The Missions Show

How can Christians understand individuals connected with the LGBT movement a mission field—full of people made in the image of God, in need of the gospel? ABWE North America missionary Jim Childs shares his story to help answer. Jim is helping spearhead Every Ethne ’s iniative to help churches in the U.S. reach across cultures without crossing borders, which includes reaching into the North Americ...

Pastors and missionaries are supposed to be sharing the gospel, but inwardly, many believe that they’re justified by their own performance. In this episode,  Jared C. Wilson —a “failed church planter” who “once made a mess of his marriage” (his words, not ours!) whose rediscovery of gospel-centeredness transformed his life and ministry—shares why missionaries need to be preaching the gospel to  th...

India is home to more unreached people groups, women and children in the sex industry, impoverished families, and idols then anywhere else on the planet. What impact could a few missionaries possibly have, and how does the hope of the gospel encourage them in the midst of such massive physical need? How are they balancing the priorities of social justice with their evangelistic mandate? Today, two...

Starting gospel conversations—whether at home or overseas—is difficult in our distracted, technology-addicted world. Is returning to a practice of holistic, biblical hospitality part of the solution to strengthen our evangelism? Jeff Dalrymple, former president of Baptist Haiti Mission and president and founder of The Hospitality Project , helps us answer that question and explains why we struggle...

Ministry burnout is real. On the mission field, the pressures are vastly multiplied. Cultural shock, marital strain, poor team dynamics, and temptation all threaten missionaries’ spiritual, mental, and emotional health. Better, more proactive member care is the answer. But how? Brad Winkler, ABWE’s director leading member care and prefield ministries, joins us to explain. As a pastor for 17...

How do you handle the pressures of growing up hearing “don’t waste your life,” and what lessons can missionary kids and pastors’ kids take away? Barnabas Piper joins us this week as we wander to and fro to discuss those topics along with cultivating a curiosity with other cultures, parenting with an eye towards missions, and avoiding ministry cynicism by grounding our identity in Christ. Barnabas...

There’s a theological famine across the majority world. How can we fix that? Are translated English resources the solution? How can we encourage more theological educators to serve overseas? And why does the chasm between the gospel-centered, big-God theology movement and the missions world seem so large? On April 12th, 2018 at  Together for the Gospel in Louisville, Kentucky, ABWE and Baptist Hai...

Is Reformed theology antithetical to missions? Can Calvinists and Arminians partner together in gospel ministry? Today, Scott and Alex take a swing at these hotly-debated topics and provide answers from a biblical perspective recognizing that God’s sovereignty is fully compatible with the call to repent and believe the gospel—and how the fact that Christ has definitively “purchased for God people...

What does leadership have to do with missions? Everything. Although conversations on leadership are often kept separate from the realm of missiology, Charles Smith believes that now is the time to talk about what gospel-centered leadership—for the  church —means for missions. Charles Smith serves as Vice President for Institutional Relations at Midwestern Seminary and oversees the offices of Admis...

We speak so much of the “kingdom of God”—but what does that mean, and how does Jesus’ present reign in heaven impact our mission? These questions are often neglected, misunderstood, or purposefully avoided in American evangelicalism, and there’s lots of confusion about Christ’s return and the nature of his kingdom. But understanding Jesus’ present authority over heaven and earth undergirds everyth...

Singleness can feel like a death sentence for some—but for women like Lina AbuJamra, it’s a gift to be stewarded. How can God use singles on the mission field? Lina weighs in and shares her perspective as a Lebanese-American physician currently involved in Bible teaching and medical missions to Syrian refugees. Lina AbuJamra is founder of Living with Power Ministries and has authored several books...

Of all the world’s religions that are likely to stump Western Christians, Hinduism tops the list. How can Christians make sense of Hinduism’s millions of deities, belief in reincarnation, denial of human suffering, and rigorous caste system? Better yet—how can Christians  reach those who hold to such a worldview? In this episode we go over what Hindus believe, how they think, and some do’s and don...

Should Christians read books like the Qur’an—and if so, how? What about other religious texts? To help us answer those questions, we asked is Matthew Bennett , an experienced missionary who served in the Middle East, now instructor of missions and theology at Cedarville University. In this episode, Matt builds a case for why Christians should meaningfully, fairly, and exegetically engage with othe...

C.T. Studd is credited with saying, “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” But in today’s world where everyone is encouraged to “live on mission,” this classic missionary grit is increasingly absent. What happened, and what are the internal and external motivators that lead someone to risk everything to serve abroad? To ans...

Is every Christian a missionary? Is there a difference between “missions,” “missional,” and “mission?” Is volunteering at my local homeless shelter or sharing the gospel with my unsaved dad “missions?” These are loaded questions—questions which, if we get them wrong, could take the wind out of our sails in terms of engaging in actual cross-cultural m...

You’ve probably heard of the plight of the Rohingya people—an unreached, Muslim people group who have been forced out of Myanmar and are flooding into Bangladesh. The U.N. calls them the world’s most persecuted people group. But you probably haven’t heard about the extraordinary providence of God in sovereignly using tragedy to bring the Rohingya to Bangladesh at such a crucial t...

Do all missionaries need to know apologetics? Some say yes, plenty say no. We invited our friend Dan DeWitt , an expert on the topic, to answer. Join us as Dan shares the advantages—and real limitations—of apologetics, and how mission-minded people can employ apologetics in an incarnational way to serve people in a world suffering the effects of sin. Dan is Associate Professor of Applied Theology...

Parenting is stressful enough—not to mention the crucial responsibility parents have to raise their children in the way of Christ. Is it worthwhile to expose children to missions, and if so, how early is too early? What are some best practices for instilling a global mindset in our kids? The director of ABWE’s Next Generation Ministries joins to answer these questions—and hit on other import...

You probably haven’t heard of Vishal Mangalwadi, but if anyone deserves to be a household name among Christians, it’s him. Recognized by Christianity Today as India’s top Christian intellect , Vishal is a social reformer, columnist, and philosopher who has written and spoken extensively to show how William Carey’s view of conversion, theology, and missions essentially made...

Voices in missions today tell us we should all become “global Christians.” In this episode we answer what that means and how to do it—with all the resources everyday believers need to stay informed. If you missed one of the resources or books we recommended, here’s the list: Joshua Project Operation World Mission Network News The Global Missions Podcast Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper...

It’s December, which means Southern Baptists are hearing the name “Lottie Moon” and instantly associating it with missions. Who was Lottie Moon? Why was the Christmas Offering named after her? What can we learn from her as trailblazing, single female missionary and mobilizer?  Lori McDaniel —communicator, pastor’s wife, and Global Mission Catalyst for the IMB —shares why Lottie Moon is...

Today in missions there’s a lot of talk about contextualization. The “C scale” developed by John Travis makes a case for so-called insider movements—professing believers in the Islamic world who follow Jesus, yet remain culturally and religiously Muslim. Is that biblical? How can we adapt the gospel to new cultures—and how far is too far? We spend the first half of this jam-packed episode unpackin...

How can local church pastors lead the charge to mobilize for missions? ABWE President Paul Davis joins us to share his insights on how pastors can spark missions-minded imagination fueled by culture and Scripture, drawing on his decades of experience in local church ministry at Calvary Baptist Church in Holland, Michigan. Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email  alex@missionsshow.com ....

We’re commanded to disciple all the nations. We are also told to care for the orphan and fatherless. What do adoption and foster care have to do with global missions? Is social justice a distraction to world evangelism? Dan Dumas, Special Advisor for Foster Care and Adoption to Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, joins us to answer. Dan is a teaching pastor and elder at Crossing Church in Louisvil...

Thousands of people groups remain unreached—so where are all the new missionaries we need? They’re in the church. In this episode, Scott Dunford and Alex Kocman explore seven ways to build a sending church culture in your local congregation, whether you’re a pastor or layperson, and how these solutions are the key to mobilizing the next generation of missionaries God has sovereignly pl...