Relentless Pursuit Podcast Pioneers-USA

What happens when the gospel first comes to an isolated tribe whose culture in which violence and treachery are considered virtues? In this bonus episode, produced by our friends at the Compelled Podcast, Pioneers president Steve Richardson tells the story of being raised by missionary parents in the jungles of Papua, Indonesia (formerly Irian Jaya) and seeing firsthand how the gospel transformed the Sawi culture. Be sure to check out other episodes of Compelled for more stories of transformation.

Do you have to take a test? Should you be fluent in a foreign language? Are you too old? Too young? In a nutshell, what does it look like to join Pioneers? In this bonus episode of the podcast, we talk with Kim, one of our Mission Mentors, about the process of joining a mission organization. Kim shares a bit about her personal story of being a “high maintenance” missionary serving refugees in Western Europe—as well as a bit about her current role, as she helps people discern whether God is calling them to serve among the unreached.

The Arabian Peninsula is a land of contrasts. Starbucks coffee shops may be ubiquitous, but ancient traditions are hard to overcome. Still, God is at work, and local gatherings of believers are growing. Our guest in this episode has loads of encouraging stories about discipling Arab seekers, and he gives us a glimpse of what church planting looks like in this challenging but rewarding part of the world.

If you were a missionary starting ministry in a new community, how would you identify people open to spiritual conversations? In the past, it may have taken years to find and cultivate such relationships. In this episode we talk with Amber, who leads a team that coaches missionaries on using social media and the web to engage with people in unreached parts of the world who are using these same tools to find answers to their spiritual questions.

We’re living in a time at which the nations are coming to our doorstep as immigrants, refugees and international students—an unprecedented opportunity for people from unreached parts of the world to be exposed to the gospel. It also means we can partner with Christians from other cultures who have come to make the United States their new home. In this episode, we talk to Paul, a leader in Pioneers’ “diaspora” ministry who served for many years in East Asia and is now working in Austin, Texas. Paul opens our eyes to the amazing new ways anyone can get involved in engaging the unreached, whether you live in a big city or in small-town America.

Cynthia didn’t fit the “missions mold”—if there is one anymore. She was single, in her 40s and had worked in the business world. But God had given her a vision of helping young girls in South Asian villages avoid being trafficked. And she was convinced that making disciples and planting churches in their communities was at the heart of the solution. Now, ten years later, she has seen God bring her vision to reality.