Modern Day Missionaries

In this encore episode, we ask the question, how can missionaries make the most of end-of-the-year giving trends? People are looking for places to sow seed, and you want them to know you are good soil! Get ready for some game-changing stats and financial advice in this week’s episode! “Modern Day Missions” Executive Director, Marvin Slaton II, shares some shocking statistics on how end-of-the-year giving really works. And he gives timely advice—that when put into practice, could make a dramat...

What if year-end fundraising isn’t really about year-end? For many missionaries, November and December can feel like a mad dash to close a budget gap. But what if, instead of fundraising for survival, you used the end of the year to invite people into the vision God has given you for what’s next? In this episode, Coach Ben sits down with Mary Valloni and Mike Kim of Fully Funded Academy to talk about a different approach to year-end fundraising—one that starts earlier, focuses on relationship...

What actually protects a leader for the long haul? And why do the ones who fall almost never see it coming? In this episode, Dr. Rob Hoskins, a deeply respected leadership expert and president of OneHope, joins Stephanie to talk honestly about the isolation missionary leaders face, the habits that guard against moral failure, and the powerful concept of overlapping accountability (you need this!). Rob shares personal stories about his own governance structures that have protected him as he le...

Do you ever feel like you're falling behind? Like everyone around you is buying houses, getting married, having kids, and finding a career while you're out here saying yes to the calling? You’re not mad about it…sometimes, you just wonder. What are you up to, God? In this episode, three single missionaries in their 20’s and 30’s, Mark, Natan, and Sierra, open up about things rarely talked about that single missionaries deal with and think about on a regular basis. Things like: the significant...

You love the people on your team. So why does working with them feel so hard sometimes? What if the tension you keep experiencing isn't a people problem, it's a culture problem? And what if the culture shaping your team was never chosen, it just happened? In this episode, Dr. Jay Raines, founder of LeadersQ Coaching, seven-year cross-cultural leader in Bangalore, India, and author of Culture Brand, gives you the language to finally name what is off, and a simple framework to do something abou...

Have you ever thought about leaving the mission field? Not just in a passing moment of frustration, but really thought about it? What would it actually cost you to stay? And how do you know the difference between a hard season and God genuinely closing a door? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with David Joannes, founder of Within Reach Global and 28-year missionary, for one of the most honest conversations we have ever had. This is not about grinding harder or believing bigger. This is ab...

What if the financial ceiling you've been living under was never actually real? Have you ever wondered if there's a limit to what your ministry can afford, and that limit was set the day you sent your first support letter? Have you ever felt stuck between cutting back again, asking supporters for more, or wondering if it's time to come home? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Elias Reyes, President of Modern Day Missions, to talk about secondary streams of income for missionaries. They...

What do you do when one of you is terrified of fundraising and the other one grew up doing it like it's second nature? Danny and Stephanie Gutierrez found out the hard way, over twelve years, two daughters, and one very memorable $666 support check. In this episode, Coach Ben sits down with them for a conversation about what they'd do differently, from how they divided the work, to what a “soft no” really costs, to the season neither of them saw coming until it was almost over. If you've ever...

What does your body already know that your mind hasn't caught up to yet? What if the thing most burning you out on the mission field is not the workload, the culture shock, or the lack of support, but something else? And what if the very traits that made you say yes to the field are the same ones slowly wearing you down? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Steve and Lisa Cuss, founders of Capable Life, to talk about the Big Five false needs and what happens when the missionary calling s...

The missionaries burning out fastest are not the ones who stopped caring. They are the ones who cared the most. Mindy Caliguire, founder of SoulCare, joins the podcast to talk about what research with missionaries in the Global South revealed about soul health, the relational deficit nobody wants to touch, and what it actually takes to find your way back. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why the most devoted missionaries are often the most at risk, and how a can't-stop-won't-stop work me...

Two-thirds of global missionaries are women. And most of them will tell you they have never heard an episode like this one. Denise Beck, Executive Director of Velvet Ashes, has spent years sitting with women in every season of missionary life, and she is not afraid to say what most people skip over. The single woman who wonders if anyone on her team actually values what she gave up. The married woman stretched between her family and her calling. The woman who has been pouring out for so long ...

Your MK’s are watching everything. They see how you handle the hard seasons, how you hold it together when everything is falling apart, and how much space there is in your family for the hard stuff to be said out loud. But what are they actually holding inside? And what do they wish you would ask? In this episode, three young adults who grew up on the mission field sit down to share what that life actually formed in them, what they carried silently, and what they wish their parents had known....

Have you ever been in a season where everything seemed to be working against you, and you could not tell if it was spiritual warfare, burnout, or just the hard reality of missionary life? When you can tell the difference, you know how to fight. In this episode, evangelist, World Harvest founder, and Modern Day missionary Jacob Ebersole shares what spiritual warfare actually looks like on the mission field, the dramatic and the invisible, and the surprisingly practical ways missionaries can st...

What do you do when everything falls apart on the field? When the team fractures, the funding dries up, or a decision you made starts unraveling in ways you never anticipated? What if the way you respond in the first few hours determines whether your ministry survives? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Phil Cooke, filmmaker, media producer, PhD in theology, and one of the most sought-after crisis communications experts in the Christian world. Phil has worked in over 70 countries, walk...

Have you ever caught yourself angling the camera just right, choosing the words that make your ministry sound a little more impressive than it actually is? What if the pressure to perform is actually the thing standing between you and the life God designed you for? What if joy is closer to your insecurity than you ever imagined? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with author, speaker, and former ambassador Bob Goff for a conversation that is equal parts hilarious and deeply freeing. From Bo...

Are you preparing for your financial future, or are you hoping it takes care of itself? What does it actually look like to invest on a missionary income? And is it even possible when support fluctuates month to month? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Elias Reyes, president of Modern Day Missions and a financial consultant with 25+ years of experience serving missionaries and nonprofit leaders. They talk about the retirement realities most missionaries are not prepared for and simple ...

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Ben Ankarlo, fundraising coach at Modern Day Missions, to unpack what is really happening beneath the surface of support raising. Together, they explore how fear unknowingly shapes decisions, why some missionaries default to self-funding or scarcity, and how embarrassment and control can distort the way we invite others into partnership. Ben shares from lived experience as a missionary who is still actively fundraising today. You’ll learn why clarity ...

Have you ever wondered what the Church really believes about Israel? Have you felt confused by replacement theology, one law teaching, or political noise around the Jewish people? And does any of this actually matter for missionaries today? In this episode, Modern Day Missions Executive Director Marvin Slaton II and Gateway Center for Israel Pastor & Director David Blease explore the three prevailing theologies shaping the global Church’s view of Israel and unpack what Scripture says abo...

You didn’t move across the world to lose your family in the process. Mission life is full of purpose, but it can also pull at the very relationships we care about most. Jonathan and Elizabeth Trotter, missionary parents, writers, and trusted voices in cross-cultural life, open up about what it looks like to stay emotionally connected as a family in the middle of ministry, transition, and loss. We talk about how to create your own family’s culture (or find it if you’ve lost it), recovering joy...

AI is changing everything—how we think, work, lead, create…How about how we hear from God? Without realizing it, are we letting it reshape our hearts, our habits, and our spiritual lives, too? Today, we talk with Carey Nieuwhof about the very real tension missionaries face when using AI for ministry. From sermon prep to leadership decisions, we explore how to use this tool with wisdom, where it may be subtly weakening us, and how to stay rooted in the Holy Spirit with all of the noise around ...

Modern Day Missionaries is a podcast created specifically for missionaries navigating real life on the field. We talk honestly about the questions missionaries actually ask— How do I retain supporters?Am I burned out… or heading there?How do I stay connected to my spouse in the middle of ministry chaos?What does it look like to flourish as a single missionary?Our heart is simple: help you be well so you can serve well—and truly thrive in your faith, family, finances, and freedom. Each episode...

You're serving full-time. You're pouring yourself out. And yet, you still feel like it's not enough. Many missionaries live with an unnamed pressure, a constant inner drive to do more, be more, prove more. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Curt Thompson helps us uncover the role that shame plays in shaping our stories and how it may be calling the shots in your life and ministry without you even knowing it. Could shame be behind your exhaustion, disconnection, or sense of not-enoughness?&nbs...

Want to know how you can double your monthly donations this December? Statistics show that missionaries who take a few simple steps can significantly increase year-end giving—and in some cases, receive more in the final four days of the year than any other month. In this episode, Modern Day Missions president and financial consultant Elias Reyes shares how to make the most of this golden opportunity. Whether you’re nervous about overwhelming your donors or just unsure where to star...

What’s really going on when you feel numb, irritable, or disconnected on the field—even when you’re doing what God has called you to do? Why do high-functioning workers sometimes shut down emotionally, pull away from others, or lose the ability to feel God’s presence? How does long-term pressure affect your brain—and what can you do to move toward restoration? If connection feels hard, there’s a reason—and a way through it. Psychiatrist Dr. Karl Lehman breaks down the neuroscience...

What if the support you need is waiting on the other side of a bold conversation with the right person? Many missionaries feel unsure about how to connect with business leaders—and even more unsure about how to talk about money. But what if those very people are called to partner with you? In this encore episode, we revisit our conversation with Lee Domingue—entrepreneur, author, and founder of Kingdom Builders. Lee offers a compelling vision for how missionaries and business leaders can join...

What if the pushback you're getting from Gen Z missionaries isn’t rebellion—but an invitation to lead differently? Many leaders are navigating cross-generational tension in missions, unsure how to guide and motivate a generation that values autonomy, mental health, and meaning over traditional hierarchies and hustle culture. In this conversation, leadership expert Dr. Tim Elmore joins us to unpack the cultural shift happening on the mission field. Drawing from decades of research and his new ...

What happens when your identity in Christ feels solid, but deep down, you’re still exhausted, fragmented, and unsure who you really are? Many missionaries live in a cycle of spiritual striving and internal disintegration—even while faithfully serving. The result? Burnout, weariness, and a haunting sense that something is off, even if they can’t name it. This conversation gently opens the door to a new way of living. Our guest is Cheryl Scanlan—Master Certified Coach, director of Promised Land...

What are missionary kids really carrying—and what can adults do to help lighten the load? From the pressure to perform, to the fear of disappointing others, MKs often carry invisible expectations they didn’t choose and can’t always name. These burdens can shape everything from their identity to their view of God. In this conversation, we explore the emotional and spiritual weight many missionary kids carry and what it means to support them with greater empathy, patience, and grace. Our guest ...

Ever hosted a short-term mission team and wondered, Was that really worth it? Or maybe you're gearing up for your next one and already feeling the weight of logistics, expectations, and exhaustion. In this episode, Jesse and Andrea Kroeze—leaders of Touch the World and seasoned missionaries—offer a fresh take on how short-term teams can become a strategic blessing instead of a draining burden. Having lived both as hosts and senders, they bring hard-earned wisdom, practical tools, and bold enc...

Gen Z is stepping onto the mission field with big questions on their hearts. Is missions moral? Does the West still have a role to play? How do you navigate support raising in today’s world? And what does healthy emotional and spiritual sustainability really look like? In this conversation, Mark Matlock—author, Insight Lead at Barna, and Executive Director of Urbana—helps us understand the shifts happening with today’s young adults. He shares how their imagination, honesty, and bold questions...

Are you frustrated by fundraising? Feeling stuck, under-supported, or embarrassed about the whole process? In this episode, Dr. Steve Shadrach, author of The God Ask and one of the leading voices in personal support raising, helps reframe fundraising not just as a financial task but as a deeply spiritual journey. With decades of experience mentoring and training missionaries, Steve shares the fears that keep us from asking, the beliefs about God that shape our support journey, and why staying...

Do you ever struggle with knowing how to keep your team motivated? Especially when the work is hard, the stakes are high, and the pay is low (or non-existent)? How can you create a team culture of health from the top down? In this encore episode, we sit down with Nic and Rachael Billman, founders of Shores of Grace. They have spent over 14 years leading missionaries and staff in Brazil. They open up about the challenges and rewards of managing complex teams, from balancing paid staff and volu...

Are you constantly pouring out but feeling spiritually depleted? You care deeply—for people, for God’s mission—but somewhere along the way, your soul has gone dry. What if one small shift could change everything? If you're thinking, "Empathy is overrated. People need tough love!" then this episode is especially for you. Drs. Bill and Kristi Gaultiere unpack how true empathy—the kind rooted in Christ—can become a powerful source of spiritual renewal. You’ll learn why many missionaries resist r...

Whether it’s pornography, mental health concerns, faith struggles, same-sex attraction, gambling, or emotional collapse—many missionaries are silently asking: What would happen if anyone knew? In this episode, Dr. Janeen Davis joins us to talk about the silent battles missionaries face—and what it takes to tell the truth when shame tells you to hide. We talk about how secrecy steals your strength, why we’ve created a culture of judgment instead of grace, and how to become the kind of person—o...

You felt sure. God gave you a vision, you raised the funds, you moved overseas. But then things didn’t go as planned. The vision changed—or maybe you changed. In this episode, Jonathan and Amanda Vining share their powerful story of navigating unexpected shifts, how they learned to walk with God in uncertainty, and why vision isn’t a one-time download—it’s something you live, adapt, and grow into. In This Episode, You'll Learn: What to do when your vision shifts unexpectedlyHow to tel...

How’s your fundraising working for you right now? Do you feel stuck? Are the methods you're using just not connecting with supporters anymore? In this episode, fundraising expert Mary Valloni and branding strategist Mike Kim share modern, proven strategies missionaries can use to fully fund their ministry without awkward sales pitches or burnout. Learn how to keep donors through big transitions, build a small but powerful advocacy team, brand yourself in a God-honoring way, and tell the three...

Do you ever feel like you’re running hard in ministry but still falling behind? Missionary life can be an endless swirl of urgent needs, unfinished to-do lists, and pressure to prove your worth through results. In this episode, Amy Young of Global Trellis helps unpack the hidden productivity trap that drains your energy—and the surprising shift that frees you to focus on what truly matters. Discover how to spot “fake wins,” embrace slow productivity, and protect your calling from burnout so y...

Today’s encore episode is a masterclass in deep listening from executive coach, Cheryl Scanlan, a master certified coach and founder of Promised Land Living. Cheryl has trained more than 3,000 coaches and has 15,000 hours of coaching experience. Her ability to hear the hearts of her clients is unparalleled and consistently leads to dramatic growth and change. In this conversation, she shares her secrets to deep listening with us, speaking directly to us, as missionaries. This is an episode yo...

Do finances feel overwhelming, confusing, or just plain exhausting? Wondering how to run a budget, set up a nonprofit, or stay financially accountable, without a finance degree? We’ve got you covered. In this episode, financial expert and missions CFO Vonna Laue joins us to share down-to-earth wisdom on how missionaries can manage money well, without losing their minds or their calling. From personal budgeting tips to nonprofit setup, time-saving tools, and creative ways to get help (even if ...

What makes a strong family culture on the mission field? How do you keep your values intact when everything around you is shifting? And is it possible to raise emotionally healthy kids overseas—without losing yourself in the process? In this episode, Jonathan and Elizabeth Trotter spill the tea about the joys and challenges of parenting abroad. From bathroom disco lights and jet-skiing through monsoon floods to grief, transition, and adolescent pushback, they share honest stories and pr...

Have you ever felt like you were doing all the right things spiritually—reading, praying, serving—but still felt disconnected from God? In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Geoff & Cyd Holsclaw—pastors, authors, and spiritual formation experts—walk us through the Landscapes of the Soul, a transformative framework rooted in attachment theory that reveals how our nervous system, relationships, and early experiences shape how we relate to God. From the war zone to the desert, the jungle...

What happens when your missionary journey includes parenting a child with special needs?How do you handle therapy, schooling, and support in a cross-cultural setting? How do you balance your calling with your kid’s unique needs? In this very raw, hope-filled panel conversation, Stephanie, along with two missionary couples, the Maurers and Wurdemans, share their unique journeys of parenting children with special needs on the field—and all of the emotions that go with it! Whether your child was...

Have you ever felt angry on the mission field—and then guilty for it? You’re not alone. From cultural clashes to team tension to the things that just shouldn’t be, anger surfaces—and it often comes with a side of shame. In this deeply honest conversation, counselor Erik Troyer helps us reframe our understanding of anger, not as something to suppress, but as an invitation to draw nearer to God. Whether your anger is loud or silent, clear or confusing, this episode offers clarity, compassion, a...

Shonna Ingram is a missionary care specialist with over 17 years of experience supporting cross-cultural workers through transitions and trauma recovery. She serves as a Trauma Care and Career Transition Specialist with Pioneer Bible Translators and is the founder of Re-entry Experts, an organization offering coaching, resources, and community cohorts for global workers navigating re-entry. Shonna is also the creator of the Renewed Hope Approach, a faith-based, trauma-informed framework desig...

Ever felt misunderstood, sidelined, or frustrated by a teammate who just sees things differently? Serving on a cross-cultural team on the field can be one of the most rewarding—and challenging—parts of missionary life. In this episode, cross-cultural leadership expert I’Ching Thomas shares practical wisdom and real-life stories to help long-term teams build trust, work through cultural tension, and grow together in unity. Whether your team is brand new or you’ve been navigating these dy...

Are you trying to hold it all together while quietly falling apart inside? Do you ever feel like you can’t afford to be honest about your struggles—especially as a missionary leader? In this powerful conversation with Ian Morgan Cron, author of The Fix, we dive into the hidden world of addiction among missionaries—and not just the obvious kinds. From people-pleasing and approval addiction to secret compulsions and burnout, Ian shares a compassionate, gospel-centered invitation to ...

Feel like your finances are always playing catch-up? Wondering how to plan for the future when you're just trying to make it through the month? In this financial masterclass for missionaries, Dr. Keith Webb brings both wisdom and lived experience to the table. After two decades on the field and years training missionary coaches, Keith shares the top financial mistakes missionaries make—and what to do instead. From emergency funds to long-term planning, he offers a better way to think about su...

Marriage on the mission field can be one of your greatest sources of strength—or one of your biggest stressors. In this powerful conversation with Danny and Stephanie Gutierrez, hosted by Amy Young, we get real about the challenges missionary couples face and the hope available even when things feel messy. Whether you’re in crisis or just need to reconnect, this episode is packed with honest stories, laughs, and practical ways to strengthen your marriage starting today. From crisis moments to...

Have you ever been asked, “How did you know you were called to be a missionary?” Or maybe you’re the one wrestling with that question right now. This episode with Marvin Slaton is more than a conversation—it’s a practical resource you can share with friends, family, or future missionaries to help them discern their calling. Marvin and Stephanie break down the three key ways God speaks, how to recognize the difference between a calling and a burden, and how to move forward in a way that’...

What if your child can’t “just push through” like the other MKs? What if loud music, long travel days, or even sticky hands after a meal in community send them into sensory overload? And what if… God still called your family, with all its unique challenges, to the mission field? In this very honest and beautifully grounded episode, Jenilee Goodwin—former missionary, mom of three daughters on the autism spectrum, and certified life coach—shares her story of raising neurodivergent kids overseas...