The Missions Show

Christians live in an age of iconoclasm. How can we do church history and modern missions history responsibly—without falling into the opposite errors of hero-worship or “cancel culture”? Jonathan Arnold, Associate Professor of Church History and Historical Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, weighs in from his perspective as a church historian.

For three years, Jonathan served as senior pastor of a Bible Church in Michigan. Prior to that he and his wife led several student-focused ministries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Arnold transitioned to the academy full-time at Northland International University in Dunbar, Wisconsin where he served as vice president of student services and professor of theological studies. In 2015, Arnold moved to Boyce College, where he served as the founding director of the Augustine Honors Collegium, assistant professor of Christian theology and church history, and as founding editor of The Augustine Collegiate Review. He has written The Reformed Theology of Benjamin Keach (CBHH, 2013; reprint, 2019) along with numerous articles, book chapters, and book reviews for various publications. He has been a fellow of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies (SBTS), a visiting fellow of the Centre for Baptist History and Heritage (Oxford), and is active in several scholarly societies. He and his wife, Lindsay, have four children: Nathaniel, Benjamin, Lukas, and Sadie.

Referenced in this episode:

• Why the Naga Headhunters Converted to Christianity | National Geographic
• Did the Reformers Believe in the Great Commission? | Interview with Jonathan Arnold (Pt. 1)
• Why Should Missionaries Care About the Reformation? | Interview with Jonathan Arnold (Pt. 2)

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Show is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

On August 4, 2020, the world’s eyes were glued on Beirut, Lebanon as two fatal explosions in a major urban center caused at least 171 deaths, 6,000 injuries, rocked social media, and left an estimated 300,000 people homeless. Pierre Rashad Houssney is Middle East and North Africa Regional Director for Horizons International, based in Beirut, and is a Lebanese-American who grew up in the context of cross-cultural ministry among Muslims and international students. This week, we ask Pierre the question many missions-minded believers are asking: what happened in Beirut, and what does it mean for the cause of the gospel?

Pierre has been in full-time ministry with Horizons International since 2006, and has been an active member of Horizons’ teaching staff and curriculum development team since 2002. Pierre lives in Beirut, Lebanon, with his wife Gigi and their two children. He leads a team of nationals and missionaries who run a center for evangelism and discipleship among Muslims. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Northern Colorado and is fluent in English and Arabic.

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

“Stay safe, stay home” may be a reasonable mantra during a pandemic, but that thinking long-term suffocates the missionary spirit. Most of us are already technology-addicted, and now streaming video services like Netflix are arguably making it harder to be faithful as a missionary. This week, Tony Reinke of Desiring God explains why the missionary endeavor depends on modern, media-saturated Christians choosing to forsake their fixation on worldly spectacles and get lost in a greater glory.

Tony Reinke is senior writer for Desiring God and author of Competing Spectacles (2019), 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You (2017), John Newton on the Christian Life (2015), and Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books (2011). He hosts the Ask Pastor John podcast and lives in the Phoenix with his wife and three children.

Free John Piper Book Download: Desiring God is giving away John Piper’s latest book, Coronavirus and Christ, absolutely free. Subscribe to ABWE’s blog and podcast and you’ll get a link to download the ebook or audiobook in a variety of formats. Special thanks to Desiring God for their generosity.

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

When most people think of Norway, they think of gorgeous fjords, bitter cold, and secularism—not a revival of interest in apologetics or biblical doctrine. Is this Scandinavian nation simply circling the drain of postmodernism, or is God doing something new? We ask that question to Nahum O’Brien, ABWE missionary to Norway, along with his national partner and local church elder Edvard Moe.

Nahum and Arin O’Brien plan to partner with national pastors Asbjørn Berland and Martin Hjellvik of Kilden Menighet, to cultivate a church planting movement in Norway beginning in Stavanger. Their ministry plan is to focus on evangelism, discipleship, and theological education. Support Nahum’s ministry.

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

Everyone is discussing the importance of evidence, empirical data, and peer review. What role—if any—should these scientific standards play in missiology? Dr. John Morgan, resident missiologist for ABWE, discusses his latest article exploring the application of evidence-based practice (EBP) in cross-cultural missions strategy.

After serving as missionaries to Togo, John and his wife Michele returned to Ohio as church planters. They now minister at ABWE’s International Headquarters. Support their ministry.

Free John Piper Book Download: Desiring God is giving away John Piper’s latest book, Coronavirus and Christ, absolutely free. Subscribe to ABWE’s blog and podcast and you’ll get a link to download the ebook or audiobook in a variety of formats. Special thanks to Desiring God for their generosity.

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

The Pacific Islands are staggeringly diverse—ethnically and religiously. Pastors and churches are starved for theologically rich, gospel-driven teaching and training. What strategy can solve this problem? In this episode, Chris Bruno provides answers and shares an important update about his ministry with Training Leaders International.

Free John Piper Book Download: Desiring God is giving away John Piper’s latest book, Coronavirus and Christ, absolutely free. Subscribe to ABWE’s blog and podcast and you’ll get a link to download the ebook or audiobook in a variety of formats. Special thanks to Desiring God for their generosity.

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

The world seems more chaotic than ever. The church feels increasingly paralyzed with fear. What power is available to us to engage the immense task of the Great Commission? The power of God for our mission is found in the foolishness of God in the cross, the foolishness of his servants in the church, and the foolishness of the message we preach. Hear Alex Kocman preach at Mount Calvary Church on 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 to address this topic.

Free John Piper Book Download: Desiring God is giving away John Piper’s latest book, Coronavirus and Christ, absolutely free. Subscribe to ABWE’s blog and podcast and you’ll get a link to download the ebook or audiobook in a variety of formats. Special thanks to Desiring God for their generosity.

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

Click here to watch the video version of this episode.

In this episode, ABWE President Paul Davis sits down (virtually) with Alex Kocman and Scott Dunford for a GARBC 2020 conference breakout session on global missions and how churches can become next-level senders.

To learn more about the Live Global adopt-an-unreached-people-group initiative, visit liveglobal.org/unreached. And while you are considering your next steps with missions, make plans to join us at our next 24-Hour DEMO event.

Free John Piper Book Download: Desiring God is giving away John Piper’s latest book, Coronavirus and Christ, absolutely free. Subscribe to ABWE’s blog and podcast and you’ll get a link to download the ebook or audiobook in a variety of formats. Special thanks to Desiring God for their generosity.

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

Ministry is hard. For many, the temptation to throw in the towel is an ever-present reality. How can pastors, missionaries, and other Christian workers develop a sustained pattern of daily endurance? Doug Gehman, president of Globe International and author of Before You Quit: Everyday Endurance, Moral Courage, and the Quest for Purpose (Moody, 2020), draws on his cross-cultural experiences how to develop perseverance in ministry.

Doug Gehman attended Goshen College and Fuller Theological Seminary and completed graduate and doctoral degrees in missions at Liberty Christian University in Pensacola, FL. Since 1994, Doug has served with Globe International, a mission-sending agency based in Pensacola, FL. Doug and his wife Beth have ministered in nearly sixty nations.

Free John Piper Book Download: Desiring God is giving away John Piper’s latest book, Coronavirus and Christ, absolutely free. Subscribe to ABWE’s blog and podcast and you’ll get a link to download the ebook or audiobook in a variety of formats. Special thanks to Desiring God for their generosity.

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

While our eyes were glued to Western news, Cyclone Ampham struck India and Bangladesh with deadly results. When tragedy strikes in affluent North America, we can recover much more quickly—but what happens to ministries in the developing world when natural disaster strikes? This week, Live Global partner Smita Singh returns to the show to discuss the physical and spiritual climate of Kolkata and the surrounding least-reached region.

Smita is Director of Justice Initiatives for JKPS, which launched Mahima Homes to help trafficked girls and boys receive counseling, education and vocational training. You can support the ministries of Smita and other JKPS partners through ABWE’s Live Global ministry.

Listen to our previous conversation with Smita.

Free John Piper Book Download: Desiring God is giving away John Piper’s latest book, Coronavirus and Christ, absolutely free. Subscribe to ABWE’s blog and podcast and you’ll get a link to download the ebook or audiobook in a variety of formats. Special thanks to Desiring God for their generosity.

Discount From Kregel Academic: If you enjoyed our interview with Matt Bennett on his newest book 40 Questions About Islam, you can purchase it here from Christianbook.com and receive 40% off using the exclusive discount code “ABWE.” Check it out!

Remember to share, rate, leave a review, and subscribe. Together we can bridge the gap between the worlds of theology and missions.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us.

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE International and the Global Gospel Fund. This episode is also sponsored by Radius International and Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.