: subscribe and review! 🗺️ Go on a mission trip to share Jesus! https:/...

So you want to go tell others about Jesus, but you're shy. Did you know that Introverts don't have a monopoly on that? Anyone can experience fear or anxiety, especially when it comes to evangelism. If you relate to that, we've got some encouragement and advice for you! On this episode, Brooke and Bucky discuss how to rely on God for courage instead of focusing on your own strengths or weaknesses a...

"I want to go on a mission trip, but I'm afraid..." - I won't be safe. - of talking to strangers. - I won't know what to say. - I could get lost - everything will be too different - I'll offend people If that's you, this episode is for you! Bucky, Brooke, and Grace discuss how to overcome these fears, trust the Lord, and step into the joy of following Him into the nations. Then they play some more...

So you want to go on a mission trip, but you have family commitments; kids to raise, aging parents to care for, church responsibilities, and the list goes on. How can you leave those behind for a week or two to go share the gospel, and is it okay if you just can't? On this episode, we discuss all of that and Bucky shares stories about evangelism with Muslims in an Arab country before we take on an...

On this episode, we share our advice for raising money for a mission trip and tell stories about nearly getting lost forever in China, accidentally stuck at the Israeli-Jordanian border, or maybe murdered by mushroom hunters in Latvia. Sometimes crazy things happen when you make questionable decisions on a trip to share the gospel with strangers around the world. Make sure to listen for the magic...

International Commission's E&E Training presents "Sending", which is part 4 in a 5-part series entitled "The 5 Habits of a World Christian". "Sending" features special guest, Steve D., who serves with the global mission mobilization ministry, Via.   In this training you will learn: -What the Bible says about sending missionaries -Gain a biblical foundation for support raising -Practical steps...

Have you ever felt like God has failed you? How do you respond when things don't go your way, disaster strikes, or prayers seem unanswered? How can you celebrate Christmas when life is depressing and your faith is challenged?   On this special episode, Brooke and Bucky have a candid discussion about finding peace, hope, and joy in the face of trials and tragedy.

International Commission's E&E Training presents "Praying", which is part 3 in a 5-part series entitled "The 5 Habits of a World Christian". "Praying" features special guest, Callie Bearden, who serves with the global mission mobilization ministry, Via.   In this training you will learn: -What the Bible says about prayer and prayer for the nations -Real-life examples of how prayer changes live...

International Commission's E&E Training presents "Mobilizing", which is part 2 in a 5-part series entitled "The 5 Habits of a World Christian". "Mobilizing" features special guest, Robert Ewing, who serves with the global mission mobilization ministry, Via. In this training you will learn: -What a mobilizer is, what characteristics they embody, and what the bible says about it -Three steps to...

What does Information Technology have to do with missions? Why are printers so terrible, but necessary? How can AI be used for the Kingdom of God? What happens when your plane diverts to Cancun or a blind demonized lady attacks a picture of Jesus and then tries to stab you with a rusty sickle? Listen in to meet IC's IT Director, Alex Wascomb, as he talks about all of this and more!

International Commission's E&E Training presents "Welcoming", which is part 1 in a new 5-part series entitled "The 5 Habits of a World Christian". "Welcoming" features special guest, Shelby Freitas, who serves with the global mission mobilization ministry, Via.   In this training you will learn: -What the bible says about foreigners and how we should respond. -Insights as to how reaching out t...

Grace and Bucky talk about the advantages and challenges of following Jesus and making disciples in the United States. Listen in to hear about how we each met Jesus and how we spend time with him each day (Grace likes to journal, Bucky uses apps). We discuss the pluses and minuses of the prevalence of churches, religious freedom, theological resources and education, Christian celebrity and influen...

What is it like to be a ministry spouse? How do you raise mission-minded kids? Is it hard to raise support as a full-time missionary with a family of 7? What benefits come from living differently as missionaries in the USA? Bucky and his awesome wife, Kim, discuss all these things and more (like the weirdest meals they've had overseas) on this very special episode. Resources mentioned: - Window on...

International Commission's E&E Training presents "Tactics: How to Graciously Share your Christian Convictions" featuring Jonathan Noyse with Stand to Reason. Jonathan spent most of his life as an atheist strongly arguing against the existence of God. It wasn't until his late 20's when he examined the evidence for Christianity that he realized Jesus is who He says He is and he surrendered his l...

What even happens before and after an IC mission trip? What goes on "behind the scenes" while one of our teams is on the field? On this episode, Laura (our Area Strategy Team VP) joins Alli and Bucky to explain how our AST develops new connections around the world and how churches prepare for evangelism partnerships. She also answers rapid-fire questions in a lightning round before we discuss the...