Engaging Missions

Transforming an entire ministry can take a lot of work, and our guest, Mike (or “Puck” for short) experienced this first hand. As a ministry leader on a college campus, he realized the need to change the organization from a typical ministry to a “band of missionaries.” The focus shifted from having services for Christian students to sharing the Gospel with those who don’t know Christ.

Through the difficult changes and adjustments, Puck has seen God work in many ways. Not only has this transition impacted the students on campus, but also Puck himself. In the interview, he shares about his spiritual growth through this process. Because of his and the students’ obedience, more people have had the opportunity to hear about the goodness of God and His Gospel of hope.

• 00:24 – Episode information and prayer requests
• 02:22 – Introduction
• 02:56 – Praying for laborers in the harvest
• 03:57 – What is No Place Left?
• 06:14 – Relying on the Kingdom principles
• 08:16 – Walking through a time of difficulty
• 11:54 – Coming to see obedience as an adventure
• 14:13 – Doing Ministry Well
• 14:56 – Becoming a band of missionaries
• 19:14 – Breaking the system like a bull in a china shop
• 25:47 – Ignoring the numbers and seeing the hearts
• 32:39 – Foundational Missions Leadership Moment ad
• 32:57 – Marketplace matters
• 35:09 – Surrounded by the nations
• 37:10 – Internet and book resources
• 38:53 – Parting advice

• Four Fields of Kingdom Growth by Nathan and Kari Shank (free PDF download from Movements.net)

Esteban Cevallos grew up in Ecuador and Columbia. At age 17, God brought him to the United States and led him on an amazing path to India and Cuba and has called him back to Central America.

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In our lives, God often has to break us in order to bring us to a better understanding of who He is. In this week’s episode, our guest, Esteban Cevallos, tells a story of how God broke him (literally and metaphorically) to keep him from wandering away. He also shares about his current ministry, which works to disciple leaders in powerful nations to reach their own people.

From India to Cuba and many places in between, Esteban and his team have worked diligently to spread the Gospel and disciple others. As he shares his stories, we hear about his cross-cultural experiences, his spiritual growth, and his plans for ministry. By following the Holy Spirit, Esteban has seen many come to know God and know how to be ambassadors in the Kingdom.

• 00:25 – Episode summary
• 02:34 – Introduction
• 03:07 – Steps toward Latin America
• 03:58 – Bursting the Christian bubble
• 07:14 – Learning to stay close to the Shepherd
• 10:23 – Which soccer team should we cheer for?
• 11:08 – Revelation of purpose
• 14:21 – Meaningful verses
• 17:47 – The benefits of being an outsider
• 21:00 – Doing Ministry Well
• 22:02 – Reaching every corner of the Earth
• 31:29 – Investing in the Kingdom of God
• 32:58 – Working in the pivot place
• 42:36 – Updates on missionaries
• 45:57 – Surrounded by the nations
• 50:07 – Internet and book resources
• 52:57 – Contact information (Phone: 615-893-3263)

• Phone: 615-893-3263
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: scpglobal.org

• Engaging Announcer: Scott McClelland
• Audio Editing: Geoff Butterworth
• Show Notes: Gabby Oechsle

Feedback

If you’d have any comments or questions, you can always leave a comment in the show notes or send an email to [email protected]. 

Mike Lewandowski went from prison to missionary. Focusing on his neighborhood in Florida, he's begun sharing the Gospel, planting churches, and praying for those in need - in an unexpected place.

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Do you love Christ enough to proclaim it in permanent ink? Our guest today, Mike Lewandowski, joins us to share about his ministry in a tattoo parlor. He and his family currently live in Florida, and he works as a tattoo artist, showing the love of God to each customer.

Although Mike grew up in a rough and broken home, God captured his heart and brought him to a better knowledge of His goodness. Over the last decade, he has worked in ministry through his business and through time in the 10-40 window. Mike shares about lessons God has shown him over the years, emphasizing the idea that wherever he is will be his mission field. With a humble heart and love for God, he tells his story of hope and redemption, of how good God is, and of God’s great plans for us.

• 00:25 – Updates and News
• 03:14 – Introduction
• 03:57 – Showing love in ink
• 05:44 – How often do you pray with customers?
• 06:29 – Church plants and tattoo parlors
• 07:36 – Captured by the greatness of God
• 10:05 – The power of knowing God is there
• 12:23 – Key relationships and walking with the Lord
• 14:50 – The process of keeping priorities
• 16:52 – Meaningful verse
• 18:11 – Doing Ministry Well and iTunes reviews
• 20:49 – Foundation of approaching ministry
• 23:13 – The Commands of Christ
• 24:42 – Living life for the Kingdom of God
• 25:43 – God’s work through times of difficulty
• 27:34 – Will God lead you back to the 10-40 window?
• 30:05 – What fuels your passion?
• 32:14 – Next week on Engaging Missions
• 33:57 – Marketplace matters
• 36:06 – Surrounded by the nations
• 38:14 – Internet or book resources
• 38:47 – Parting advice and contact info (email: [email protected])

• Got Questions?
• Lewandowski Adventures on Facebook
• [email protected]
• No Place Left

• Audio Editing: Geoff Butterworth
• Show Notes: Gabby Oechsle

Feedback

If you’d have any comments or questions, you can always leave a comment in the show notes or send an email to [email protected]. 

Not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving Day but we all have reasons to be thankful every day. Listen as 4 missionaries share powerful and heartwarming stories about Thanksgiving in this special edition.

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Honoring Thanksgiving is a great way to remember all the amazing things God has done for us. It's often a time for family, travel, friends, and a celebration of provision. But what about missionaries?

What is Thanksgiving like for a missionary? What are missionaries thankful for?

We have four missionaries who are sharing their experiences, memories, and the things they're thankful for. One who is from Ireland, one who spent some time in Mongolia, one who leads trips to Europe, and one who leads a missions organization focused on cross-cultural initiatives.

And a surprise.

Listen to be encouraged, challenged, and inspired!

Tony Hedrick is an artist, missionary, and master storyteller. His thankfulness places us at a dining table, talking about the things we're most thankful for. Listen to discover what he's thankful for and consider your answer as well.

Bryan Thompson is a podcaster and missionary from Ireland. He publishes the Story4All podcast and he's the director of the God Story Project and Simply the Story in Europe. His first experience with thanksgiving probably could have gone better but he had a much better experience in 1982.

Brian Hogan was a missionary to Mongolia for a couple of years and now travels and teaches. He's also the author of There's a Sheep in My Bathtub and more. When we connected, he shared how he's thankful for where God's placed them and how He's brought key relationships into their lives.

Want to listen to There's a Sheep In My Bathtub on the go? Download for free by trying out Audible.com (and help support the show)!

Ann Hinrichs is the USA director of Adventive Cross Cultural Initiatives (ACCI). One of the things I so appreciate about her is her heart for unity and to minister to the missionaries in ACCI. She reminds us that we have SO much to be thankful for.

As the host, I took a minute to share some of my Thanksgiving memories from the season before I met and married my wife and how God was amazingly generous to me. And just a few of the things I'm thankful for now.

Feedback

If you’d have any comments or questions, you can always leave a comment in the show notes or send an email to [email protected]. 

Tony Svendsen is the e3 Partners Strategy Director for Ireland. He uses powerful tools and simple strategies to equip local believers to share the Gospel and plant churches. Listen to discover what God's up to.

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From Uganda, to Ireland, to the States, Tony Svendsen has worked to spread the Gospel to every corner of the Earth. In this episode, he shares about what God has been up to in his ministry. He works with No Place Left and E3 Partners in an effort to equip believers with tools to make disciples.

Tony also discusses the importance of seeing the “local” as the expert and learning from them. He emphasizes the value in giving them the authority to bring the Good News to their homes and towns. In his own life, he has seen God use him in ways he never expected — showing that God is capable of using us in our weaknesses.

• 00:25 – Episode summary
• 03:56 – Introduction
• 04:18 – Personal life and family
• 05:40 – What does “No Place Left” mean?
• 06:45 – The dynamics of transition
• 08:58 – Breaking through traditions
• 10:04 – A season of difficulty
• 11:21 – Personal habits for spiritual growth
• 12:30 – Transforming weaknesses into strengths
• 13:36 – Doing Ministry Well and words of encouragement
• 15:53 – Building cultural understanding while at home
• 17:32 – Mobilizing believers to share the Gospel
• 18:27 – Inviting others into the spiritual conversation
• 19:25 – Opportunities on the horizon
• 21:12 – Tools for sharing the Good News
• 23:58 – The royal priesthood of believers
• 25:34 – Next week on Engaging Missions
• 26:39 – Unifying denominations under the Name of Jesus
• 29:00 – Marketplace matters
• 31:13 – Surrounded by the nations
• 32:23 – Internet and book resources
• 34:10 – Parting advice and contact info (tonyandlisasvendsen.com)

• No Place Left
• James Harvey (@jph356)
• Steve Addison's books (qualifying purchases benefit Engaging Missions)
• An Unexpected Journey
• e3 Partners

• Engaging Announcer: (name withheld)
• Audio Editing: Geoff Butterworth
• Show Notes: Gabby Oechsle

Feedback

If you’d have any comments or questions, you can always leave a comment in the show notes or send an email to [email protected]. 

Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”