RAW Mission
RAW Mission is a podcast featuring real-life stories from missionaries working among Muslim communities worldwide. Hosted by Frontiers UK, it shares authentic accounts of joy and frustration from ordinary followers of Jesus who have left home to share the gospel. The interviews highlight the radical calling to reach the 2 billion Muslims with little access to Christianity. Listeners can connect with the organization through their website or email.
Episodes
Ep. 101 - Namaste, Namaz & The Name of Jesus
Not many people realise that India, in spite of being a majority Hindu country, is also the world's 3rd most populous Muslim country (with over 200 million Muslims). Moreover, in spite of dynamic church growth and movements to Christ in some parts of the country, it remains the nation with the largest number of unreached people groups in the world. The Joshua project estimates that 95 out of
Ep. 100 - 100th Episode!! (Reflections & Highlights)
In this special celebratory episode, Matt looks back over the first 4-5 years of Raw Mission and our 99 interviews.He reflects on the main themes of the podcast (the cost, the miracles, the fruit & lessons learnt) and shares clips from some of his most memorable interviews.If you're new to the show, this will give you a great feel for the kind of experiences, stories and themes that we co
Ep. 99 - Losing My Religion (ft. ex Muslim, John Ghanim)
In this episode Matt hears the testimony of a well-known ex-Muslim from Yemen, called John Ghanim (aka Yemeni John). John came to faith in Jesus as a refugee in Greece a decade ago, but he had already abandoned Islam years earlier while walking around the Kaaba in Mecca, Islam’s holiest place. John is full of infectious joy and he’s a passionate evangelist who loves to share the good news of the
Ep. 98 - Watch out for Scorpions!
Lena has spent the last few months teaching kids in East Africa, serving a long-term team who live there.Just a few years ago she was a student, learning about God's heart for the nations, working with international students on campus and taking various short-term mission trips. Now she's doing a placement in the desert and looking at teams that she might join.She shares about life in th
Ep. 97 - The Blood of the Martyrs
In this episode Matt talks to Dr. Aweis Ali from Somalia, who grew up in a Muslim home in and around Mogadishu, the son of a Muslim cleric and preacher.After coming to Christ and finding some other believers, Aweis' small church suffered a brutal and violent persecution in which most of the believers lost their lives. This is a story of remarkable faith, perseverance and courage in one of the
Ep. 96 - Filipino Assassins
In this episode we meet Tom O'Brien who has spent more than 40 years living and serving in South East Asia with his family, making disciples and planting churches.Tom shares some extraodinary stories of twenty years or so in the Southern Philippines, during which he was specifically targeted by extremists multiple times. We also hear about black magic practices and the culture of blood feuds/
Ep. 95 - Giant Spiders & Poisoned Dreams
In this episode we meet Nate who taks about his 13 years living in the Middle East, sharing stories of healing, spiders, poisoned fish, expulsion and much more. How can workers deal with burnout and betrayal?Are there benefits of going to the field in one’s later years? What are some of the options for scientists to be involved in cross-cultural mission?Send us a message!Support the show_________
Ep. 94 - Faith & Friendship, Grief & Glory
In this episode Matt talks with an old friend and mentor, Dr. Tim Green. Tim and his family lived in Pakistan, Jordan, the UK and South East Asia for many decades. He is a trainer, an educator, a writer and friend of many Muslims who have come to Christ in many different contexts. He's particularly interested in the global church listening to and learning from the voices and experiences of be
Ep. 93 - Veiled and Voiceless in Iran
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.
Ep. 92 - Hunters of Affliction (The Life of Nomads)
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 his
Ep. 91 - The Power of Gentleness & Compassion (ft. Dick Brogden)
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 worker
Ep. 90 - Fulani Nomads - Faith Under Fire
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.Som
Ep. 89 - Revival & Mission
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 calle
Ep. 88 - From Shame to Sonship (ft. Shahriq Khan)
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 trial
Ep. 87 - Guns Under The Bed (Stories of Darfur)
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
Ep. 86 - 10 Myths about Mission & Missionaries
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
Ep. 85 - From Mecca to Christ (ft. Ahmed Joktan)
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.B
Ep. 84 - Iran: Empty Mosques & The Underground Church
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 prim
Ep. 83 - Somalia - Too Hard for God? (ft. Shino & Shania Gabo)
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 h
Ep. 82 - Top 10 Tips (for Sharing Jesus with Muslims)
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 discus
Ep. 81 - Befriending Freedom Fighters
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 th
Ep. 80 - Civil War - The Escape
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,
Ep. 79 - My Prison. God's Silence.
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
Ep. 78 - Overcoming Fear (ft. Jamie Winship)
In this episode Matt interviews Jamie Winship. Jamie tells some amazing stories from when he served in law enforcement in the Washington DC Metropolitan area, including a miraculous revelation during an active kidnapping case. He then goes on to explain how the Lord led him and his wife, Donna, to serve overseas and invite Muslims into the kingdom of God over many years in Indonesia, Iraq and Jo
Ep. 77 - Inviting Muslims To Hear God’s Voice (ft. Donna Winship)
In this episode Matt interviews Donna Winship. She and her husband Jamie spent 25 years living and working in the Muslim world: Indonesia, Iraq & Jordan. In those locations their greatest joy was seeing Muslims discern the voice of God, enter into the kingdom, be healed and follow Jesus. Donna shares how they learnt so much about faith and mission from their own mistakes, from fellow workers a
Ep. 76 - The Motorcycle Diaries (Mozambique)
In this episode we meet a couple from Northern Ireland who have been living and working in rural Mozambique amongst the Yawo people for the last 6 years.Johnny and Kathryn tell some fascinating stories of bugs, witchdoctors, curses and the very beginnings of a church in their local area.They also have various stories about motorbikes, including a theft and various road accidents.Send us a message!
Ep. 75 - Should I Stay or Should I Go?
In this episode Matt talks with an old friend from the earthquake relief work in Pakistan. Andy Kampman grew up in rural Iowa, but in the winter of 2005 he responded to a call to spend a few weeks building shelters in the Pakistani Himalayas for the thousands who had lost their homes. Those weeks were hugely significant for Andy in terms of growing to love Muslims and wanting to share the good new
Ep. 74 - Women Who Risk (ft. Joann Doyle)
**WARNING**This episode contains harrowing stories of domestic abuse and suicidal thoughts, so is not suitable for younger children.This episode's special guest is Joann Doyle, co-author of 2 books: Women Who Risk, Secret Agents for Jesus in the Muslim World and Breakthrough: The Return of Hope to the Middle East. She is also the President and Founder of a ministry called Not Forgotten, which
Ep. 73 - Fleeing Genocide, Finding Jesus
In this episode we meet 'Jacob', who has served in a very poor part of East Africa with his wife and four kids for more than a decade.The refugees there that they live amongst have suffered terribly from a genocide that has led to the displacement of millions from their homeland. But in the midst of the pain and the trauma, many Muslims there are questioning the faith that they have been
Ep. 72 - Saunas, Skiing & Spirits (Life in the Caucasus)
**WARNING**This episode contains a harrowing story of domestic abuse, so is not suitable for younger children.In this fascinating and unusual episode Matt talks to 'David & Abigail', a couple who spent many years in the mountainous post-Soviet Caucausus region. Ministry to Muslims in this part of world is quite different to life in the Middle East or South Asia, with an entrenched dr
Ep. 71 - Learning from the Church in Iran (ft. Phil Moore)
This week Phil Moore, church leader and author of the excellent Straight to the Heart Bible Commentary series, joins Matt to discuss his most recent book, called The Forgotten Manifesto of Jesus, in which he shares stories and lessons learnt from the revival in Iran and its overflow in other nations. Post Covid 19, Phil moved on from leading a large and thriving church in SW London to focus on tak
Ep. 70 - The Church of the Olive Grove
In this episode we meet Dr. Pat Brittenden.Pat grew up in Algeria, served in Tunisia and has recently completed his PhD on the emerging Muslim-background church of North Africa. He works now for the Hikma Partnership, a partnership committed to encouraging BMB (Believers from a Muslim Background) research and writing.Pat shares some of the lessons learned from his years in Tunisia, amazing stories
Ep. 69 - Dreams & Visions (ft. Tom Doyle)
In this episode Matt chats with special guest Tom Doyle, author of several excellent books: Dreams & Visions, Standing in the Fire and Killing Christians, to name a few.He and his wife, Joann, served in many Middle Eastern countries and have written about the stories of those they have met along the way, particularly Muslims who have had dreams and visions of Jesus or have suffered for their f
Ep. 68 - Seeds From the East: The Chinese Missional Impact
This episode is the 3rd one that we have done recently with diaspora immigrants to the West (2nd or 3rd generation) who have gone overseas as church-planters. We’ve had a Nigerian Brit, a South Asian from the USA and now a Canadian of Chinese heritage. Dr. M describes 10 benefits/blessings of being Chinese and working among Muslims. He highlights some of the challenges of working and ministering i
Ep. 67 - A Doctor in India
Dr. T grew up in the USA, but her family is from South Asia and she has several Hindu and Sikh relatives.After becoming a medical doctor and practising in the States, she felt the Lord direct her to using her skills in the 'Muslim world'. A series of events led her to India, the land of her forefathers. She and Matt discuss Indian culture, medical mission and some of the challenges of &a
Ep. 66 - Creation Care & Mission
In this episode we meet Dr. Robert Sluka, once a missionary with Frontiers in the Maldive Islands, where his love for oceans, ocean people and marine biology all combined.Bob and Matt discuss integral mission and how caring for the environment is very much part of our biblical mandate and God's heart for the poor.____________________________________________________________________Visit A Roch
Ep. 65 - The Insanity of Obedience (ft. Nik Ripken)
In this episode we hear the story of Nik Ripken.Nik and Ruth spent over 30 years obeying Christ’s command to share Jesus across the globe. After 7 years in Malawi & South Africa, they moved to Nairobi, Kenya to begin work among the Somali people, in the context of war and famine. Many Somali believers there suffered for their faith. Most were martyred. Near the end of the Ripken’s tenure among
Ep. 64 - A British-Nigerian Missionary to Muslims
In this episode Matt hears from Ola, a Nigerian-Brit who grew up in the UK. Expelled from school, he got caught up in the drug scene in London, before coming to Christ as a young man. He then became a rap artist, before sensing the Lord calling him to the nations.Ola shares honestly about the difficulties of moving to the country of his parents and grandparents to do church planting, before spendi
Ep. 63 - The Turkish Tattoo Artist
In this episode Matt talks to Andy McCullough, a church leader and author in the UK who spent many years doing evangelism and church-planting in Turkey/Turkiye. He’ll be sharing about how a fellowship was started in Istanbul through a tattoo artist, his girlfriend and a series of remarkable dreams. Andy now works with an international network of churches called New Frontiers – not connected to ou
Ep. 62 - Finding Jesus in Yemen
In this episode you'll hear the story of 'Badr' who describes himself as a fanatical Muslim in his teenage years.Although from a Syrian family, he grew up in Yemen and came to faith when his father (hoping he'd become less fanatical) gave him a bible. He shares the journey of how his family reacted, the difficulties of finding other believers to fellowship with and his current
Ep. 61 - Arguments & Apologetics (ft. Dr. Andy Bannister)
In this episode we meet Andy Bannister, Director of Solas. His ministry journey has included several years of engaging with Muslims at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, doing a PhD in Quranic Studies, writing several books on Islam and evangelism, teaching and speaking in many churches in the UK and North America - and currently hosting two podcasts! We’ll be hearing his story and some key tips on re
Ep. 60 - The Insanity of God (ft. Ruth Ripken)
In this episode we hear the story of Ruth Ripken.Ruth and her husband, Nik, spent over 30 years obeying Christ’s command to share Jesus across the globe. After 7 years in Malawi & South Africa, they moved to Nairobi, Kenya to begin work among the Somali people, in the context of war and famine. Many Somali believers there suffered for their faith. Most were martyred. Near the end of the Ripken
Ep. 59 - Witnessing in a Warzone
In this episode we meet Andres, a Latino doctor who spent many years living and working in Kurdistan and now serves in a senior leadership position in Frontiers. What happens when the brother of one of the guys he’s discipling comes to ask for help to kill a personal enemy? What impact did a dream have on one of the first Kurdish believers in their city? And what are the pros and cons of being a L
Ep. 58 - Monkeys on the Roof
Taken on a trip to Jordan by her father when she was 14 years old, Becky spent time with Palestinian refugees and was deeply impacted by them and the work of the missionaries there. But it was India which captured her heart a few years later, with its incredibly friendly and hospitable people, its amazing food and, most importantly its huge need for gospel workers. In this episode we hear about ho
Ep. 57 - Motorcycles & Mission
In this episode we meet John from Canada, an intrepid adventurer turned missionary.In his youth he rode his motorbikes across North America, Europe & the Middle East – most often sleeping under the stars. He had various accidents too, including one in which he broke his neck. But when the Lord called him to take the good news to Muslims, he ended up living in Asia for 30 years! And there in th
Ep. 56 - The Holy Land
The conflict between the Israeli governement and Hamas has surfaced once again these past several months - with the kidnapping of Jewish civilians, the bombardment of Gaza, the terrible loss of life, the constant fear and the international community deeply divided in how to respond. In this episode we hear from Charlie, who lived with her family in Jordan and East Jerusalem for several years. She
Ep. 55 - 7 Days in Türkiye
Most of our guests have been 'on the field' for years, since we at Frontiers are all about long-term engagement with unreached peoples, i.e. going deep into language and culture to be as effective as possible in making disciples and planting churches.But today's young guests report back on a recent short-term mission trip that they went on in Turkey (Turkiye) that lasted for only a
Ep. 54 - Sisters of the Sahara
In this episode we meet Naomi, a young Brit who has dedicated her life to sharing Jesus with Muslims in Africa.What happens when a friend's roof is blown off in storm? Will God provide? Should Naomi give her the money for it? How should she deal with bats living in her bathroom?!How did some of the new believers from a Muslim background show Naomi what it really means to obey and boldly live
Ep. 53 - The Kurds of Iraq
In this episode we hear from J, who spent 11 years with his family in Northern Iraq living amongst the Kurds. We discuss ISIS (aka Daesh / the Islamic State), the connections that the Kurds have with the ancient Medes (as mentioned in the Bible), eco-tourism and archaeology, and the role that statehood (or lack of it) has for the Kurds. We also discuss the Californian, Roger Cumberland, a missiona
Ep. 52 - The Iranian Church (ft. Mojtaba Hosseini)
44 years ago there were only a few hundred believers in Iran from a Muslim background. Now the number is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands!Iranians (or Persians) are coming to Christ in amazing ways all over the world - not only in diaspora communities, but also inside the deeply conservative Islamic Republic, in spite of the country's strict laws against owning a Farsi bible and
Ep. 51 - 30 Years in the Middle East
In this episode Matt interviews 'Hope' who, with her family, has lived and served in 4 different Middle Eastern countries over the last 30 years. Hope talks about how her Middle Eastern experiences have brought a greater understanding of the original context of the Bible, how she uses stories to bring good news to her Muslim friends and neighbours and how God's Word has sustained he
Ep. 50 - Meeting My Husband’s Killer (ft. Emily Foreman)
Emily’s husband, Stephen, had given her a well-read copy of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs on their first date. And a few years later, while they were serving in Northern Africa, he was shot and killed by Al Qaeda terrorists. In this episode Emily shares some of her story, describing the love and mission that God had given both her and Stephen for the people of that part of the world, the tragic loss she
Ep. 49 - Indonesia – 230 million Muslims
Indonesia contains more Muslims than any other country in the world – more than 230 million. And that’s why José, a young man from Latin America, decided to join a Frontiers team there, because the need is so great. In this episode José shares about the challenge he faced to get his church to understand God’s global vision and their role in it, the joy of being mentored well in his preparation tim
Ep. 48 - Living in the Slums of West Africa
Although we at Frontiers believe that Jesus is worth risking everything we have: our comforts, our hobbies, our wealth, our careers, our reputations and even our lives – we also are strong believers in supporting our workers on the field well and helping them to navigate the traumas, conflicts or disappointments they might face. In this episode Matt chats with Harriet who heads the Member Care tea
Ep. 47 - Movement Thinking (ft. Cynthia Anderson)
In this episode we meet Cynthia Anderson, a YWAM missionary, speaker, trainer and author of a brand-new book called The Multiplier’s Mindset which tackles some of the main paradigm shifts we need to adopt if we are to catalyse Disciple-Making Movements. Cynthia spent decades pioneer church-planting in Nepal & India, where, after years of frustration and self-doubt, she saw hundreds of new beli
Ep. 46 - Hundreds of Ethiopian Evangelists
In this episode you'll hear some incredible stories from Jeremy, a brother from Ethiopia. His life was one of loss, anger and drugs until he discovered Jesus. He then became a teacher and a pastor in the church, and later an elected official in the local government. And then his life direction changed again when God called him to reach out to Muslims in his country.He was very resistant to th
Ep. 45 - 15 Years In the Desert
How do 2 people with no particular overseas 'calling' end up living and raising their family for many years in the desert?!In this episode we meet John, who’s been serving the poor in North Africa for 15 years. We talk about some of the challenges that he and his wife have faced adjusting to North African culture, the false dichotomy of ‘salvation or social transformation’ and working wi
Ep. 44 - The Celtic Way: Learning from Missionary Monks
What can we learn from the early Celtic Christian saints who brought the gospel to Scotland and Northern England: St. Patrick, St. Aidan, St. Columba & St. Cuthbert?These were the wandering & worshipping monks & missionaries, the peregrine pilgrims, devoted to prayer, justice and sharing the good news amongst the pagan tribes.And what about the Early Church Fathers & Mothers or the
Ep. 43 - From Islam to Christ to the Nations - Latif & Fatima's Story
In this episode we hear from 'Latif and Fatima' who grew up as Muslims in London in immigrant families.They share about their arranged marriage (how they got engaged without ever having spoken with each other and how they found the relationship difficult and full of conflict for a long time), their journey to faith in Jesus, the traumatic rejection from their close family members and the
Ep. 42 - Imprisoned in Türkiye (ft. Andrew Brunson)
Andrew Brunson has never been connected to Frontiers, but he joins us as a guest for this episode to share his incredible story of persecution and perseverance. Accused of terrorism by the government, he spent 2 years in Turkish jails from 2016-2018, following more than 20 years serving as a missionary and pastor there. He talks about the terrible suffering he and his family endured and how he alm
Ep. 41 - Sports, The Sahara & Spiritual Attacks
11 years after receiving a call to do gospel work in the 10/40 Window, Ria was still in her home country, having a very successful youth ministry, but having almost given up on the dream of working among the least reached.But then she heard a Frontiers worker asking for more people to come and do sports ministry in the Muslim world, and that was the prompt that God used to reignite the calling she
Ep. 40 - From Ireland to Tajikistan
How did Cate go from working in HR in the city of London to a life involving treading cow dung for fuel, trying to milk a cow, sleeping on a mat and washing clothes in the river in Tajikistan?!How did she cope with living in a society in which women are regularly married off at 15 or 16 years old, beaten by their husbands for any perceived wrongdoing and have no option but to live a life of domest
Ep. 39 - Refugees & Riots in Greece
In this episode Matt talks to Ben, who is currently studying at London School of Theology.He spent his childhood years in Mauritania, Mali and Sudan, before moving up to the North of England.And a few years ago, aged only 19, he spent 9 months on the Greek Island of Lesbos, working in the infamous Moria Refugee Camp with a group called Eurorelief.Moria was the largest refugee camp in Europe until
Ep. 38 - A Palestinian's Encounter with Christ
In this episode you’ll hear the amazing story of how Noor, who grew up in a Palestinian Muslim family, came to faith in Jesus through a dream, online chat rooms and a bible that someone gave her.At one point, she had to flee the Middle East and seek asylum in the UK, which was a very traumatic series of experiences. Now she serves as an evangelist in London, but her dream is to go back to the Midd
Ep. 37 - Mental Health & Ministry
Matt talks with the author and blogger, Mark Meynell, who currently serves as the Director of Langham Preaching (Europe & Caribbean). Mark was previously on the senior leadership team at All Souls, Langham Place, has served in theological education in Uganda and, until recently, was Chaplain to several government departments/offices.In this episode Mark shares very frankly about the PTSD and
Ep. 36 - From the Philippines to the World
The growth of the church in Asia over the last 100 years (as well as in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa) is something to rejoice in. The Philippines is one such country, where remarkable transformation is happening, with the result that many Filipinos are now responding to Jesus’ call to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.In this episode we meet Barnabas, a Filipino who has served in mu
Ep. 35 - Nomadic Bedouins & Oil-Rich Arabs
This week we meet 'Keziah', a Californian girl who moved to Jordan to live among poor, illiterate, nomadic Bedouins for 8 years before relocating to the Arabian Peninsular, where God called her and her husband to reach out to highly educated, wealthy elites.These two different locations meant exchanging a world of sheep, goats and camels for skyscrapers, SUVs and designer clothes. But th
Ep. 34 - Iran: A Woman's Story
In one of the most strict Islamic societies on earth, where the Ayatollah-led government enforces Sharia law and morality through the infamous Islamic Revolutionary Guard, an unprecedented movement to Christ among ordinary Iranian Muslims has been happening for the last 40 years.In this episode Matt interviews an Iranian lady called Mariam.She tells how, through dreams, through the Word of God, th
Ep. 33 - Syrian Refugees: Trauma & Hope
In this episode we hear from a lady who has been working with Syrian widows for many years in the Levant. These are widows who fled the war in Syria, having witnessed the brutality of ISIS first hand.You’ll hear stories of deep friendship, of community transformation and, most importantly, of ladies finding the love and hope that Jesus offers.Other topics covered include primary and secondary tra
Ep. 32 - In Qatar for the World Cup
A team of guys headed into the Middle East to watch some football, but also (and far more importantly) to share the gospel with fans from the many Muslim nations represented in the tournament, most of whom will never have met a follower of Jesus.Ben, Mike and Matt reflect on the adventures they had, the unique opportunities that this World Cup presented, Arab hospitality, the very real challenges
Ep. 31 - Life in Lebanon
After growing up and studying in France and in the UK, Jonathan worked for Tearfund for a while before sensing the call of God to move to South Lebanon, to serve the Palestinian refugees community and to share Jesus.He tells the story of how he narrowly escaped the bombing of Beirut airport during one of the conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel, as well as how a mysterious man gave him intel to
Ep. 30 - Rahman's Story
When 10 Muslim boys decided to steal some papaya from a Korean missionary in Northern Ghana, a chain of events started that led Rahman and many others to become followers of Jesus.In this episode Matt meets Rahman and hears his story of coming to Christ and the impact that it had on his family.This is why Jesus sends us out, even commands us to go. (Matt. 28:18-20) Topics in this episode include:
Ep. 29 - Journey To Jordan
In this episode Jono shares about the years he and his family spent in Jordan & Lebanon.Jono met about 700 taxi drivers over several years living in one city and he had around 400 gospel conversations. But he faced the same objections to the good news again and again: "You believe in 3 gods. The Bible is corrupted. Jesus is only a prophet..."This led him to create a fantastic series
Ep. 28 - Inside India (Part 2)
We continue to hear from Benjamin - a South Indian who, along with his wife, has spent many years proclaiming the good news of the kingdom to Muslims in North India, thousands of miles from home and family.What happens to Ben when a Christian in his town insults the local Muslims and it gets into the newspapers?How was running a chicken farm beneficial to Ben's gospel ministry?!Why did Ben&ap
Ep. 27 - Inside India (Part 1)
In this episode you'll meet Benjamin - a South Indian who, along with his wife, has spent many years proclaiming the good news of the kingdom to Muslims in North India, thousands of miles from home and family.We discuss the huge needs and particular challenges of India - the world's second most populous nation and second largest 'Muslim' country in the world, where there is onl
Ep. 26 - The Ministry of Tears
**WARNING** This episode contains some harrowing stories of violence against women, so is not suitable for younger children.We continue to hear stories from Afghanistan & Pakistan in this episode - this time from Roxanne, whose husband Jeff was interviewed a fortnight ago.Roxanne shares her experiences in the land of the Taliban: the deep friendships that she made, the incredible miracles that
Ep. 25 - Angels in Afghanistan
Jeff, a photographer, (& Roxanne, who we'll be hearing from in our next episode) have been on church planting teams in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan & India.They have decades of experience and some jaw-dropping stories of God's power and protection.What happened when an Afghan young man's father came to kidnap him and send him to to his death as a Jihadi on the frontline
Ep. 24 - The 24-7 Smuggler
In this episode Matt interviews Ian Nicholson, one of the founding leaders of 24-7 Prayer and the Guildford Boiler Room (now Emmaus Road Church) and one of 24-7’s International leadership team.The stories covered take us all over the world: to India, Austria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Russia, Romania, Bangladesh and Ibitha (Spain)!Ian shares about coming to faith, being a youth leader and a church past
Ep. 23 - From Russia With Love
The current situation in Ukraine has dominated world headlines for months and will, no doubt, continue to do so for a while, with so many being killed and displaced - and with no end in sight.In this episode Matt interviews 'Nick', a Russian believer who is doing everything he can to support Ukrainian refugees in Russia. He shares about his experiences in the refugee camps, mobilising th
Ep. 22 - In the Home of Jihad (Part 2)
What is the point of doing short-term mission trips?Don’t they do more harm than good? Hit and run evangelism with no cultural understanding? Are they really a good use of time and money?We at Frontiers are all about long-term church-planting teams, but we often introduce people to the Muslim world through short-term trips.In this episode Matt continues his conversation with three young people wh
