Today on the Pod, we challenge the obsession with outward ministry metrics and argue that lasting fruit in missions depends on the inner life with God. We talk through discipleship in community, hard heart issues, and the spiritual disciplines that keep workers joyful, rested, and faithful.

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• defining discipleship as the Holy Spirit revealing identity in Christ
• building community early by involving seekers with family and other believers
• shaping a simple house group rhythm of singing, Scripture, prayer, and sharing
• reading the Bible with purpose through Ephesians, Acts, and the whole redemption story
• addressing heart issues like addiction, pornography, fear, marriage, and parenting from the start
• practicing hospitality that models love, service, and a different kind of family life
• reclaiming Sabbath as wise rhythm rather than legalism
• naming screens, scrolling, and news as counterfeit rest for many of us
• describing fasting as embodied hunger for God’s will, often paired with solitude
• redefining solitude as being alone with God in private prayer
• rejecting “just do more” prayer and pointing to Christ praying in us
• making the case for scripture memorization for temptation, teaching, and witness
• reframing self-denial as total surrender to a good Father
It’s okay to be normal.

Today on the Pod, I talk to a woman who has raised her kids in war zones, discipled illiterate church leaders, and has shown the incredible power of having enduring hope on the field.

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Timeline

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:00 First Impressions and real Arab Women
• 02:52 The Joy and Stress of Lawlessness
• 04:53 Language, Culture, And Earned Respect
• 06:16 Marriage Kids And Social Authority
• 08:32 Polygamy and the Real Struggles of Women
• 11:27 Women’s Power Inside Family Systems
• 14:34 Discipleship That Changes Social Patterns
• 16:56 Teaching Forgiveness In A No Forgiveness Culture
• 19:27 Figuring out Education on the Field
• 27:44 Raising Third Culture Kids
• 32:35 Deciding Whether To Stay During War
• 39:48 Crisis Creates Hunger And Open Doors
• 42:15 Why Women Respond Powerfully To Jesus
• 47:59 Discipling Illiterate Women
• 52:28 Barriers In Discipling Women Long Term
• 56:45 The Power of Endurance

On today's episode, we look at the effects of staying close to the Father, what real success on the field is, how to bolster both your effort for God and your rest in God, the power of weakness, what makes a good leader, and how understanding where we came from will help us deal with the challenges we face now.

For more information, go to PMPod.org

Timeline

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:00 At 16 years old asking God where to serve
• 06:12 Resting in God, and working hard are not opposites
• 9:44 Feeling weak and useless is the path to trusting God
• 14:00 How missions has changed since the 1990s
• 21:28 What makes a trustworthy leader?
• 30:34 How to avoid cynicism
• 34:53 The History of Missions and Innovation Cycles
• 41:50 Understanding where we came from helps us address the the challenges we face now

The heart of DMM is the empowerment of ordinary people

Look, I know you've heard a million talks about DMM, but I think this is going to be the best conversation you've ever heard on the topic. And if DMM is not your thing, don't worry, we talk about a whole lot more than just DMM.

We also have an incredible conversation about misplaced hope in missions and how that can lead to cynicism or burnout. My guest also talks about the importance of contemplative spirituality, especially if you want resilience on the field longterm.

Checkout more at PMPod.org

Timeline

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:00 Impassioned by the Kingdom of God
• 03:26 The reality of disappointment
• 08:54 The invitation to go deeper with God
• 15:22 Falling in love with missions
• 20:50 How DBS/DMM became so popular
• 26:55 What is a DMM?
• 31:00 Empowering ordinary people
• 37:21 Misconceptions of DMM

Caring for the least reached places of a missionary's heart.

On today's Pod, we take a look at Compassion Fatigue from a new angle. What if compassion was not a limited resource? What if compassion was something that didn't need to ever run out? That's what my guest addresses in today's fascinating episode.

For more information, go to PMPod.org

Timeline

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:00 Being Compelled to Reach the Unreached
• 06:03 Changing Gears from Evangelism to Carrying for Missionaries
• 08:56 The Difference Between Burnout and Compassion Fatigue
• 12:08 The Famous Compassion Fatigue
• 17:50 My Experience with Compassion Fatigue
• 24:25 Does Compassion Really Run out?
• 35:08 Growing your Compassion Muscles

••39:50 Learning to Have Compassion on Others and Yourself

In this episode, we cover three main themes: 1) the importance of collaboration in the field, 2) the importance of healthy marriages and families, and 3) overcoming the siren call of technology in your life.

Find our more at PMPod.org

Timeline

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:00 Being discipled by George Verwer
• 08:00 The power of collaboration
• 15:42 The results of collaboration
• 21:26 A passion for healthy families
• 25:57 Good family habits
• 32:08 Building character in the home
• 41:40 Technology's eroding effects on our soul

God meets you at your greatest point of need, at your lowest in life.

Find out more at PMPod.org

Timeline

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:00 Settling into Missions
• 03:34 The Need for Biblical Counseling
• 08:47 My Story of Compassion Fatigue
• 12:15 What is Compassion Fatigue?
• 15:49 What Happens When You Flip the Great Commandments?
• 18:50 How do I know If I’m Loving my Neighbor before God?
• 24:45 Being Exhausted from Helping People
• 30:10 How Elijah can Teach Us About Compassion Fatigue
• 41:04 Saints, Sinners, and Suffering

The point of people care is to reflect the shepherd heart of God and help our people thrive personally and in their ministry.

Today on the Pod, we talk about all things People Care; burnout, depression, addiction, limits, rest, and internet use. You are going to hear the word “community” and how important it is a lot in this pod. You are really going to like today’s conversation.

"It takes a long time for people actually to get to the field. There is a lot of preparation that goes into that – finances, prayer, hopes, dreams, vision – and then it makes no sense to send people off and to send people to difficult places and then to leave them on their own."

Read more at pmpod.org

Timeline

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:00 My first experience with people care
• 02:34 What is People Care
• 05:25 Is People Care proactive or reactive?
• 08:23 How has People Care developed over the years
• 12:10 What are the recurring issues faced in people care?
• 16:05 Dealing with the distracted life on the field
• 25:00 Find a good hobby!
• 30:40 Rest is a call to creativity
• 35:40 Is home assignment a vacation?
• 40:00 Good practices for people care people
• 45:20 What do we do with our limits?