The Mission Matters

Many leaders struggle with decluttering the chaos. Coaching is a discovery process with a trusted advisor to chip away at something to see what God is going to uncover. In this episode, Matthew interviews Rob Wassel of Tekton Executive Coaching (www.tektonexecutivecoaching.com) to learn how coaching is not consulting, mentoring or counseling, but a Spirit-led carving-away,  to make something new. Hear how this process worked out in Rob’s own story.

The values that undergird our society and culture are the air that we breathe, and we take them for granted. If we pull on those values, those threads go all the way back to Jesus. Matthew and Ted interview Glen Scrivener of Speak Life (https://speaklife.org.uk/) and author of the book The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality and discuss the implications for cross-cultural missions. 

Matthew Ellison interviews Rob Wassel, Jeremy Wynne, and Luke Womack at the MissioNexus Missions and Church Leaders Conference in Orlando, FL, in September 2023. Among other topics, they talk about how change comes about by pain, pleasure, or leverage (Wassel), how a church says no to good missions opportunities (Wynne), and eliminating the obstacles to missions goers (Womack). https://pioneers.org/ https://fbctopeka.com/

https://airomissions.com/

National Geographic and Disney+ are releasing a documentary called "The Mission" about the life and death of John Allen Chau. While they interview many of his friends and family, there's more to the story. Dr. Mary Ho, International Executive Leader of All Nations, the organization that trained John before he went to the North Sentinelese, shares her personal memories of John and why she is convinced following Jesus' command to take the good news to all nations is worth every risk. Learn more at https://allnations.international/john-chau

There’s a positive misconception that people immigrating to the United States are more religious than the average American and may help stem the secular tide. But Dr. Ryan Burge, professor, author, and pastor, says the data doesn’t support that. What does the data say about immigrants, and how does that affect the future of the Great Commission? Ryan, Matthew, and Ted discuss the opportunities for churches - here and around the globe. Learn more about Ryan's work at https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/ 

Ralph Winter championed the paradigm shift of Unreached People Groups almost 50 years ago, urging the church to focus on the cultures that have the least access to the gospel. Several of the critiques that were offered in the 1970s have recently re-emerged under the banner of deconstructionism. Is missions inherently based in colonialism and white supremacy? Does immigration and globalization displace the need for sending cross-cultural missionaries? Matthew Ellison and Ted Esler discuss the impact of deconstructionism on the future of missions in this episode of The Mission Matters podcast. https://tedesler.substack.com/p/shifting-narratives-of-missions

You might have heard someone declare that Business As Mission (BAM) is THE future of missions - but João Mordomo of BAM Global argues that isn't the heart of Business As Mission. Rather, BAM is driven by a desire to see the whole body of Christ participate in the mission of God. Matthew, Ted, and João discuss the biblical foundations of BAM, why BAM isn't the only biblical model, and scenarios where BAM is extremely effective. 

Jeff Lewis joins Matthew Ellison and Ted Esler to talk about missions, revival, and what we can learn from the life of Nikolaus von Zinzendorf. Jeff dispels some of the common myths surrounding Zinzendorf and the Moravians, and shares what he has learned from studying early Moravian primary source materials. They discuss the role revivals play in advancing missions, and what true awakening looks like. 

Business As Mission (BAM) is frequently being hailed as the new method of missions funding. Does that mean the era of support raising is over? Or is there space for multiple models of funding to meet the needs of different contexts? Matthew Ellison and Ted Esler talk with Mark Wilson of VIA Generosity (formerly Support Raising Solutions) as he shares his perspectives of how God is using support raising, particularly to resource workers in the Global South. 

Matthew Ellison recaps the podcast for 2022, looks ahead to a new season on going to the hardest to reach places in 2023, and offers a word of encouragement on trusting God, even in the midst of really difficult things. 

There can be differences between the "missions with a S" world and the "missional" world - but Michael Goheen suggests there's a lot of common ground. Matthew, Ted, and Mike discuss the mission of the biblical story, the role of the church, vocation, cultural partnerships, and narrative theology.

Michael Goheen is director of Theological Education at Missional Training Center, scholar-in-residence for the Surge Network of Churches (Phoenix), and professor of missional theology at Covenant Theological Seminary (St Louis). Mike has authored, co-authored, or edited twelve books, including Becoming a Missionary Church: Lesslie Newbigin and Contemporary Church Movements (Baker, 2022), The Church and Its Vocation: Lesslie Newbigin’s Missional Ecclesiology (Baker, 2018), Introducing Christian Mission Today: Scripture, History, and Issues (IVP, 2014), A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story (Baker, 2011), and The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story (Baker, 2004). He spends time each year in Brazil, Chile, and Hungary training pastoral leaders. He is married to Marnie and together they have four adult married children and eleven grandchildren.

Haije Bergstra of Missie 1:8 and Jiska Chin-A-Teh of Missie Nederland - the global partners of Sixteen:Fifteen - share about a missions campaign and network that is uniting churches and agencies across the Netherlands: The No Choice Network. They also share thoughts on how churches were affected by the pandemic and what church renewal in the Netherlands might look like.

There is an unprecedented opportunity to build relationships and love others by helping them resolve their financial burdens. Can this lead to spiritual transformation as well? Often, financial conditions are a window to a person’s spiritual situation. It is an open door for Great Commission influence. In this episode, hear how this strategy can transform lives. Our guest today, Candra Chahyadi, is a Professor of Finance at Eastern Illinois University.

This important podcast was suggested by one of our listeners: 

One question that has come up in a number of conversations lately, especially with young people is:

“Isn’t it colonial of us to send missionaries?”

They’re not satisfied with a simple... “No, Jesus says go!” for an answer. We're grappling with this one

though, considering the good done in mission history, but also the negative, and the associations

with colonialism.

We recently heard of a young adult’s group at a Bible-believing church that doesn’t want to take a

mission course because “missions is too colonial.” How do we teach and help people through such

questions?

Do missionaries destroy culture? Do they do more harm than good? And isn't it colonial of Christians

to still be sending missionaries? Join us as we address these questions with Robert Woodberry,

surfacing the impact missionaries have had upon the world.

* Robert is the director of the Project on Religion and Economic Change and a senior research professor at Baylor University.

While Missio's Missions Leaders Conference was taking place in September 2021, we took advantage of having hundreds of missions leaders in one place and set up a podcast booth where we asked some critical questions. The conversations centered on two massively important themes:

• Missions Mobilization in Uncertain Times
• Senior Leader Engagement in Global Missions

Tune in!

Also, we have some exciting news about next year's Missions Leaders Conference, so be sure to watch or listen to the end.

Today we welcome Justin Mack, the Global Project Pastor at River Valley Church in Burnsville Minnesota to the podcast.
If you are a missions pastor or serve on a missions team in a local church, you definitely won’t want to miss this epidsode!

Ten years ago, River Valley Church decided to take this Great Commission more seriously and become much more intentional about it’s strategy to engage the church in this Great Commission. At the time, the church had just given a little over $70,000 to support a couple dozen missionaries. Fast-forward ten years to today. River Valley now gives millions of dollars annually to support over 270 missionaries and has a vision to raise up 500 long-term missionaries willing to give at least a year (hopefully a lifetime) of their life to global missions’ efforts, mostly among the unreached.

So how does this happen? Join Ted and Matthew as they interview Justin, giving listeners a glimpse into one church's journey into the heart of God.

The invention of the printing press catalyzed Martin Luther's reformation; radios and televisions delivered Billy Graham's gospel proclamations to millions of households. Technological advancements have undoubtedly advanced kingdom work for centuries—but is the same true for the burgeoning technologies of today?  As virtual reality becomes increasingly prominent throughout society, churches must assess how to respond thoughtfully and biblically. Tune in as Matthew and Ted have a conversation with Jonathan Armstrong, Professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute, as they discuss his newest book 𝙑𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝘾𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙝: 𝙋𝙞𝙩𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨.

Now that military forces have withdrawn, security has evaporated and danger has escalated, should we no longer be sending missionaries? Is this the end of the send to Afghanistan or is now the time to call forth a new generation of missionaries to move towards danger  and not away from it for the sake of the Gospel’s advance? Join special guest, Bob Blincoe, President Emeritus of Frontiers and former missionary to Iraq, as we discuss what’s happening and what might be next in Afghanistan.

Can we be sure that when Jesus commissioned us to “make disciples of all nations," 𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂 𝒕𝒂 𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒏𝒆 in the Greek, that He was talking about
ethno-linguistic groupings and not just those who weren’t Jews?  On this episode of The Mission Matters we are joined by Missiology Catalyst, Dave Datema of Frontier Ventures. Join us as we discuss why this is such an important question and what happens when we lose the universal particularism of panta ta ethne.

The Christian community puts tremendous energy and momentum toward getting global workers on the field, but there’s often a lack of intentional effort to provide spiritual, emotional and physical support once workers are serving overseas. Thus, many women ministering around the world feel alone and are barely surviving. In this podcast, Lorrie Lindgren, CEO of Thrive, shares Biblical and practical insights that will help listeners understand the unique challenges faced by women serving as missionaries and how to care for them in a manner worthy of God’s name.

Christians engaged in communicating the gospel navigate a challenging tension: 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥'𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘥 - 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭, 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵. Tune in for this episode on 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 podcast as Matthew and Ted have a conversation with the authors of the new book 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳, 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭: 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘔𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺. Chris Flanders and Werner Mischke give us the backstory on their new book, share examples of an honor-shame gospel framework and explain why this is such an important topic for missionaries to be aware of.

Chris Flanders serves as the Professor of Missions at Abilene Christian University and Werner Mischke serves as Vice President of Mission ONE. 

God has a "world-sized" role for every Christian in His global purpose. Tune in for this episode on 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 as Matthew and Ted have a conversation with their guest – James Mason, CEO for the Perspectives Study Program, as he shares about their past, present and future and how if you have a vision to live a life of purpose, there's a place for you.

“When it comes to missions in the church, the pastor either holds the key to the front door or holds the padlock.” While members of a congregation can be a catalyst for missions envisioning, without the engagement of church leaders, mobilizing a church is tough sledding.  Even missions pastors and missions teams that operate without buy-in from key church leaders often struggle to build momentum.  In most churches, until senior and lead pastors have embraced a missions vision for their churches, missions will likely remain in the margins. So how do we crack the code of pastoral engagement in missions? Tune in with guests Larry Hansen, Missions Pastor and Brian Bell, Senior Pastor of Calvary Murrieta as they share their insights.

It’s your money. Except that it isn’t. The worldview of your financial planner matters. Tune into this episode on The Mission Matters as Matthew and Ted have a conversation with Virgil Dugan – President of the National Christian Foundation Southwest and John Moore, Principal at John Moore and Associates where they will share insights on how to manage our portion of God's portfolio properly and how “giving” is a “fundamental spiritual discipline”.

Join Matthew and Ted as they have a conversation with Jason Mandryk, Editor of Operation World.  Learn about the history and the future of the definitive global prayer handbook that has been used by more than a million Christians to pray for the nations. Whether you are an intercessor praying behind the scenes for world change, a missionary abroad or simply curious about the world, Operation World will give you the information necessary to play a vital role in fulfilling the Great Commission.

God is moving in a powerful way in and through His people in Nigeria, a missions awakening is underway. Tune into this episode on The Mission Matters as Matthew and Ted chat with Adegbite Olanihun, of the Nigerian Evangelical Missions Association, about the awakening, challenges and opportunities of the Nigerian missions movement.

On The Mission Matters, Matthew and Ted chat with Gideon and Sarah, African American missionaries to North Africa, about how many missions fields in Africa are becoming missions forces. 

We talk with President of Frontiers, Bob Blincoe. Bob will shed light on whether or not churches should still be sending missionaries to unreached.

We talk with missions innovator Andrew Scott, of Scatter Global, who sounds a call for a new era of missions. Andrew will not only share his ideas for innovation in the missions model, but also share examples of churches that are finding a fresh missions model.

The issue of social justice has certainly been on the forefront of our minds as cultures around the world have wrestled with issues around race. Our guest today is Pastor Adrian Reeves the conference director of the National African American Missions Conference.

This episode of the Mission Matters looks at missions trends in a post COVID-19 world with guest Amy Young from Global Trellis.

On this episode Matthew and Ted are joined by Pam Arlund, and will look at the recent sacrifice of the life of a Christian in a hostile situation. We will consider how local church mission leaders can communicate about an event like martyrdom on a mission.

The Mission Matters is a partnership of Misso Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen Missions Coaching. Our subject today is Fundraising In a COVID-19 era.