Sharing the gospel message across cultures can be challenging. What makes sense in our culture can be confusing or misinterpreted in another culture.

Today's episode gives some examples of these cross-cultural challenges and introduces a new program to help overcome these obstacles.

Learn more about Connecting2Culture at: https://connecting2culture.com/

How patient are you? How patient are you when it comes to God’s leading in your life?

Retired OMF missionary, Jerry Wibberly, reflects on the journey he and his wife, Barbara, had in Thailand. 

It was a journey that would require patience as there were times when Jerry felt he was doing something he didn’t feel called to do.

You can also read Jerry’s article at: https://omf.org/us/gods-calling-is-often-a-process/

(Written by: Jerry Wibberly; Read by: Mike Klassen)

“What would happen if every church... if every Christian in the U.S. decided to love their neighbors from all parts of the world?”

That's a question James and Lisa Dougherty ask as they discuss how loving our neighbor is sometimes harder than supporting missions.

James and Lisa are President and Co-National Directors of OMF (U.S.). In this episode, both of them share the important opportunities now available to us!

A written version of this discussion is on our blog at: https://omf.org/us/why-loving-my-neighbor-is-harder-than-supporting-missions

Discover the Candidate Course, one of the first steps to becoming a missionary with OMF (U.S.). It's both an evaluation and a preparation, and a springboard for partners starting their missionary journey.

Story by: Hannah Porter

Read by: Avery Bieber

Blog link: https://omf.org/us/first-steps-to-becoming-a-missionary-with-omf/

About us: OMF is a global fellowship of Christians with a heart for East Asia. We share the good news of Jesus Christ in all its fullness with East Asia’s peoples to the glory of God.

Ashley Boutte is an OMF missionary who went to Japan in the Spring of 2022. ⁠Her time in northern Japan has been wonderfully exciting in many ways, but there are many challenges she has faced as she adjusts. ⁠

Each challenge, though, has always presented an opportunity for her to move forward and grow closer to Christ. ⁠

Ashley's life so far in Japan will be of particular interest to anyone wanting to understand what it's like to be in a new country at the start of a missionary journey.⁠

You can also read the story on our blog: omf.org/us/learning-and-growing-in-missions

OMF Thailand missionary Bekah Farber and her family spent their time on Home Assignment in the U.S. visiting family and ministry partners. She shares with us that while the time together in the car was filled with treasured moments, the real treasures were the people they met and how it reflected what we read in the New Testament. 

Bekah says, "The hospitality and generosity of our ministry partners, as they shared their food, homes, and selves with us, was just what is described in John’s third letter."

You can also read her story at: https://omf.org/us/travels-filled-with-treasure/

Allen Rea, a missionary in Thailand, gives us some insight into what challenges he faced in the early days of his ministry that began in 2022.

Allen has been married to Kara for 16 years and they have four wonderful children: Katie, Hosanna, Bella, and Isaiah. He completed his B.A. at Brewton-Parker College where he met Kara on the first day of freshman year. Allen pastored for 15 years in Georgia while completing his M.Div. and D.Min. from Luther Rice Seminary. He enjoys reading, writing, nice long walks, fishing, and playing with his kids.

The blog edition of this podcast is available by clicking here.

OMF’s Kat Tang shares how partnering with locals is an important part of ministry in Taiwan. You can also read her story on the OMF (U.S.) blog.

About: Putao Lin & Kat Tang with their daughters Jovie and Maisie, are missionaries with OMF in Taiwan. Kat is from Texas, and joined OMF in 2006, originally serving at-risk kids in the Wanhua district in Taipei. From 2011-2016, she served as the Serve Asia Coordinator of the field, where she trained and discipled short-term workers coming to serve in various ministries. Putao is from Taiwan, and grew up in the Shopworkers Church, a church established by OMF-Taiwan, reaching out to the working-class in the shopworkers industry. They married in 2016 and now serve in Meishan township, at the foot of the Alishan mountains in Chiayi county.

Jan and Bryan had only been in Japan a couple of weeks when Jan first met Sachiko and her toddler daughter at a local park. 

Jan understood very little Japanese and spoke even less, so was thankful when Sachiko introduced herself simply in English, as she knew very little English at the time. 

“Hello, my name is Sachiko. Would you teach me English? And even if you cannot, would you be my friend?” 

So began their friendship.

You can also read the story on the OMF (U.S.) blog.