Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, joins me to dive deep into the current state of Christian missions. He explores the history, challenges, and future of global missions, from the legacy of William Carey to the impact of globalization and cultural shifts. Ted discusses the role of unreached people groups, the influence of American imperialism, and the evolving dynamics of missionary work, including the significant contributions of women. Discover how missions are adapting in a rapidly changing world and what it means for the global church.
Note: There are 134,000 US missionaries, not 340,000 as stated in the podcast. Esler accidentally gave the global rather than US total.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
00:29 Defining Missions: Evangelism, Discipleship, and Church Planting
01:30 The History of the Modern Missions Movement
03:07 The Origins of Missio Nexus
04:00 Missionary Funding and Global Perspectives
06:49 Paradigms Shaping Modern Missions
08:22 The Tension Between Evangelism and Development Work
11:24 The Decline of Mainline Denominations in Missions
12:36 Missions and the Question of Imperialism
17:35 Missions in the Age of Globalization
23:24 The Impact of DEI and Christian Nationalism on Missions
26:22 Women in Missions: A Historical Constant
28:31 The Future of Missions: Trends and Predictions
33:01 Closing Thoughts
TED ESLER LINKS:
🌐 Missio Nexus: https://missionexus.org/
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