Modern Day Missionaries

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 &...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...