The Missiology Podcast

In this episode, Martin Rodriguez talks with Greg McKinzie about his book The Hermeneutics of Participation . Together they explore why biblical interpretation is never neutral, how participation in God’s mission forms the church as a reading community, and what it means for congregations to read scripture faithfully as they join God’s work in the world. Along the way, they discuss theological int...

Fr. Francis Oborji joins Martin Rodriguez to explore how context, dialogue, and even AI are reshaping mission—and to call the global church into a shared “theological pilgrimage” between North and South.

In this episode of  Missiology Shelf,  Martin Rodriguez speaks with Stephen Bevans about his book Community of Missionary Disciples: The Continuing Creation of the Church .  They discuss the story behind the book, missional ecclesiology, ecumenical contributions to the conversation, the importance of pneumatology in mission, the continuing creation of the church, baptism, leadership, tradition, di...

Martin and Greg reflect on the episode #56 interview with Daniel White Hodge. They discuss hip-hop as a window for cultural and theological analysis, the definition of missiology, the experiences of those marginalized by the missiological establishment, and the need for intersectional perspectives.

Martin Rodriguez sits down with Daniel White Hodge, professor of intercultural communications at North Park University.

Bible translator and anthropologist Dan Shaw joins us to discuss his book Singing Samo Songs : From Shaman to Pastor , drawn from over 50 years of work among the Samo people in Papua New Guinea. In this conversation, Shaw reflects on how scripture became embedded in Samo life—not just through translation, but through singing, storytelling, and cultural ritual. We explore how indigenous communities...

Martin and Greg reflect on the episode #53 interview with Stanley Skreslet. They discuss how philosophy relates to missiology, the definition of missiology, the role of theology in missiology, and the experience of being evangelized.

Martin Rodriguez sits down with Stanley Skreslet, professor emeritus at Union Presbyterian Seminary. They discuss Stanley's experiences in missiology as well as his hopes for its future.

Martin and Greg reflect on the episode #51 interview with Ruth Padilla Deborst. They discuss holistic mission, raising children missionally, intentional community, and the enneagram.

Martin Rodriguez sits down with Ruth Padilla Deborst, an associate professor of world Christianity at Western Theological Seminary and dean of extension courses at Comunidad de Estudios Teológicos Interdisciplinarios. They discuss Ruth's experiences in missiology as well as her hopes for its future .

This episode is part of our Missiology Shelf series, where we dive into influential works shaping the field of missiology. Anthropologist Johnny Ramirez-Johnson joins us to discuss his latest book, The Power of Love for Reaching Out to "the Other." Drawing from his research and personal experiences, Johnny explores themes of love, cultural engagement, and the role of the Holy Spirit in mission. We...

In this episode of Missiology Shelf , we dive into the book Missional Life in Practice and Theory , edited by Chris Flanders and Greg McKinzie, a Festschrift honoring the enduring impact of Gailyn Van Rheenen on mission theory and practice. Chris and Greg reflect on their personal experiences with Van Rheenen, discuss his pioneering role as a "missionary theologian," and explore the esse...

In this episode of Missiology Shelf, Martin Rodriguez sits down with  Darrell Whiteman  to discuss his book  Crossing Cultures with the Gospel: Anthropological Wisdom for Effective Christian Witness .  They explore Whiteman's extensive experience in cross-cultural communication, his journey of writing the book, and the critical need for missionaries to understand both their own cultural impact...

In this episode of Missiology Shelf , missiology.com’s book review series, Martin Rodriguez speaks with Miriam Adeney and Rashid Alish about their book Afghan Mountain Faith: Stories of Justice, Beauty, and Relationships . They discuss the resilience of Afghan faith amidst cultural and religious challenges, highlighting how Jesus is transforming lives in Afghanistan’s most difficult regions. The c...

Martin Rodriguez sits down with Michael Niebauer, author of Virtuous Persuasion: A Theology of Christian Mission . Together, they discuss the experiences that inspired the book, Niebauer’s unique approach to mission rooted in theological ethics, and how virtue plays a central role in Christian discipleship. The conversation also explores the challenges of modern church planting, the significance o...

Martin and Greg reflect on the episode #44 interview with Enoch Wan. They discuss diaspora missiology, the relationship between witness and disciple-making, Reformed and Arminian theologies of mission, the theology of participation in God's mission, and the significance of language-learning for relational missiology.

Martin Rodriguez sits down with Enoch Wan, professor of intercultural studies and director of the doctor of education and doctor of intercultural studies programs at Western Seminary (Portland, OR). They discuss diaspora missiology, the relational mission paradigm, and the the deficiencies of "functional" missionary anthropology.

Martin and Greg reflect on the episode #41 interview with Michael Rynkiewich. They discuss the church-academy relationship in light of listener feedback, the state of culture studies in contemporary missiology, and postmodern and postcolonial missiology paradigms.

Martin and Greg chat with Alan Roxburgh and Jenny Sinclair at the Leaving Egypt podcast . They discuss how the churches have been affected by modernity, and how mission needs to change. Sharing the disorientation they encounter among church leaders, they explore the tension between missiological scholarship and relationships with real people.

Martin Rodriguez sits down with Michael Rynkiewich, retired professor of anthropology. They discuss his experiences as a missionary and anthropologist in the Pacific Islands, his contrubtions to missiology as a scholar and professor, and the future of the field in our rapidly changing world.

Martin and Greg reflect on the episode #39 interview with Craig Van Gelder. They discuss the role of personality in theological work, the significance of vocational in-between periods, the challenge of relating the every-day to God's mission, tensions in North American missiology, problematic missioloigcal terminology, missional parenting, and more.

Martin Rodriguez sits down with Craig Van Gelder, professor emeritus of congregational mission at Luther Seminary. They discuss his experiences as a North American missiologist and church consultant who has made major contributions to missional ecclesiology, especially in the areas of cultural analysis, missional imagination, and pneumatology.

Martin and Greg reflect on the episode #37 interview with Kate Blakely. They discuss the significance of missionary experiences for missiologists, the comically missionary notion of "rest," the love of otherness, attentiveness to our engagement with others, the contrast between early-career and seasoned missiologists, the need for reflection on race in missiology, and the value of Wester...

Martin Rodriguez sits down with Kate Blakely, an early-career missiologist currently living in Moldova. They discuss her experiences studying and teaching missiology, why the field matters, and her hopes for its future.

Martin and Greg talk with Charles Kiser and Elaine Heath, the authors of Trauma-Informed Evangelism: Cultivating Communities of Wounded Healers.  They discuss the experiences that gave rise to the book, the meaning of trauma, the authors' understanding of discipleship and evangelism, and what drawing ethical boundaries has to do with traumatizing others.