Mercy comes in all shapes and sizes and in order to reach the 5 billion people without access to safe surgery, we need a litany of different models. Since 1978, Mercy Ships has been working to increase access to life changing surgeries in underserved areas of the world and Raeanne Newquist from their team joins the show to share about what it looks like to live and serve on a floating city. Raeanne talks with Brandon Stiver about what it’s like to serve alongside your kids, collaborating with nationals and stepping out of our comfort zones to see God move in the lives of others.
Category Archives: Missions
The Great Commission for All Professions with Luke Perkins
The Great Commission and making disciples is for all Christians, but do we really live that way? We’ve had a classic understanding of what missionaries ought to be doing, but is that exclusionary? In episode 263, we have Luke Perkins from Crossworld to help us sort it out. Luke served as a missionary professor in Haiti for several years and today is the President at Crossworld where they emphasize that all professions have a role in the work of the Great Commission and the imperative of making disciples throughout the globe.
Integral Mission and Decolonizing Theology with Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst
There is no escaping the reality that much of what we’re familiar with in global missions and development has some roots in colonialism. There is no better person to help us disentangle God’s work from worldly power structures than Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst. Dr. Padilla DeBorst is the Richard C. Oudersluys Associate Professor of World Christianity at Western Seminary. She describes how integral mission addresses gaps in many traditional approaches to missions and what it looks like to live out a contextualized gospel in Latin America.
A Manifesto for Modern Missions with Matt Rhodes
On the show today, we’re joined by missionary Matt Rhodes who is the author of No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions. He talks with Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke about trends within missions that emphasize speed and big numbers, but often lack the depth of discipleship that characterized Jesus’ ministry. Matt shares about the mission that he is engaged in a majority Muslim country Northern Africa and what he’s learned from being on the field and what faithfulness (even success) can look like for those spreading the Good News abroad.
Rethinking Orphan Care with Preston Sprinkle and Brandon Stiver
Today, we’re releasing our podcast collaboration with our friends at Theology in the Raw. Brandon had a chance to sit down with Preston Sprinkle and dive into all things global orphan care and discuss the realities of that children in orphanages face worldwide. Our conversation weaves between a theology of calling and mission and how American Christians intersect with orphans in the Global South. We discuss the reality of life within orphanages, why kids end up there and what risk factors and vulnerabilities arise when kids are raised in that environment. This is a good Ethical Orphan Care 101 type episode and we’re grateful for the chance to collaborate with Theology in the Raw to raise awareness and education.
Caring for Creation with Dr. Forrest Inslee
You cannot have a conversation around global issues without considering the state of the earth itself. We are talking today with educator, author and climate advocate Dr. Forrest Inslee to learn, “what on earth is happening with the earth?” Dr. Inslee brings a distinctively Christian viewpoint to the conversation as we consider the damage being done to the environment and how Christians that are engaging vulnerable communities around the world have a role to play in supporting not just people, but all of God’s creation.
Welcome to Think Global
This podcast is something like day one, while at the same time seven years strong. In this trailer episode for Think Global, Brandon Stiver speaks to the heart of the podcast and the season that God is calling our community into. You’ll hear about some of the updates to the podcast as well as more ways to connect with us. Brandon also introduces Canopy International, a global community for convening, connecting and collaborating.
Decolonizing Christian Mission with Dr. Hunter Farrell
Today we have the co-author of Freeing Congregational Mission, Dr. Hunter Farrell. He served as a long-term missionary in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Peru and now works as the Director of the World Mission Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Dr. Farrell brings a wealth of first hand and research knowledge about Christian Mission. After 35 years in intercultural missions, he is calling for a reframing of missions. What would it look like to approach missions with a learning posture? How can we create spaces of connection for shared learning across cultures?
My Long Journey Back Home with Mohamed Nabieu
This week we have the privilege of delving deeper into the remarkable life story of Mohamed Emmanuel Nabieu. In his captivating memoir, Long Journey Back Home, Nabs shares his resilient spirit and unwavering determination to overcome the challenges that marked his childhood and youth. In his second appearance on Think Orphan, Nabs shares more powerful insights. Discover how he is harnessing the strength of his past to forge a path of empowerment, not only for himself but for countless others who have experienced similar adversity.
