Both Ends of the Rope

Jay Greer, Chad Farmer, Mustard Seed Network
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Christianity
  • Semiweekly

Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast for those who send and those who go. Hosted by Chad Farmer and Jay Greer from Tokyo, Japan, we talk about missions and the local church--who to send, how to support missionaries well, how to evaluate the work faithfully, and what long-term faithfulness looks like on the field. If you care about missions and the local church, this is for you.

Episodes

  1. Aug 13

    Episode 10: 23 Years In. Just Getting Started

    Kevin West has been in Japan for 23 years and says it still feels like he's just getting started. In this season finale, Chad and Jay sit down with Kevin to talk about what actually keeps missionaries going, what quietly erodes them, and why longevity on the field is worth fighting for. Chapters0:00 — Welcome and Season 1 finale2:38 — Introducing Kevin West5:48 — How long do you want to be here?6:53 — "I just got started"13:00 — Why longevity makes you a better disciple14:59 — Learning to share the gospel over 23 years19:33 — Long-term impact through long-term relationship21:04 — 1 Corinthians 3: keep sowing22:36 — What hurts longevity23:02 — Disconnection from the church24:07 — Idolizing or resenting the place25:54 — Suffering idolatry30:41 — Missionary care: when it helps and when it doesn't33:07 — Rhythms of grace35:00 — Team culture of honesty and accountability36:39 — Closing encouragement39:02 — 1 Timothy 6 Scripture1 Corinthians 3:5–9 · 1 Timothy 6:11–12 · Ecclesiastes FeaturingKevin West — missionary in Japan for 23 years; co-planting Mustard Seed Christian Church in Saitama Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast about Christian missions. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network — a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan. mustardseed.network Voiceover: Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.comTheme music: Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp FollowBEOTR → @bothendsoftheropeChad → @chadfarmer.tokyoJay → @jaygreerMustard Seed Network → @mustardseednetworkjapan

  2. Jul 30

    Episode 9: The Folly of Preaching-with Dr. Chris DeWelt

    Most missionaries know they're called to share the gospel. Chris DeWelt — missions professor and former church planter in Santiago, Chile — asks the harder question: can you say with confidence that you actually did?In this episode, Chad Farmer and Jay Greer sit down with Chris DeWelt to define what actually counts as a gospel proclamation, using the Moneyball analogy to reframe how missionaries measure their work. Jay tells the story of sharing the gospel on his first-ever mission trip in Dearborn, Michigan — and asking Chris afterward if he'd jumped ahead. They walk through what the apostolic preaching in Acts always included, Chris's "two ditches" of contextualization (irrelevancy and syncretism), and why Paul could call preaching folly and still make it the center of his entire ministry. Chapters 0:00 — Movies & Intro 4:09 — Moneyball and Measuring Missions 8:20 — Jay's First Mission Trip: Dearborn, Michigan 11:14 — What Counts as a Gospel Proclamation? 17:28 — When Is It Too Soon to Share? 20:17 — Two Ditches: Irrelevancy and Syncretism 28:46 — The Folly of Preaching Scripture Romans 15:21 · Acts 8 · Acts 14 · 1 Corinthians 15 · 2 Corinthians 5:20–21 · 1 Corinthians 1:21 Featuring Chris DeWelt — missions professor; former church planter in Santiago, Chile Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast about Christian missions. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network — a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan. mustardseed.network Voiceover: Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.com Theme music: Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp Design and animation: Matt Jameson — mattjameson.co Follow BEOTR → @bothendsoftherope Chad → @chadfarmer.tokyo Jay → @jaygreer Mustard Seed Network → @mustardseednetworkjapan

  3. Jul 16

    Episode 8: Missionaries Need a Job

    Chad and Jay open with an icebreaker about their first jobs: Jay survived a brief stint at Sonic Drive-In; Chad was a busboy and dishwasher at an assisted living center, then pivot to one of the most practical episodes yet: why missionaries need actual job descriptions, not just a vague call to "be a missionary." Chapters00:00 — Intro and theme00:15 — Icebreaker: first jobs (Sonic, an assisted living center)05:40 — Why missionaries need job descriptions06:48 — Two kinds of burned-out missionaries09:15 — "I'm adjusting and settling"11:25 — Language learning is a tool, not a job description17:14 — You can do ministry while you're learning20:00 — Why "building relationships" can't be your 40 hours22:00 — You need a craft25:12 — Real-world example: the post office guy28:04 — Matthew 28 and the point of it all30:21 — What happens without structure32:00 — Wrap-up ScriptureColossians 3:23–24 · Matthew 28 · Acts 6 · Romans 12 · 1 Corinthians 12 · Ephesians 4 · 1 Timothy Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast about Christian missions. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network — a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan. mustardseed.network Voiceover: Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.comTheme music: Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp FollowBEOTR → @bothendsoftheropeChad → @chadfarmer.tokyoJay → @jaygreerMustard Seed Network → @mustardseednetworkjapan

  4. Jul 2

    Episode 7: Ask a Missiologist-with Dr. Chris DeWelt

    When Jay introduced Dr. Chris Dewelt at the top of this episode, he called him "the first real live missiologist on the missions podcast" — and then said "feels fitting." He wasn't wrong. Chris has a doctorate in missiology, eight years as a missionary in Chile, and decades training missionaries at Ozark Christian College and Lincoln Christian Seminary. He also happens to be a longtime mentor to both Chad and Jay. This conversation was overdue. In it, Chris talks honestly about what keeps missionaries on the field long-term, what tends to pull them off it, and what finishing well looks like from someone who has watched all of it up close for a very long time. FeaturingDr. Chris Dewelt — missiologist, former missionary to Chile, professor at Lincoln Christian Seminary Chapters00:00 — Intro and welcome to Dr. Chris Dewelt01:30 — Chris's background: Chile, publishing, teaching missions07:00 — What makes missionaries last08:00 — Spousal buy-in: both need to be all-in12:30 — The #2 reason missionaries leave: can't get along with teammates15:00 — Families on the field and including your kids in the work18:30 — Third culture kids20:00 — Extended family and staying connected across distance24:30 — Why some missionaries leave early27:00 — Vitality of spirit life vs. a performative lens28:00 — Negativity, defensiveness, and always being an outsider35:00 — Social thriving matters too39:00 — When the honeymoon phase ends for the sending church40:00 — Member care and local church resources42:00 — Finishing well and not overstaying usefulness44:00 — "I just needed to hear your voice"46:00 — Fear is the enemy's #1 tool51:00 — "Love your Lord, love your spouse, love your kids, love your work" ScriptureHebrews · 2 Corinthians 1 · Psalm 19.14 Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast about Christian missions. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network — a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan. mustardseed.network Voiceover: Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.comTheme music: Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jpDesign and animation: Matt Jameson — mattjameson.co FollowBEOTR → @bothendsoftheropeChad → @chadfarmer.tokyoJay → @jaygreerMustard Seed Network → @mustardseednetworkjapan

  5. Jun 18

    Episode 6: Accountability on the Field

    Who does a missionary actually answer to? Chad and Jay get honest about accountability structures, supporter pressure, and why every missionary needs to know exactly who their authority is before they hit the field. Chapters00:00 — Intro02:11 — Who are you actually accountable to?06:01 — The problem with 8 sending churches07:09 — "I wrote the bylaws so I could be fired"11:37 — Who is your supervisor?20:11 — Make sure you have authority over you22:59 — The newsletter temptation25:23 — Round down, not up25:41 — Trust God for your daily bread ScriptureHebrews 13 · 1 Peter 5 · Titus 1.5 · Matthew 6.33 Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast about Christian missions. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network — a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan. mustardseed.network Voiceover: Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.comTheme music: Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp FollowBEOTR → @bothendsoftheropeChad → @chadfarmer.tokyoJay → @jaygreer

  6. Jun 4

    Episode 5: How to Become a Sending Church

    Most churches want to be sending churches. Few know what that actually requires. In this episode, Chad Farmer and Jay Greer walk through what it actually looks like for a local church to send a missionary well — from assessing the candidate before they go, to communication and accountability on the field, to evaluating mission effectiveness and asking hard questions about spiritual health. They cover the conversations a church needs to have before writing a single check, how to mobilize the congregation to pray, what to do when missionaries go through culture shock and hardship, and what it means to hold missionaries accountable without leaving them alone. They close with Philippians 4.17: the fruit that increases to your credit. This episode is for any church that wants to do more than write a check — and for the missionary who needs to know what good sending looks like. Chapters00:00 — Intro02:10 — How do we become a sending church?07:00 — Budget and global vision09:00 — Have the financial conversation early10:30 — Assessing the missionary candidate17:00 — Let the church ask the hard questions19:00 — After the send: communication and prayer22:10 — Encouraging missionaries through hardship24:53 — A theology of suffering30:38 — Evaluating mission effectiveness34:36 — When missionaries pivot37:00 — Care, standards, and restoration42:07 — Final words for sending churches ScriptureActs 13.48-50 · Romans 15 · 1 Corinthians 16.9 · Matthew 18 · Thessalonians · Philippians 4.17 Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast about Christian missions. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network — a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan. mustardseed.network Voiceover: Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.comTheme music: Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp FollowChad → @chadfarmer.tokyoJay → @jaygreerMustard Seed Network → @mustardseednetworkjapan If this episode was helpful, share it with your missions committee — or with the missionary who needs to hear that someone's thinking carefully about how to send them well.

  7. May 21

    Episode 4: What Are Short-Term Mission Trips Actually For? — ft. James Miyashita

    Short-term mission trips can get a bad reputation. Sometimes for good reason. But they can also be one of the most strategic tools a sending church has when everyone involved knows what they are actually trying to do. In this episode, Chad Farmer and Jay Greer sit down with James Miyashita, born and raised in Japan, now church planting in Nagoya, to talk through what makes a short-term trip genuinely helpful versus a burden, why "just send money and pray" is more biblical than it sounds, and how James's Recon Tour helps people discern their role in missions before anyone twists their arm into going. This episode is for the church that wants to send well, the missionary trying to figure out how to receive well. Chapters 00:00 — Intro: welcoming James Miyashita 03:30 — James's background and Nagoya 07:00 — Have any of you been on a short-term trip? 11:00 — What missionaries actually need from visiting teams 12:30 — Vision trips vs. mission trips 18:00 — The goal: love Jesus more when you leave 21:00 — When churches want to come and see the work 26:30 — What makes trips go poorly 29:30 — Who should come on a vision trip 33:00 — Why we moved to invite-only 37:00 — The "we just want to bless you" problem 45:00 — "Just send money and pray" 50:30 — About Recon Tours Scripture Romans 15.24, 30 · Ephesians 6.19-20 · Luke 8.1-3 · Luke 1.1-4 Featuring James Miyashita — church planting in Nagoya, leading Recon Tours: seven-day vision trips to Japan for people exploring whether missions might be for them. reachingjapan.com · @reachingjapan Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast about Christian missions. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network — a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan. mustardseed.network Voiceover: Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.com Theme music: Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp Follow Chad → @chadfarmer.tokyo Jay → @jaygreer Mustard Seed Network → @mustardseednetworkjapan If this episode was helpful, share it with someone who's thinking about a short-term trip or someone who sends people on them.

  8. May 7

    Episode 3: The Word, the Culture, and the Gap

    Missionaries aren't just crossing borders. They're crossing cultures. And the words they've used their whole lives don't always make the trip. In this episode, Chad Farmer and Jay Greer work through what contextualization actually means — and why it matters more than most sending churches realize. They start with five phrases from American evangelical culture that don't translate: "do community," "a God thing," "it's," "just" in prayer, and "share your faith." From there they trace Tim Keller's definition through the book of Acts, showing how Paul preached differently in Athens than he did in Antioch — not because the message changed, but because the starting point did. They walk through two real ways contextualization goes wrong: under-contextualization (a scene from a crowded Tokyo intersection) and over-contextualization (prosperity gospel, Buddhist-Christian syncretism, and liberal theology). And they keep coming back to 2 Timothy 3: the Word is living, active, and sufficient — and missionaries need to know it, preach it, and let it sustain them. This episode is for the church and the missionary candidate who want to understand what it means to bring the gospel to a culture that has never heard it. Chapters 00:00 — Intro 01:40 — "Do community" 03:29 — "A God thing" 04:32 — "It's" 07:14 — "Just" in prayer 08:39 — "Share your faith" — and why precision matters 11:07 — What is contextualization? 13:05 — How Paul preached differently in Acts 17:21 — What the Word says about itself 21:30 — Two ways contextualization goes wrong 23:32 — Under-contextualization 29:14 — Over-contextualization: the prosperity gospel 31:27 — Syncretism: Christian and Buddhist 33:18 — Liberal theology 37:47 — Hebrews 9.27 and reincarnation 40:42 — Preach the Word: back to 2 Timothy 44:30 — Get reps at home before you go 46:42 — The Word sustains you on the field Scripture 2 Timothy 3.14-4.2 · Hebrews 9.27 · Matthew 6.24 · Acts 13 · Acts 14 · Acts 17 · Acts 19 Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast about Christian missions. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network — a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan. mustardseed.network Voiceover: Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.com Theme music: Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp Follow Chad → @chadfarmer.tokyo Jay → @jaygreer Mustard Seed Network → @mustardseednetworkjapan If this episode was helpful, share it with someone preparing to go — or with the pastor who's sending them.

  9. Apr 23

    Episode 2: Who Should We Send?

    Japan is one of the least-reached countries in the world. The need for workers is real and urgent. But does that mean we will take anyone? In this episode, Chad Farmer and Jay Greer talk through what they are actually looking for when someone says they want to go to the mission field — and what gives them pause. They work through the qualities that matter most, the red flags that are hard to ignore, and the question that frames it all: are you the part of the body of Christ that should be sent? This is not meant to discourage anyone. It is meant to help the right people get ready well. Scripture: Matthew 9:38, 1 Timothy 3. Next episode: what a missionary actually needs to carry — the Word, the gospel, and why it matters more than you think. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network, a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan — mustardseed.network Voiceover by Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.com Theme music composed by Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp

  10. Apr 8

    Episode 1: What is the Mission?

    Japan has fewer Christians per capita than almost anywhere on earth. Two missionaries who have lived and worked there for a combined three decades want to talk about why that matters — and what it actually looks like to go and to send. In this episode, Chad Farmer and Jay Greer introduce Both Ends of the Rope, explain what the name means, and lay out the theological foundation the whole show is built on: the Great Commission, the church as the agent of mission, and why the gospel — not just good neighboring — is what missionaries are there to bring. This episode is for anyone who wants to understand what Christian missions actually is before deciding what to do about it. Chapters 00:00 — Intro 01:30 — What "Both Ends of the Rope" means 05:32 — The rope metaphor: William Carey and Japan 09:02 — The Great Commission: why we go 11:14 — What church planting actually looks like 15:03 — Why the church is not optional 18:02 — God works through the church 21:00 — The gospel vs. social programs 25:31 — The Great Commandments without the gospel 28:00 — When the gospel takes root in Japan 30:01 — "I feel like I am not right before God" 31:44 — 1 Timothy 3: the church as pillar Scripture Matthew 28.19-20 · Acts 14.21-23 · John 13.34-35 · Ephesians 2.8 · Ephesians 3.20-21 · Ephesians 5.25 · 1 Timothy 3.15 · Revelation 7.9 Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast about Christian missions. Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network — a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan. mustardseed.network Voiceover: Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.com Theme music: Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp Follow Chad → @chadfarmer.tokyo Jay → @jaygreer Mustard Seed Network → @mustardseednetworkjapan If this episode was helpful, share it with someone thinking about missions — or with the church that's supporting them.

  11. Trailer

    Both Ends of the Rope - Trailer

    Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast for those who send and those who go. Hosted by Chad Farmer and Jay Greer from Tokyo, Japan, we talk about missions and the local church — who to send, how to support missionaries well, how to evaluate the work faithfully, and what long-term faithfulness looks like on the field. Episode 1 coming soon. Voiceover by Ben Mayer — benmayerdonethat.comTheme music composed by Studio Inlight — inlight.co.jp Chad and Jay serve with the Mustard Seed Network, a network of gospel-centered church-planting churches in Japan — mustardseed.network

  • 1 Trailer
    10 Episodes

Trailer

About

Both Ends of the Rope is a podcast for those who send and those who go. Hosted by Chad Farmer and Jay Greer from Tokyo, Japan, we talk about missions and the local church--who to send, how to support missionaries well, how to evaluate the work faithfully, and what long-term faithfulness looks like on the field. If you care about missions and the local church, this is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Jay Greer, Chad Farmer, Mustard Seed Network
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jay Greer, Chad Farmer, Mustard Seed Network
  • Show Website
    Both Ends of the Rope