Advertise on podcast: RAW Mission

This is the testimony of Esther, an Iranian lady who grew up as a Muslim under the Ayatollah's Islamic regime. Her story is a powerful one - of religious rituals and rules, of strict segregation, of being silent and unseen. She had only 8 hours to flee the country at one point because of a particular threat of being reported to the government. Her husband got caught and imprisoned on that day.  In the UK, Esther began a journey to Jesus that involved visions, paintings, Scripture that came into her mind (though she had never seen a Bible) and a powerful dream.  This is an amazing story of freedom - in more ways than one. Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode we meet Ron, who spent decades with his family living in South Asia with nomadic peoples - shepherds and goatherders who spend the winters on the plains and the summers up in the mountains. We'll hear about the many dangers that they face and the many tragedies they endure. We also learn about how the nomadic life and mindset can teach us much about the various cultures and historical contexts of the Bible. In what sense are we, as the people of God, also nomadic? What is significant about the theme of 'tabernacle' throughout the Scriptures? Ron mentions the help that one of John Piper's books was to him in his time of grief. You can download The Misery of Job & The Mercy of God for free here.  To learn more about nomads or working with nomads, do check out The Nomadic Peoples Network here. For the courses that Ron mentions in the episode, visit this site. And for Ron's podcast, Let Nomads Move You, visit your normal podcast platform or click this link. Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Matt hosts Dick Brogden, a missions leader with decades of experience of church planting amongst Muslims in various countries across Africa and the Middle East.  Topics include the power of indirection and compassion, the theology of suffering & survivor’s guilt, and effective global partnerships. Questions Dick addresses include: What are some of the key factors that help workers stay long-term in difficult places? What is the difference between calling, assignment and role? How can we respond when Muslims publicly challenge or criticise our faith? How do Arab believers help Westerners to understand bible stories from a Middle-Eastern perspective?  Do check out Dick's books at: https://www.abidepublishers.com/shop Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Matt interviews Peter who spent years working in the Sahara desert amongst one of the most populous unreached Muslim people groups in the world, the Fulani.  It's an amazing story of dreams & discipleship, baptisms & betrayal, polygamy, malaria, imprisonment and death threats. But in spite of all the troubles, the church is born and begins to grow in remarkable ways. Some of the books that Peter recommends are:  Glenn Schwartz, When Charity Destroys Dignity; Jean Johnson, We Are Not the Hero; Jonathan Bonk, The Realities of Money and Missions; and from a non faith-based perspective: Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert, When Helping Hurts  Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Matt interviews a Revival historian called Mathew Backholer about the connection between the great revivals of church history and global mission. Enjoy a brief overview of several hundred years of missions history in which we talk about the Nestorians, the Moravians, the Welsh Revival, the martyrdom of Robert Jermaine Thomas in Korea and much more.   "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14) Mathew's book, Global Revival, Worldwide Outpourings can be found here. Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode we meet a young ex-Muslim called Shahriq Khan, who grew up in New York to immigrant parents from Pakistan and India.   Shahriq in many ways embodied the American dream, the son of immigrants who achieved great success in education and business. But then he began to question the faith he had been raised in. And his searching led him to Jesus.  His story has not been without many trials, including rejection, criticism and pressure from his family and friends to come back to Islam, and a season of partying that led to a period of deep depression and hopelessness.  But the Lord’s kindness and grace has drawn him back into great community, where Shahriq testifies to a journey of healing and deliverance, growth and discipleship – and a huge heart to bring the gospel to Muslims and to teach others how to do so.  Do check out his Instagram page @realshahriqkhan  Or you can find him on Youtube @RealShahriqKhan And for training resources and to join the underground community, visit this webpage. Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode we meet Yasmeen, a lady from rural Switzerland who has spent more than twenty years in Africa.   You’ll hear about bold African evangelists forced to dig their own grave for preaching in a certain village, the beginnings of a movement to Christ in Darfur (in the midst of years of horrific violence and civil war), the smuggling of bibles in peanut sacks, and how Yasmeen’s husband was regularly interrogated by the police.  This is a powerful story of incarnational love, of unlikely friendships, of Muslims finding the truth about Jesus, of hope for hopeless refugees in Sudan.  Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Matt & Mike do some myth-busting, challenging many of the half-truths and misunderstandings about mission in today's world.  Here are the 10 myths that they tackle: 1. There are churches all over the world. Our task is done. 2. There are too many needs around us.  3. Mission is everything we do. (Everyone is a missionary.) 4. We should just send money to local evangelists, who are more effective. 5. Mission is 'West to the Rest' (a neo-colonial endeavour). 6. Missionaries are super-spiritual - and I'm not. 7. Missionaries are super-gifted - and I'm not. 8. Missionaries receive a special call from God. 9. Missionaries have to give up their careers to go. 10. Missionaries live in mud huts. Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Ahmed shares the mind-blowing story of how he came to Christ from a very strict Muslim family background. He learnt the Quran by heart as a child, his father was a Mufti (a religious scholar) in Mecca, the birthplace of Islam. His tribe in Saudi Arabia is one of the most radical in their commitment to Islam and hatred of infidels, with several of them involved in the 9/11 attacks. But the prayers of some believers in New Zealand led to Ahmed having an amazing dream of Jesus, which changed everything.  Years of rejection, ostricism and persecution followed his decision to follow Jesus, even bringing assassination attempts to prevent him attending church and sharing the good news. And yet he has persevered, refusing to give up on his Saviour and Lord. He now runs an online ministry into the Middle East, leading many Muslims to Christ and discipling countless others. Enjoy this incredible story, like a modern day version of the book of Acts!  And do check out Ahmed's books and his website via these links. Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

The church in Iran today is thought to be the fastest growing church in the world, in spite of intense persecution. Why is that?  In this episode Matt talks with Lana Silk, the CEO of Transform Iran.  Lana grew up in an Iranian Christian family in The Islamic Republic of Iran during the Iran-Iraq War and the early years of Ayatollah Khomeini. She talks of the state's indoctrination of even primary school students - teaching hatred towards Israel and America and she relates the harsh curbing of freedoms in those years, particularly for women. But she also recounts how the same strict form of Islamic Law and Government in Iran unexpectedly has led many Muslims to a hunger for something different, leading hundreds of thousands of them to discover Jesus. Check out and get behind Transform Iran's incredible ministry by visiting transformiran.com Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode former Muslims Shino and Shania Gabo tell their incredible story of coming to faith in Jesus.  They both grew up in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, before the civil war broke out. Then they relocated to Europe.  Shania's story of faith involves seeing a brutal act of violence online, followed by 2 powerful visions of Jesus. Her husband, Shino, spent years trying to convince her to return to Islam, all the while protecting her from the terrible threats against her from her own family and community. Eventually he too accepted the truth of the gospel. They now run a gospel media ministry through which thousands of Muslims in Somalia and around the world are coming to Christ. You can check it out and support their ministry here: https://www.scmediaministries.org/ Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this special episode Matt and Mike share their top 10 tips for sharing the gospel with Muslims. These are a summary of things we've learned over several decades of conversations with Muslims about Jesus. We'll talk about pitfalls to avoid, ideas for starting spiritual conversations, some ways to answer typical objections to Christian faith and much more. Here are the 10 themes we discuss:  Love, Common Ground, Common Objections, Prayer, Spiritual Hooks, Their Story, Your Story, God's Story, The Message, Multiplication Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

60 million Pushtuns live in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They are a people admired for their generous hospitality but feared for their warrior culture. It is often said that they are 'the best of friends and the worst of enemies'. In this episode Matt talks with an old friend and mentor, Dr. Len, who lived in Peshawar, Pakistan among the Pushtuns for many years with his family. He learned their language, their proverbs, their poetry - and how to share the good news of the Lord Jesus with them.  Len exudes biblical wisdom and grace and a deep passion for those with little or no access to the gospel.  Hear about how Len and Debi served the poor, regularly hosted the Mujahideen, the Freedom Fighters for dinners at their home, and how they helped Afghans arriving in the USA begin to adjust to a completely new culture.  Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Matt interviews Daniel & Maria, a young couple from Europe who moved to East Africa with their two-month old baby. Within a year, however, they faced an intense and traumatic week where the country unexpectedly descended into fighting and civil war and they became trapped in their apartment, not knowing how to escape.   You’ll hear how God guided them and helped them to evacuate, but also how they are already planning their return to the region.  Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

NB. This is a story of abduction by extremists and there are mentions of torture. In that regard, it is not suitable for younger children.    In this episode we meet 'Jonathan' whose story is somehow chilling, gripping and inspiring all at the same time. His imprisonment by Islamic extremists lasted for many months and, for most of that time, he never knew whether execution or release was the more likely outcome.  Contrary to his own expectations, he wrestled again and again with despair and with his inability to sense God’s presence or to hear his voice.  But eventually he was released and you can hear one of the most honest and faith-building stories you're ever likely to hear. Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________