RAW Mission

In this episode Matt talks to Ben, who is currently studying at London School of Theology.

He spent his childhood years in Mauritania, Mali and Sudan, before moving up to the North of England.

And a few years ago, aged only 19, he spent 9 months on the Greek Island of Lesbos, working in the infamous Moria Refugee Camp with a group called Eurorelief.

Moria was the largest refugee camp in Europe until it was burned down in September 2020. It was called the worst refugee camp on earth by one MSF worker when interviewed on BBC, and others referred to it as an open-air prison and even a concentration camp. 

Ben shares about the challenges of being a volunteer there, of facing intimidation and outbreaks of violence. But he also shares how following Jesus often means going to tough places, enduring hardship and how the Scriptures give us very clear direction about how we should care for refugees.

Learn more about the work of Eurorelief here.
Visit here for more about London School of Theology.
To get your church involved with refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, check out Welcome Churches.

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Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
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In this episode you’ll hear the amazing story of how Noor, who grew up in a Palestinian Muslim family, came to faith in Jesus through a dream, online chat rooms and a bible that someone gave her.

At one point, she had to flee the Middle East and seek asylum in the UK, which was a very traumatic series of experiences. 

Now she serves as an evangelist in London, but her dream is to go back to the Middle East to be Christ’s ambassador there and to make disciples.

We discuss the asylum seeking process, London, the challenge of finding authentic community in church and much more!

Send us a message!

Support the show

_________________________________________________________________________________

Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
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Matt talks with the author and blogger, Mark Meynell, who currently serves as the Director of Langham Preaching  (Europe & Caribbean).

Mark was previously on the senior leadership team at All Souls, Langham Place, has served in theological education in Uganda and, until recently, was Chaplain to several government departments/offices.

In this episode Mark shares very frankly about the PTSD and depression he has suffered, particularly following some harrowing experiences in Uganda. We discuss the challenges of mental health, especially for a follower of Jesus, as well as the roles that Scripture, friends, psychiatrists and medicine can play in tackling those challenges.

We also discuss the Prosperity Gospel, widows and orphans, the role of rage and lament, and whether we can trust leaders who walk without a limp!

Do check out Mark's books, particularly in relation to this episode:
"When Darkness Seems My Closest Friend: Reflections on Life and Ministry with Depression." (IVP)

Mark's blog (called Quaerentia) can also be found here.

Send us a message!

Support the show

_________________________________________________________________________________

Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
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The growth of the church in Asia over the last 100 years (as well as in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa) is something to rejoice in. The Philippines is one such country, where remarkable transformation is happening, with the result that many Filipinos are now responding to Jesus’ call to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

In this episode we meet Barnabas, a Filipino who has served in multiple countries in South-East Asia in various roles: going, praying, sending, mobilising, overseeing etc.

Did you know that 10% of all Filipinos work outside of their homeland, many of them in the Middle East – in countries very resistant to the gospel? We can learn a lot from our brothers and sisters in the Filipino church and we can be praying for God to continue to use them in mighty ways!

Send us a message!

Support the show

_________________________________________________________________________________

Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
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This week we meet 'Keziah', a Californian girl who moved to Jordan to live among poor, illiterate, nomadic Bedouins for 8 years before relocating to the Arabian Peninsular, where God called her and her husband to reach out to highly educated, wealthy elites.

These two different locations meant exchanging a world of sheep, goats and camels for skyscrapers, SUVs and designer clothes. But the task remained the same, to invite Muslims, with love and respect, to follow Jesus the Messiah.

It was a part of the world that she was initially frightened of, based upon the media and films she had been exposed to growing up in the USA. But her love for Arabs and that part of the world grew and grew, as she submitted to God's call on her life and experienced the Middle East for herself.

You'll hear about dreams, wearing the veil, friends who were murdered, an emerging fellowship of believers, a unwelcomed interference by other gospel workers that hindered the growth of the church and much more.

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Book & Film recommendation, addressing the big question: "Is He worth it?"
The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken
The Insanity of God Movie

Send us a message!

Support the show

_________________________________________________________________________________

Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
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In one of the most strict Islamic societies on earth, where the Ayatollah-led government enforces Sharia law and morality through the infamous Islamic Revolutionary Guard, an unprecedented movement to Christ among ordinary Iranian Muslims has been happening for the last 40 years.

In this episode Matt interviews an Iranian lady called Mariam.

She tells how, through dreams, through the Word of God, through satellite TV and through the people of God, she and several members of her family came to faith in Jesus.

She shares about the remarkable growth of the church in Iran despite the persecution, the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Iran’s 88 million people and some stories of the years she spent in Turkey sharing the good news with Muslims there.

For more about the persecuted and growing church in Iran, do check out these two films, called Sheep Among Wolves. There are some amazing testimonies of Iranian believers in these films, but some harrowing accounts too of the suffering they have had to endure. https://www.faistudios.org/sheep

Send us a message!

Support the show

_________________________________________________________________________________

Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
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In this episode we hear from a lady who has been working with Syrian widows for many years in the Levant. These are widows who ­fled the war in Syria, having witnessed the brutality of ISIS first hand.

You’ll hear stories of deep friendship, of community transformation and, most importantly, of ladies finding the love and hope that Jesus offers.

Other topics covered include primary and secondary trauma, burnout, the dark night of the soul, and the devastating martyrdom of a new believer.

For a Christian podcast about soul-care and spiritual thriving, check out Restoring the Soul with Michael John Cusick or visit  www.restoringthesoul.com  to learn more about their counselling programmes.

Send us a message!

Support the show

_________________________________________________________________________________

Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
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A team of guys headed into the Middle East to watch some football, but also (and far more importantly) to share the gospel with fans from the many Muslim nations represented in the tournament, most of whom will never have met a follower of Jesus.

Ben, Mike and Matt reflect on the adventures they had, the unique opportunities that this World Cup presented, Arab hospitality, the very real challenges and opposition that they faced and many wonderful gospel conversations.

Qatar is a country where evangelism is forbidden. So how did the guys get on?

Do check out the excellent animated video series www.journeytotruth.tv - it's an 8 part story about 4 Muslim guys exploring faith and is packed with humour, apologetics and biblical content and will inspire you to pray for Muslims in your neighbourhood and around the world. It's already in 12 different languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Urdu and Bengali.

To go directly to a British English version, visit www.doorof.life

Ben mentions his previous work with Open Doors. Check them out here.

Send us a message!

Support the show

_________________________________________________________________________________

Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
_________________________________________________________________________________ 

After growing up and studying in France and in the UK, Jonathan worked for Tearfund for a while before sensing the call of God to move to South Lebanon, to serve the Palestinian refugees community and to share Jesus.

He tells the story of how he narrowly escaped the bombing of Beirut airport during one of the conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel, as well as how a mysterious man gave him intel to help his friends on the ground get out.

He also talks about a wonderful emerging movement to Christ amongst the Palestinian Sunnis there, which even includes some Hamas leaders. The number of believers is now in the hundreds and several 'generations' deep.

All this did take its toll on Jonathan and his marriage - and he reflects on some of the mistakes he made.

He and Matt also touch on the controversial topic of Insider Movements. This is much misunderstood and maligned in some Christian circles - and often wrongly conflated with 'Chrislam', which is a syncretistic blending of Christianity and Islam. If you would like to read some helpful scholarly articles explaining some of the complexities of Insider Movement theology, please do email.

Send us a message!

Support the show

_________________________________________________________________________________

Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
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When 10 Muslim boys decided to steal some papaya from a Korean missionary in Northern Ghana, a chain of events started that led Rahman and many others to become followers of Jesus.

In this episode Matt meets Rahman and hears his story of coming to Christ and the impact that it had on his family.

This is why Jesus sends us out, even commands us to go. (Matt. 28:18-20)

Topics in this episode include: the fear of hell, TaeKwonDo, polygamy in the church, contextualisation and syncretism.

Rahman is also an Assistant Professor of Intercultural Studies at Tyndale Theological Seminary.

To check out more of his writings, visit:
https://tyndale-europe.edu/academics/resident-faculty/rahman-yakubu-mth/ 

Send us a message!

Support the show

_________________________________________________________________________________

Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests.
[email protected]

You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk
Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org
(then select from one of our national offices).

For social media in the UK:
Instagram: frontiers_uk

And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes:
www.momentumyes.com (USA)
www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK)
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