Advent is a time on the liturgical calendar that we observe with the global Church. The word comes from the Latin "Adventus" which means "Coming". Thus, it is a time to slow down and remember the First Coming of Jesus and to look forward in anticipation for the Second Coming. During the weeks leading up to Christmas every year, our spiritual family at MAPS joins with millions of Christians from around the world to read the prophetic scriptures together in celebration of the virgin birth and in anticipation of the triumphant return of the King who is to come. In this episode, we dive into the WHYS behind Advent, analyze some church history, and examine how Christians have observed Advent since the first century.

Understanding the End Times is essential for a biblical and purpose-driven missiology but there is much confusion around the subject. In recent years, many have asked with a renewed interest, "Are we living in the End Times?" Listen to R.A. Martinez answer some of the most asked and often misunderstood eschatology (the study of the end times) questions and tackle this intense and often overlooked topic in the church.

As we continue to discuss the topic of building people alongside building a vision, R.A. Martinez interviews special guest Katy Cerny, director of a ministry called Prisoners of Hope (POH). POH is a healing and deliverance ministry based in Kansas City, MO. Katy shares her story of starting Prisoners of Hope and her thoughts about the place of inner healing and deliverance in the life of the believer, especially for those in vocational ministry and missions. The discussion turns to Isaiah 61 and the authority we have been given as believers to bind up the broken hearted, set captives free, and lift people out of the ashes of brokenness.

At MAPS Global, we believe that people are more than just a means to accomplishing a vision. The vision is built and sustained by building healthy people. One of our goals is for men and women to leave our environment better than when they came. We are aiming to be a greenhouse for many to be nurtured and transplanted to other fields and forests, not to be a pot with a lid. Listen as R.A. Martinez explains some of MAPS Global's leadership principles that aim to build vision ALONG with building people.

In this episode, R.A. Martinez sits down with Fabian, the leader of the house of prayer in Northern Iraq, to talk about his approach to preaching the Gospel in a Muslim context. Boldness is not a personality trait. It's a supernatural gift that we must have if we are going to see the Gospel bear fruit in the Muslim world. Listen as he tells the stories from their bold approach to the Gospel over the last seven years.

In this episode, R.A. Martinez and Chris Carter, our VP of Care, sit down to discuss one of our "non-negotiables" here at MAPS Global: Servant Leadership. They take a deeper look into Jesus' leadership culture in the gospels and what was later replicated by the Apostles in contrast with many of the norms in today's ministry settings and leadership environments. Although there are many different personality types, cultural contexts, and communication styles displayed today through leaders in the body of Christ, there is only one essential motivation for leadership in the kingdom.

In this episode, R.A. Martinez dives into a few specific Biblical texts concerning the role of women in the church that are surrounded by controversy. Using responsible hermeneutics and a degree of theological confidence, R.A. brings historical context and an interpretation to 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2 that dispels the cloudy confusion that hovers over these verses in question.

The role of women in leadership is no small discussion in the Church today. Why is there so much confusion over this topic? In the first part of this discussion, R.A. Martinez walks through seven introductory points to frame the discussion about the role of women in Church before looking at the Biblical texts in question.

In this episode, R.A. Martinez and Billy Humphrey of GateCity Church in Atlanta discuss Jesus' letter to the Church in Laodicea in Revelation 3 and where we, as the church, find ourselves in this hour. It is our resistance to our own blindness, nakedness, and desperate need of God that Jesus is tenderly bringing to our attention so that we can realign ourselves with Him. If we turn to Him, He will give us gold, eye salve, and white garments. Jesus is longing to come in and dine with His church and lead us in the way of humility.

You're listening to the Annual Gathering 2021 Podcast Broadcast, live from the MAPS Global Missions Base in Richmond Virginia. Annual Gathering is a week where our whole MAPS Global family from around the globe gathers to pray, hear from fathers in the family, get vision, and enjoy time together. Stay tuned all week as we broadcast live updates from our sessions.