The Missions Show

By Alex Kocman and Scott DunfordSociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Education Philosophy

The Missions Show episodes

October 25Bold Evangelism and Pleading With Unbelievers With Ryan Denton
What does it mean to boldly proclaim the gospel in a culture that often rejects biblical truth?
In this episode of The Missions Show, hosts Alex and Scott talk with evangelist, church planter, and author Ryan Denton about recovering the art of pleading with unbelievers to repent and trust in Christ. Drawing from his experience in prison ministry, open-air preaching, and church planting, Ryan shares why direct gospel proclamation remains essential and how he has seen a growing openness to bold evangelism, especially among younger generations.
Ryan also discusses his new book, Turn, Dear Reader: The Call of Christ to a Dying World, and the importance of addressing difficult questions without losing sight of the gospel. From doubts about Scripture to cultural debates over sexuality and politics, he explains how Christians can engage thoughtfully with unbelievers while keeping the conversation focused on sin, salvation, and the hope found in Jesus Christ. This conversation challenges believers, pastors, and missionaries to proclaim the gospel with courage, compassion, and confidence in God's power to save.
Key Topics
Recovering bold, biblical evangelism and the art of pleading with unbelievers
Lessons from open-air preaching, prison ministry, and church planting
Growing cultural openness to gospel proclamation, especially among young adults
Addressing objections to Christianity while keeping the gospel central
Balancing cultural understanding with a clear call to repentance and faith
Sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
36 min
October 18What to Expect as a Prefield Missionary With Ken Lorow
What does it take to go from feeling called to missions to actually reaching the field? And how can you trust God through the challenges of raising support?
In this episode of The Missions Show, hosts Alex Kocman and Scott Dunford welcome Ken Lorow, Director of PreField Ministry at ABWE, who helps prepare and coach new missionaries. Together, they discuss the steps toward missionary service, the biblical foundation for raising support, and why having someone walk alongside you can make all the difference.
Through personal stories of God's faithfulness, including a young boy's gift of two pennies, Ken shares how God uses the support-raising journey to build faith, deepen relationships, and prepare missionaries for long-term ministry. They also offer practical advice for inviting others to partner in missions and explain why prefield ministry is about much more than raising funds.
Whether you're exploring a call to missions or preparing to go, this conversation will encourage you to take the next step in faith.
Key Topics
How ABWE coaches prepare and support missionaries before and after reaching the field
Why raising financial support is biblical and an invitation to partner in God's work
Stories of God's provision during seasons of uncertainty
Practical tips for building relationships and inviting ministry partners
How prefield ministry builds faith, confidence, and spiritual maturity
The value of prayer, church partnerships, and depending on the body of Christ
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
29 min
October 11How to Teach Theology Through Bible Stories
How should missionaries teach deep biblical truth in cultures where storytelling, rather than reading, is the main way people learn?
In this week's episode, Alex and Scott explore “character theology”—using the people, events, and overarching story of Scripture to help believers understand who God is and what he has done. They discuss why missionaries should resist choosing between biblical stories and systematic theology. Instead, the stories of Scripture can give life and context to doctrines that might otherwise seem abstract.
Alex and Scott also consider what this means for pastors, teachers, and everyday Christians. From God’s holiness to Christ’s finished work, the Bible teaches theology through a sweeping story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. By becoming better biblical storytellers, Christians can help people better understand sound doctrine, see how all of Scripture points to Christ, and grasp the good news in a way that engages both the mind and the heart.
Key Topics:
Teaching theology in oral and preliterate cultures
Balancing Bible storytelling with systematic theology
How Scripture’s stories reveal the character of God
Using chronological Bible storytelling in missions
Connecting the Bible’s overarching story to Christ
Applying biblical storytelling in preaching, discipleship, and evangelism
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
29 min
October 04What Is God’s Mission? With Justin Schell
What is God’s mission—and how does the church fit into it?
Christians often talk about being “on mission,” but before asking what we should do, we need to understand what God is doing. In this episode, Alex and Scott talk with Justin Schell, author of The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church, about the biblical story of God revealing himself and drawing people into communion with him. From Genesis to the Great Commission, they trace how God’s desire to dwell with his people shapes our understanding of both the church and missions.
The conversation also explores the church’s role as God’s witness in the world. Good works can display something true about God, but people need the proclaimed gospel to know the saving work of Jesus Christ. Rather than viewing the church simply as a tool for accomplishing mission, Schell explains how God’s mission leads to a people who know him, worship him, and invite others to share in that joy.
Key Topics:
What we mean by “the mission of God”
God’s desire for communion with his people
Why the church is more than a means to accomplish mission
The church’s calling to bear witness to Christ
The relationship between good works and gospel proclamation
How the Great Commission fits into the whole story of Scripture
Explore your calling to global missions at ABWE's 24-Hour DEMO event. These events, held throughout the year, help individuals and churches explore how they can help fulfill the Great Commission and explore God's calling on their life and church. Learn more at https://demo.abwe.org.
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
29 min
September 27Defining the Missionary Task: Entrust (Part 4)
In the final installment of the Defining the Missionary Task series, Alex and Scott explore what it means to entrust the mission to others. The missionary task doesn’t end when people are evangelized, churches are established, and leaders are equipped. Healthy churches should grow into sending churches—taking responsibility for making disciples, planting churches, and carrying the gospel to other peoples and places.
But multiplication rarely happens overnight. Alex and Scott discuss why lasting missions movements are built through patient, faithful work rooted in Scripture rather than shortcuts or strategies designed to produce quick results. Missionaries must lay strong foundations while trusting God for the fruit, helping churches mature enough to carry the mission forward. The result is a growing, global partnership in which churches that once received missionaries become churches that send them.
Key Topics
Entrusting the Great Commission to local churches and leaders
Why healthy churches should become sending churches
Pursuing multiplication through patient, faithful ministry
Building strong biblical foundations for future generations
Balancing the needs of mature churches with reaching the unreached
Measuring faithfulness without relying only on numbers or quick results
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
32 min
September 20Defining the Missionary Task: Equip (Part 3)
Are missionaries doing their job if they never work themselves out of one?
In part three of the Defining the Missionary Task series, Alex and Scott turn to a vital part of church planting: equipping local leaders. Healthy churches need qualified men who can shepherd, teach, and lead God’s people. Drawing from Jesus’ example with the disciples and Paul’s investment in leaders like Timothy and Titus, they discuss why missionaries must do more than carry out ministry themselves. They must prepare others to carry it forward.
Alex and Scott explore how missionaries can identify, train, and gradually entrust responsibility to local leaders without abandoning them or holding on to control. They discuss the importance of biblical and theological training, character, mentorship, teamwork, and giving developing leaders room to grow and make mistakes. Ultimately, equipping leaders is about preparing faithful believers who can shepherd healthy churches, raise up more leaders, and help the gospel continue to spread.
Key Topics
Why healthy churches need equipped local leaders
Analysis of Jesus’ and Paul’s models for developing leaders
Knowing when to release responsibility to local leaders
Training leaders without paternalism or condescension
Prioritizing biblical knowledge, character, and hands-on mentorship
Preparing leaders to equip the next generation
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
30 min
September 13Defining the Missionary Task: Establish (Part 2)
Why must missionaries seek to establish churches?
In part two of a four-part series on the missionary task, Alex and Scott move from evangelism to the next step: establishing healthy local churches. They explore why the church is not a Western institution or an optional addition to missions, but central to God’s plan for his people. Those who trust in Christ are saved into a community where believers gather to hear God’s word, observe baptism and the Lord’s Supper, care for one another, and grow together in faith.
Alex and Scott also discuss what a biblical church can look like across cultures and why missionaries should focus on more than seeing individuals come to faith. Without healthy churches, new believers can lack the teaching, leadership, fellowship, and accountability they need to mature and reach others with the gospel. And while not every missionary will serve as a church planter or pastor, every missionary can use his or her gifts to help establish and strengthen local churches that worship God and make disciples.
Key Topics
Why establishing churches is central to the missionary task
What Scripture teaches about the nature and purpose of the church
The biblical marks of a healthy local church
Adapting church forms across cultures without losing biblical foundations
The dangers of making disciples without establishing healthy churches
How every missionary can play a role in church planting and growth
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
29 min
September 06Defining the Missionary Task: Evangelism (Part 1)
What is at the heart of the missionary task?
In the first episode of a four-part series, Alex and Scott explore why essential to the missionary calling is that they must clearly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and call people to repent and believe. While mercy ministries, relationships, and other forms of service have an important place in missions, they cannot replace sharing the gospel in words.
Alex and Scott also discuss what faithful evangelism looks like across cultures. Missionaries must learn the language, understand how people view God and sin, ask good questions, and patiently help people understand the story of Scripture. Yet cultural sensitivity should never become an excuse for silence. Whether the fruit comes quickly or takes years, missionaries are called to faithfully make Christ known and trust God with the results.
Key Topics
Why evangelism is essential to the missionary task
Proclaiming the gospel through both words and actions
Calling people to repent and believe in Jesus Christ
Overcoming fear, rejection, and distractions in evangelism
Sharing the gospel clearly across languages and cultures
Using the story of Scripture to build a foundation for understanding the gospel
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
32 min
August 30Zeal Isn’t Enough for Missions With Brooks Buser and Pat Daly
What does it take to send missionaries who are prepared not only to go, but to stay and faithfully serve for the long haul? Alex and Scott talk with Brooks Buser, president of Radius International, and Pat Daly of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary about the church’s role in sending well-equipped missionaries. They also discuss the upcoming Missionary Conference and its focus on helping churches recover a biblical vision for taking the gospel to people who have little or no access to it.
Brooks and Pat make the case that zeal for missions must be matched by deep biblical knowledge and practical preparation. They explore why language is an important way to identify where gospel access is still lacking, how churches and training organizations can work together, and what can happen when workers enter cross-cultural ministry without adequate preparation.
Key Topics:
Why the local church must take the lead in sending missionaries
Reaching unreached language groups with the gospel
The need for both theological and practical missionary training
Moving young missionaries from zeal to lasting biblical conviction
The dangers of syncretism when cross-cultural ministry moves too quickly
How churches, seminaries, and missions organizations can work together to prepare workers
Explore your calling to global missions at ABWE's 24-Hour DEMO event. These events, held throughout the year, help individuals and churches explore how they can help fulfill the Great Commission and explore God's calling on their life and church. Learn more at demo.abwe.org.
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
29 min
August 23Should Christians be Losers? Feat. D. Michael Clary
Should Christians want to be losers?
In this episode of The Missions Show, hosts Alex Kocman and Scott Dunford talk with pastor and author D. Michael Clary about the ideas behind his book, Loser Theology. Clary challenges the belief that Christians are somehow more faithful when they are suffering, struggling, or losing. Scripture teaches believers how to endure hardship faithfully, but that does not mean suffering should become the goal. For missionaries and ministry leaders, this distinction matters: faithfulness may require sacrifice, but Christians should not seek hardship simply to prove their devotion to Christ.
The conversation also explores a healthier view of success in missions. Faithful ministry often means years of patient work with little visible fruit, and results ultimately belong to God. Yet that truth should not lead Christians to passivity. God calls his people to take initiative, use the gifts and opportunities he has given them, proclaim the gospel, love their neighbors, and pursue the Great Commission with courage.
Key Topics:
Why suffering should not become a measure of Christian faithfulness
The danger of romanticizing martyrdom and difficult ministry
How missionaries can remain faithful when they see little visible fruit
Balancing God’s sovereignty with human initiative and responsibility
Why ordinary, faithful Christian service has eternal value
Taking risks for the Great Commission while trusting God with the results
Want more of The Missions Show? Our premium content now lives on Patreon.
Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
Insider ($10/month): the weekly bonus shows, plus a private Signal group with the hosts, quarterly live chats with Scott and Alex, and a thank-you gift for first-time subscribers
Join at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
The Missions Show is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.
Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email [email protected].
29 min

About The Missions Show

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The Missions Show answers hard questions about theology, missions, and practice to help goers think and thinkers go. We are conservative, evangelical, and gospel-centered.