The Missions Show

Christianity isn’t spreading into Africa; it’s already there. But as our guest this week shares, it is afflicted by the problem of syncretism, hyper-charismatic influence, so-called prosperity “gospel” teaching, and weak theology. How can pastors and missionaries confront these threats and help the African church develop theologies that are rich, sound, and historically rooted? Conrad Mbewe answers.

Conrad Mbewe—called the “African Spugeon” by some—has pastored Kabwata Baptist Church, Lusaka, Zambia for nearly three decades. He holds a Ph.D. in Missions from the University of Pretoria, South Africa and is Chancellor of African Christian University, Zambia. He is also a prolific itinerant preacher who has ministered globally with a passion for writing be it his books, blog, articles for sites like The Gospel Coalition, 9Marks, Ligonier, and Desiring God, or as a national weekly columnist. You can follow him on Twitter.

If you missed it during the episode, don’t forget to check out these helpful resources from Pastor Mbewe:

We also referred to our past interview with John Morgan of ABWE on problems of syncretism and animism in West Africa. Listen to that episode here.

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

Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email [email protected].

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Tentmaking. Platform. Business as mission. BAM. All terms that are used sometimes interchangeably throughout the missions community—but what do they mean? Is it really practical to use a for-profit business venture as a ministry platform in another culture, and how can we make sure we’re doing it the right way? How can there be any time to make disciples if a missionary spends 40+ hours working per week in a “secular” arena? Is there a biblical basis for using business as mission? In honor of Labor Day, we pick Scott Dunford’s mind as he shares from his three years’ experience on the field and significant research in the area of work, vocation, and mission.

If you missed any of the resources Scott mentioned, see below:

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In 2016, Todd DeKryger, surgeon and medical missionary to Togo in West Africa, died in Cologne, Germany, where he had been evacuated to receive treatment for illness contracted in Africa. His wife, Jennifer, was by his side—and he left behind four young boys. In the time since, God has used grief, brokenness, and suffering to teach Jennifer the valuable lesson on absolute dependence upon Christ—so much that she is returning again to minister in Togo with her boys, and continuing to trust the Lord more each day. In this powerful story, Jennifer shares her story of loss and growth in Christ.

Learn more about what God is doing through ABWE workers in the Islamic north of Togo on ABWE’s website or the official website of Hospital of Hope. You can also reach Jen at [email protected].

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

Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email [email protected].

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When the gospel enters a new place—like Togo in West Africa—those who hear the message have a tendency to interpret it through their worldview lens. This week, John Morgan shares the sobering results of his studies relating to how professing believers in this African nation are still wrestling with their traditional views of animism, witchcraft, and spiritual activity. You’ll be challenged to think biblically about the topic of angelic and demonic activity, and inspired as you hear about how he and other workers on the ground are helping national pastors receive the theological education needed to reverse these syncretistic trends. This is a don’t-miss episode.

Dr. John Morgan, Ph.D., heads up ABWE’s Strategic Initiatives and Research. After serving as medical missionaries to Togo, he and his wife Michele returned to Ohio as church planters. They now minister at ABWE’s International Headquarters. You can read more about their work here.

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

Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email [email protected].

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There are lots of names of women who could vie for the title of being a “mother” of the modern missions movement—and Lucy Peabody is certainly one such candidate. This pioneer missionary to India endured the loss of her first husband, mobilized marginalized women across the country to give millions of dollars towards missions, befriended President Taft and the Rockefeller family—and, along the way, founded ABWE and become its first president. How did she do it, and what can we learn from her? That’s what we explore with one of our resident historians here on this episode of the show.

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

Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email [email protected].

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We’ve all struggled to share our faith in one-on-one conversations. We also struggle with personal spiritual disciplines intimately connected to our effectiveness in evangelism—i.e., prayer. On this episode, Josh Daggett, lead pastor at Living Waters Fellowship in Des Moines, Iowa, shares his own encouragements, failures, and victories in these critical areas of ministry. We dig into a theology of evangelism, God’s sovereignty, and human responsibility in the process of conversion, then move deep into the practicalities of how we can all improve in our personal discipline. You’ll be deeply encouraged and challenged.

Josh earned his Bachelor’s degree (Pastoral Major, Greek Minor) from Faith Baptist Bible College in 2004 and earned his Master’s degree (Biblical Studies) from Faith Baptist Seminary in 2005. Josh and his wife, Danielle, have been married fourteen years and have four children.  He has been an ABWE Board member since 2012 and has been an ACBC Certified Biblical Counselor since 2017. Follow Josh on Twitter.

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

Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email [email protected].

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In this episode, Scott and Alex discuss the uniquenesses of racial reconciliation and multiethnic church planting in South Africa. With Apartheid a mere 20 years in South Africa’s rearview, ethnic tensions still threaten to divide the church. In this insightful interview, our guest, an 18-year veteran of church planting missions to South Africa, shares simple strategies their team has used in bridging ethnic divides—even when it’s been costly.

Learn more about ABWE’s work in South Africa here.

Don’t forget to share this episode, rate the show, and leave a review in your favorite listening platform.

Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email [email protected].

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Protestants in the West have a rich heritage of systematic theology—but it doesn’t always translate easily into new cultural contexts. Is a return to narrative-focused, biblical theology the answer? Chris Bruno, Assistant Professor of Greek and New Testament at Bethlehem College and Seminary, joins us to answer and weigh in on his own cross-cultural experiences in Hawaii. We also address ways for small, unconnected churches can pool their resources together to deepen their impact at home and abroad.

Chris Bruno is a Christian, husband, father, pastor, and teacher who desires to give his life to helping others see the centrality of Jesus in all the Scriptures for the glory of God. He has served at Northland International University, Cedarville University, and Trinity Christian School in Kailua, HI. Before that, he was pastor of discipleship and training at Harbor Church in Honolulu, HI.

He has written and co-written five books, as well as written articles and reviews for several publications and websites, including The Journal for the Evangelical Theological Society, Tyndale Bulletin, Westminster Theological Journal, Vetus Testamentum, Themelios, The Bulletin for Ecclesial Theology, Reformation 21, and The Gospel Coalition and has presented papers at the Tyndale Fellowship Triennial Meeting, the ETS Annual meeting, the SBL Annual meeting, and the CPT Fellowship. He is a member of ETS, SBL, IBR, and CPT. Chris and his wife Katie have been married since 2001 and have four sons who love to be outdoors playing ball or pretending to be super heroes, all while wrestling their dad.

You can follow Chris on Twitter at @chrisbruno1.

Here’s a recap of the resources we recommended in this episode:

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

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On this episode, ABWE President Paul Davis joins us to share why it’s crucial that missionaries be theologians. We dive into why a “big God” theology that acknowledges the absolute supremacy of Christ is the only theology weighty enough to compel an unbeliever to convert and commit “treason” against their old gods. It’s also the only theology big enough to compel a believer to go as a missionary.

Prior to his appointment as ABWE President in 2017, Pastor Paul Davis sat on the ABWE Board and served as senior pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Holland, MI.

Paul is known as a strong communicator and an innovative spiritual overseer with experience in executing large projects, team building, fundraising, leadership development, discipleship and ministry growth.

He attended Liberty University and Dallas Theological Seminary and holds a Master’s Degree from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary.

Paul and his wife, Martha, have been married for 28 years, and have both served in numerous roles in Christian ministry and education. They have four young-adult children. You can follow Paul on Twitter via @pdavis_davis.

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

Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email [email protected].

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The President of China was just appointed to lifelong office. Church buildings are being demolished. Cults are on the rise due to a lack of trained church leaders. What is God up to in China? Steve Schirmer, president and founder of Silk Road Catalyst, joins us to answer.

Steve is a missionary who has poured out his life out for the least-evangelized since 2000, and Silk Road Catalyst exists to multiply churches and disciples among gospel-deprived peoples in and from the Silk Road region. Steve was saved in 1995 and ministered for 17 years among the Han people, and continues to focus on the least-reached people of East Asia. He’s also the co-founder and co-host of Missions Talk. Follow Steve on Twitter at @SteveSilkRoad.

Want to ask a question for a future episode? Email [email protected].

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