What if the future of global mission isn’t about going solo, but about radical collaboration? In this special episode of The Missional Leader, Rob unpacks the powerful story and personal conviction centered on “collaborative missiology” – a movement transforming how the Church approaches God’s mission in the 21st century.

Drawing from his experience growing up on the mission field and decades of leadership at OneHope, Rob traces the dramatic journey of missions: from the passionate Moravians and the resistance-defying William Carey to the profound turning points at Edinburgh 1910 and today’s explosive growth of the Church in the Global South. Discover how historic models, once shaped by Western influence, are giving way to global, indigenous leadership and “from everywhere to everywhere” mission.

You’ll hear unforgettable moments, including the convicting words of Samuel Azaria at Edinburgh that still echo today, and Rob’s own watershed realization that the Great Commission is simply too big for any one organization to carry alone. Learn why the Church’s greatest impact comes from cultivating networks of trust, generosity, and shared vision – and how innovations like the Bible App for Kids, massive Bible translation collaborations, and “plural-verse” missiology are reshaping the landscape.

Whether you’re a leader, a pastor, or passionate about cross-cultural mission, this episode will challenge and invite you: Will you pursue God’s mission independently, or choose to step boldly into true partnership with God’s people around the world?

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Rethinking Barriers: The Challenge of Collaboration
01:14 Collaborative Missiology: A New Chapter for Mission
03:02 The Moravians and the Cost of Radical Mission
05:18 The 1910 Edinburgh Conference and a Call for Partnership
07:17 Unity Moves at the Speed of Trust
08:16 From “West to the Rest” to “Everywhere to Everywhere”
09:08 Plural Voices: Mission in a Shared Global Landscape
10:44 Bible Translation: From 300 Years to 30 Through Collaboration
11:16 The Church’s Future: Shared Vision, Not Single Organizations
12:21 MISSIO Africa: Collaborative Education to Stop Brain Drain
15:03 Multiplying Kingdom Impact Through Unity
16:03 The Closing Invitation: Leading Together

Show Note Links: 

• Episode Guide
  — Access a resource designed to help you reflect and learn from this episode conversation! 
• Miscio: Global Christian learning organization referenced as a case study example of collaborative missiology in action; Access full video story.  
• David Bosch, Transforming Mission: Referenced for his framework of mission entering a new era with many voices and expressions
• Bible App for Kids with YouVersion:Referenced as a collaborative program reaching children globally
• Close the Bible Gap:Referenced as a collaborative Bible access initiative serving frontline missionaries and church planters