Mission Shift Podcast

Season 1 Bonus Episode: Interview with Jake Abraham This episode is more of our interview with Jake Abraham. Jake was featured in episodes 3, 4, and 5 of our first season. Jake is the Executive Director of City, an adult-discipleship ministry of Cru. Born in India, Jake has also lived in the Philippines, Australia, and the US. Jake makes wonderful contributions to the topic of how global missions involvement go hand in hand with our own growth as followers of Jesus, and speaks directly to the role of western missions as past mission fields grow into powerful missionary forces. Mission Shift is a podcast where we learn from our brothers and sisters around the world as we explore the changing face of global missions. If you’re new to our podcast, we encourage you to start with episode 1 of our first season. Mission Shift is a narrative podcast, where each episode builds on the concepts discussed in the previous episode.  If you find our material beneficial, would you subscribe, leave a positive review, and share the podcast with a friend or pastor? This will help more and more people find our content. – Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby, and is a production of Cru’s City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected]

Today we hear from Paul Borthwick (USA), Lazarus Phiri (Zambia), Derek Seipp (USA), Steve Addison (Australia), Adegbite Olanihum (Nigeria), Marek Wyrzykowski (Poland), Greg Huguley (USA), Ron & Star Nelson (USA), and Cas Monaco (USA). In this episode, we look back on where we've traveled so far, reflect on what we've learned, and discuss what some possible next steps might be. This is our last episode for now. If you started listening part way through the season, we strongly encourage you to start with Episode 1 and catch up to where you started. Over the coming weeks and months we will release fuller versions of the interviews we drew on for this season, as well as the occasional special episode, right here on the podcast channel. If this podcast has been helpful for you, we would appreciate you sharing it with your pastor, missions pastor or team, missionaries you are connected with, and other followers of Jesus interested in what He is doing around the world.  Bios and links for our hosts and guests can be found at Cru.org/MissionShift. Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby. -- Mission Shift is a production of Cru's City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected] 

Ep7: New Era, New Approach, Part 2 Today we hear from Dela Adadevoh (Ghana), Ron & Star Nelson (USA), David & Susan Rice (USA, Adrian de Visser (Sri Lanka).  This is the second of a two-part episode in which we explore a new approach for engaging in global missions in this new era. Today’s episode focuses on how full-time missionaries are engaging with a new approach; last week’s episode focused on opportunities for everyday followers of Jesus to make global contributions in this new era. Ron & Star mentioned the Perspectives course, a highly-respected and very powerful missions class. You can learn more about the course, where you can take it, and how you can host it at https://perspectives.org. Bios and links for our hosts and guests can be found at Cru.org/MissionShift. Our journey exploring the changing face of global missions will span eight episodes, and then we will begin releasing longer versions of our interviews with the guests we hear from throughout the eight episodes. Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby. -- Mission Shift is a production of Cru's City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected]

Ep7: New Era, New Approach, Part 1 Today we hear from Greg Huguley (USA), Adrian de Visser (Sri Lanka), Jeff Reams (USA), Matt* (USA), and Elaine Shannon (USA). This is the first of a two-part episode in which we explore a new approach for engaging in global missions in this new era. Today’s episode focuses on opportunities for everyday followers of Jesus to make global contributions; next week’s episode focuses on how full-time missionaries are engaging with a new approach. Bios and links for our hosts and guests can be found at Cru.org/MissionShift. Our journey exploring the changing face of global missions will span eight episodes, and then we will begin releasing longer versions of our interviews with the guests we hear from throughout the eight episodes. Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby. * We are using a pseudonym and disguised his voice to protect his identity due to the sensitive nature of the work he is doing in some locations.  -- Mission Shift is a production of Cru's City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected] 

Episode 6: Mission Without Empire Today we hear from Adrian de Visser (Sri Lanka), Lazarus Phiri (Zambia), Dela Adadevoh (Ghana), Marek Wryzykowski (Poland), Paul Borthwick (USA), Carlos Abarca (Costa Rica), and Derek Seipp (USA). Our conversation with all these leaders centers on the reality that though the center of gravity of Christianity has shifted out of the west, the center of power has not. What does that mean for engaging together in God’s global mission? This episode's name comes from a talk Dr. Lazarus Phiri gave at Missio Nexus' Innovate 2021 Conference. You can find the full talk here. Bios and links for our hosts and guests can be found at Cru.org/MissionShift. Our journey exploring the changing face of global missions will span eight episodes, and then we will begin releasing longer versions of our interviews with the guests we hear from throughout the eight episodes. Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby. -- Mission Shift is a production of Cru's City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected]

Episode 5: A New Invitation Today we hear from Adrian de Visser (Sri Lanka), Paul Borthwick (USA), Dela Adadevoh (Ghana), Adegbite Olanihum (Nigeria), Jake Abraham (India/USA), and Derek Seipp (USA). This is both a challenging and encouraging conversation as we receive an invitation and encouragement to work together in global missions in new ways.  Bios and links for our hosts and guests can be found at Cru.org/MissionShift. Our journey exploring the changing face of global missions will span eight episodes, and then we will begin releasing longer versions of our interviews with the guests we hear from throughout the eight episodes. Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby. -- Mission Shift is a production of Cru's City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected] 

Episode 4: God’s Mission Unshifted Today we hear from Steve Addison (Australia), Cas Monaco (USA), and Jake Abraham (India/USA). In our conversations with them, we explore the stability that God’s unchanging mission gives us as we engage in His global mission in a changing world. You can find Steve Addision’s book, Your Part in God’s Plan: 40 Days from Genesis to Revelation, on Amazon at https://amzn.to/36vWM3i. You can connect with Cas at https://casmonaco.squarespace.com/  Bios and links for our hosts and guests can be found at Cru.org/MissionShift. Our journey exploring the changing face of global missions will span eight episodes, and then we will begin releasing longer versions of our interviews with the guests we hear from throughout the eight episodes. Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby. -- Mission Shift is a production of Cru's City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected]

Episode 3: Rise of the Majority World Church Today we hear from Lazarus Phiri (Zambia), Carlos Abarca (Costa Rica), Adrian de Visser (Sri Lanka), Jake Abraham (US/India), Derek Seipp (US), and Oscar Muriu (Kenya). In our conversations with them, we explore what it means that the Majority World church is now a significant player in global missions, and how beneficial this shift is to the fulfillment of God’s global mission. Multiple guests have mentioned that the largest churches in Europe were planted by Africans. One of these that we touch on briefly is in Ukraine. The current war was not a reality yet when we recorded this episode, so is not discussed. However, the devastation in Ukraine is real and the courage of the Ukrainian people is admirable. If you would like to help meet practical needs for Ukrainian refugees, please visit https://unto.com/survival/  Many thanks to Intervaristy for permission to use the clip of Pastor Oscar Muriu; you can find his full talk at Urbana 2006 at https://vimeo.com/69504380; it is well worth your 30 minutes. Bios and links for our hosts and guests can be found at Cru.org/MissionShift. Our journey exploring the changing face of global missions will span eight episodes, and then we will begin releasing longer versions of our interviews with the guests we hear from throughout the eight episodes. Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby. -- Mission Shift is a production of Cru's City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected] 

Episode 2: What Caused the Shift? We continue exploring changes in  global missions by asking, “What caused the shift?” We find answers through a a futurist’s thoughts on change and innovation, a missiologist’s review of global missions history, and mission practitioners’ stories from around the world. Today we get to hear from Derek Seipp (US), Cas Monaco (US), Lazarus Phiri (Zambia), Steve Addison (Australia), and Dela Adadevoh (Ghana).  Bios and links for our hosts and guests can be found at Cru.org/MissionShift. Our journey will span eight episodes, and then we will begin releasing longer versions of our interviews with the guests we hear from throughout the eight episodes. Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby. -- Mission Shift is a production of Cru's City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected] 

Episode 1: The Big Shift With this episode we set out on our journey to explore the changing face of global missions. Why? Because the world has changed drastically, and we have to ask, “How will global missions shift?” In episode one we discuss global shifts in Christianity, get personal about the effect of those shifts, and catch a glimpse of the shifts in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. We also introduce  some of the amazing global Christian leaders who will journey with us all season long. Today’s episode includes Paul Borthwick (US), Carlos Abarca (Costa Rica), Adegbite Olanihun (Nigeria), and Dela Adadevoh (Ghana).  Bios and links for our hosts and guests can be found at Cru.org/MissionShift. Our journey will span eight episodes, and then we will begin releasing longer versions of our interviews with the guests we hear from throughout the eight episodes. Mission Shift is hosted by Carita Chen and Josh Irby. -- Mission Shift is a production of Cru's City Global team. We would love to journey with you as you explore and engage in the changing face of global missions. Reach us at [email protected]