The Missions Show

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

The Missions Show episodes

March 29Sustaining Grace Through Tragedy: The Bowers Shoot Down, 25 Years Later
In April 2001, tragedy struck deep in the jungles of Peru when a missionary flight carrying the Bowers family was mistakenly shot down during a counternarcotics operation gone wrong. Roni Bowers and her infant daughter, Charity, were killed. Jim Bowers and his young son survived.
Twenty-five years later, Jim joins Alex and Scott to reflect on that day and what Jim has learned about loss, faith, and God’s sustaining grace.
While the incident drew international attention and remains a sobering example of the dangers missionaries face, this episode moves beyond the news cycle. Jim shares what it has looked like to walk the long road of grief, forgiveness, and trust in God’s providence.
Key Topics
Jim Bowers recounts the tragic events of that day
Recognizing God's sovereign plan and sustaining grace since the incident
The risk of glamorizing hardships for attention
How missionaries should count the cost of following their call to missions
In this week's Overtime episode, Alex, Scott, and Jim talk about the confusing and misleading accounts from the CIA about the incident, the need for accountability within the government, and how to view recent political and military events. Get access to that episode by joining our Premium Subscribers at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
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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
March 22Protestant Missions and the Catholic Question
How should we view Roman Catholicism on the mission field?
In this episode of The Missions Show, Alex and Scott tackle the complex and often sensitive question of how Protestant missionaries should engage with Roman Catholics in the context of global missions. They emphasize that missions is not just about generic belief in Jesus, but about faithfully communicating the true gospel with doctrinal clarity.
Alex and Scott explore key theological differences, especially regarding authority and salvation. The episode concludes with practical missiological insights, stressing the need to avoid assuming the gospel in any context and to engage both formal Catholic doctrine and “folk Catholicism” with clarity, compassion, and a commitment to proclaiming the biblical gospel.
Key Topics
The missionary challenge of engaging Roman Catholics and Orthodox believers
Why doctrinal clarity (not just belief in Jesus) matters in missions
Distinguishing individuals from theological systems
The role of church history vs. the authority of Scripture
The role of sacraments, merit, and perseverance in Catholic theology
The importance of not assuming the gospel—even in “Christian” contexts
We recently made some upgrades to our studio and we needed a table that didn't just look good on camera, but could handle the demands of a production studio. That's why we partnered with Oak Park Tables. Oak Park Tables, located right near us in central Pennsylvania, makes hand-crafted legacy furniture that lasts, looks beautiful, and shares our values.
If you need a beautiful signature piece of furniture, we highly recommend checking out Oak Park Tables. Find them at oakparktables.com
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
March 15Reaching Muslim Refugees With the Gospel
In this episode of The Missions Show, Alex and Scott speak with ABWE missionaries “Will and Beth McAuliffe” (pseudonyms) about their long journey toward serving among Arabic-speaking people. After years of preparation and ministry in the Middle East, their plans were unexpectedly disrupted when their daughter was born extremely premature with significant medical complications. The experience forced them to leave the field and wrestle with whether their missionary calling had changed, ultimately leading them to new refugee ministry opportunities in Europe.
Now living in Berlin, Germany, where thousands of Arabic-speaking refugees have settled, Will and Beth are creating unique opportunities for gospel ministry. Despite the challenges of a deeply secular culture and compassion fatigue toward refugees, they are building relationships, showing practical love, and pursuing church planting among Arabic-speaking communities across the city.
Key Topics
Will and Beth's lifelong calling to missions and ministry in the Middle East
Navigating family hardships and their missionary calling after a medical crisis
Reaching Arabic-speaking refugees in Germany
The spiritual challenges of secular Europe and refugee ministry
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
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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].
28 min
March 08Demystifying the Order of Love
How does Scripture order our affections?
In this episode, Alex and Scott unpack the historic Christian concept of the ordo amoris—the “order of loves”—and why it matters for missions today. Drawing from Alex’s new book Ordered to Love, they explore how Scripture and theologians like Augustine and Aquinas teach that our loves must be rightly ordered, beginning with God and flowing outward to family, church, nation, and the nations.
Together they address current cultural tensions—nationalism, global instability, and missionary urgency—and ask how Christians should prioritize their responsibilities in a limited, embodied life. Alex and Scott clarify that grace does not destroy nature but restores it—meaning allegiance to Christ rightly orders, rather than erases, our natural relationships.
Key Topics:
What the ordo amoris is and why it matters to missions
Family, church, nation, and global mission in proper relationship
Missionary guilt vs. faithful obedience
Grace restoring (not erasing) natural relationships
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Supporter ($5/month): weekly bonus shows with more in-depth conversation, behind-the-scenes content, and spiritual insights
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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
March 02Global Persecution, Biblical Judgment, and Discernment on the Mission Field
How do we exercise discernment on the mission field?
In this episode of The Missions Show, Alex and Scott examine common misunderstandings about global persecution and why discernment is essential when evaluating reports of suffering in the church. Drawing from missionary experience, they explain that persecution is not always dramatic or violent, but often appears as marginalization, stigma, or family rejection. They caution against glamorizing persecuted believers or assuming their theology is automatically superior.
The conversation also explores a biblical theology of generalizations and discernment, looking at Titus 1 and Philippians 1 as guides for thinking clearly and loving wisely. Rather than reacting to headlines or stereotypes, believers are called to exercise Spirit-shaped discernment—rejecting error, approving what is excellent, and praying faithfully for the global church amid complex situations.
Key Topics:
Misconceptions about persecution in American evangelicalism
The many forms persecution can take
The danger of romanticizing suffering
Biblical generalizations and cultural discernment (Titus 1)
Discernment as a pathway to mature love (Phil. 1)
Applying discernment to modern persecution claims (e.g., Nigeria)
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
February 23What’s Happening in Iran? Protests, Crisis, and the Church
How do believers respond to the situation in Iran?
In this episode, Scott Dunford talks with “Sam,” an ABWE missionary serving Persian and Iranian communities, about the crisis gripping Iran. Looking at ancient Persia's biblical roots, home of Daniel and Esther, to the 1979 Islamic Revolution that installed a Shiite theocracy, Iran’s story is both historic and volatile. Sam explains the regime’s ideology, the nationwide uprisings across hundreds of cities, and the crushing reality facing ordinary Iranians amid economic collapse and violent repression.
Yet in the shadows of persecution, the gospel is advancing. Iran’s underground house church movement continues to grow despite infiltration, imprisonment, and the killing of pastors and believers. Drawing from firsthand connections inside the country, Sam calls the global church to pray, stand with suffering Christians, and boldly engage Iranian neighbors with truth and hope.
Key Topics
Iran’s biblical and ancient Persian heritage
The 1979 Islamic Revolution and rise of the ayatollahs
Shiite apocalyptic theology and its political implications
Widespread protests and violent government crackdowns
Economic crisis, corruption, and regional proxy conflicts
The growth of Iran’s underground house church movement
Practical encouragement for connecting with Iranian neighbors
*The views expressed in this episode are those solely of the participants and do not necessarily align with the views of ABWE or all of its representatives.
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
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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
February 16How to Develop Godly Grit With Kyle Farran
This week Alex and Scott are joined by ABWE missionary and Western Europe regional director Kyle Farran to explore what true, godly grit looks like in ministry. Rather than defining resilience by personality or overcoming high-pressure moments, they discuss grit as being formed through daily faithfulness, perseverance in the mundane, and steady trust in the Lord.
Farran shares insights from Scripture and decades of missionary experience to show that spiritual grit is earned over time, not summoned on demand. This conversation challenges pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders to embrace hard things with confidence rooted in who God is, not merely in understanding His plans.
Key Topics
The difference between worldly grit and biblical resilience
Why daily faithfulness matters more than dramatic moments
Trusting God’s character in seasons of uncertainty
How adversity forms long-term ministry endurance
Balancing courage, character, and consistency in leadership
Find more from Kyle Farran by visiting kylefarran.com. You can pre-order his new book, "Godly Grit: Unshakable Resilience and Grit for Life and Leadership" on Amazon.
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].
31 min
February 09Thailand: A Strategic Missions Hub With Benjamin Collins
Can reaching Thailand be the key to reaching all of Southeast Asia?
In this episode of The Missions Show, Alex sits down with ABWE missionary Benjamin Collins to discuss gospel work in Thailand, a nation with long-standing missionary access yet less than one percent Christian. Ben shares about his role supporting church planters across the country and explains why Thailand remains a crucial missions field where evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development are all urgently needed.
The conversation highlights the importance of long-term missions, language learning, and cultural understanding, as well as the growing collaboration among Thai churches to reach their nation together. Ben also reflects on ministry among at-risk communities in Bangkok, the hope he sees in emerging Thai leaders, and Thailand’s strategic role as a hub for reaching Southeast Asia with the gospel.
Key Topics
Thailand’s spiritual landscape and the state of the church
Church planting and gospel collaboration across denominations
Ministry among at-risk children and marginalized communities
Contextualizing the gospel in shame- and fear-based cultures
Thailand as a strategic hub for reaching Southeast Asia
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
February 02Why the Puritans Matter to Modern Missions With Stephen Yuille
What can the Puritans teach us about missions?
This week, Alex is joined by Stephen Yuille, director of Puritan Publishing at Reformation Heritage Books, to explore who the Puritans really were and why they still matter for missions today. Yuille challenges common cultural caricatures of Puritanism, explaining that the Puritans were not merely dour moralists but a vibrant movement of pastors and theologians marked by a deep, heartfelt devotion to Christ that went beyond intellectual assent.
The conversation traces how this Christ-centered theology fueled a genuine evangelistic and missionary impulse. Although the Puritans lived before what we now call “modern missions,” they were deeply concerned with the spread of the gospel, both within nominally Christian societies and among unreached peoples as the world began to open through exploration.
Key Topics Covered
Who the Puritans were—and why modern stereotypes about them are misleading
The relationship between Reformation theology and evangelistic zeal
How Puritan theology influenced William Carey and later global missions
The centrality of Christ’s glory as the motivation for missions
Want more content from The Missions Show? Become a premium subscriber and get access to the Overtime segment where Alex and Stephen Yuille discuss what the Puritans can teach us about how to deal with weariness and fear in ministry. Sign up at patreon.com/TheMissionsShow.
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
January 26Reforming Missions: A Conversation With Jerry Slate Jr.
Has global missions strayed from a biblical foundation?
In this episode of The Missions Show, Alex and Scott talk with Pastor Jerry Slate Jr. to discuss the theological foundations and practical realities of faithful missionary work. The conversation centers on the question of what sustains missionaries through hardship, rejection, and long seasons of discouragement.
Jerry, Alex, and Scott emphasize the central role of the local church in sending, vetting, and sustaining missionaries, warning against outsourcing this responsibility entirely to parachurch organizations. The episode highlights the need to tether missiology firmly to historic Christian theology, confessional faith, and biblical ecclesiology.
Check out Jerry Slate Jr.’s new book, Reforming World Missions from Founders Press. Jerry pastors Berean Baptist Church in Powder Springs, Georgia. Find sermon audio here.
Key Topics
Perseverance in missions grounded in the worth and glory of God
The relationship between theology proper and missionary motivation
Critiques of pragmatic and movement-driven missiology
The local church as the primary sending and overseeing body for missions
The importance of biblically qualified leadership and discipleship
Recovering historic, confessional theology in global missions
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

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.