RAW Mission

Ep. 106 - Terror & Trauma in Northern Nigeria

In this episode we hear from Pastor Sulaiman, who shares about the incredible difficulties of life as a Christian under Sharia Law in Northern Nigeria, as well as the constant threat of violence from the terrorist organisation called Boko Haram. His personal stories are as troubling as his godly wisdom is inspiring, as he details the extreme persecution that so many have faced in his country. NB. This episode contains stories of brutality and gender-based violence, so will not be suitable for some listeners. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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Ep. 105 - Colonialism, Conquest or Cultural Demolition?

What exactly is Christian mission? Is it inevitably linked to empire, to neocolonialism, to power dynamics? Do missionaries inevitably trample on the host culture with ethnocentric arrogance? Shouldn't we just leave others alone, with some kind of detached pluralistic indifference or vague anthropological notion of 'pristine' tribal people who ought not to have contact with or influence from outsiders? This episode with author, Will Maxson addresses these questions, as we reflect on his latest book about mission and colonisation. Will spent a few years in Afghanistan and now resides in the States. You can find more about his books here: https://www.willmaxson-author.com/ Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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Ep. 104 - A Yorkshireman Heads East

In this episode Matt interviews Andy, a straight-talking northern guy who loves Jesus and loves sharing the gospel with Muslims. He and his wife spent several years in a tough surveillance state in Central Asia, learning the local language and figuring out how to communicate God's love to local Muslims. It was a tough environment and eventually they and various others were forced to leave the country. They now are based in the UK, working with refugees and they continue to share the hope that is within them. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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Ep. 103 - Bouncing With The Sudanese

In this episode we meet a young German missionary, called Micha, who has spent years working with Sudanese across East Africa. It's been a rough ride in many ways for his family: a nasty motorbike accident, a cancer diagnosis, a military coup, an attack on the foreigners' compound. But through it all, Micha and his wife have sought the Lord and asked for wisdom about whether to stay or to go home. At one point, their inspirational love for the local people even led them to live inside a refugee camp, in very poor conditions. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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Ep. 102 - Honourably Wounded

In this episode Matt talks to Layla and Stephen, a young couple who moved to the Middle East a few years ago to join one of our teams, but very quickly had a major setback to their plans, hopes and dreams. We discuss various disappointments and challenges (including how to cope with sexual harassment and severe physical limitations). And, of course, there are the usual light-hearted moments and reflections on the joy of entering a new culture and seeing God powerfully at work in the lives of Muslims - including one amazing story of praying for a Muslim lady who, during prayer, saw Jesus in a vision and heard him speaking to her. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 100 Indians live in an unreached people group (less than2% Evangelical and less than 5% Christian Adherent). And 3 out of 4 Indians live in frontier unreached people groups (less than 0.1% Christian Adherent, i.e. the most unreached). And the workers there are SO few compared to the numbers in Africa and Latin America. (For more details, look at the bar charts in this excellent Why India document.) In this episode Matt talks to a young couple who've been living in an Indian city for the best part of a decade. They share fascinating stories of life and ministry there, with its many ups and downs. Dodging cows and camels, trying not to get electrocuted and raising a family in a Muslim-majority neighbourhood... there's rarely a dull moment! Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 cover. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 God who offers us so much more than mere religion. He has lost much. He has regular threats on his life and a Fatwa declared against him for apostasy. But he has gained Christ and as he loves to say, there’s “no turning back!” For more on John’s ministry or to support his work, do check out his website and socials here: https://johnghanim.com/ www.youtube.com/@johnghanim0 https://www.instagram.com/johnghanim/ Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 the Sahara desert - a life alongside lizards, scorpions and donkeys, a life where water is scarce, electricity a luxury and the people are warm and welcoming. Can Lena thrive in a world so different to the green and pleasant pastures of England and Wales? How will she cope with such a basic life, especially when she has very little Arabic through which to communicate with the locals? Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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Ep. 97 - The Blood of the Martyrs (ft. Dr. Aweis Ali)

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 most dangerous places in the world to be a follower of Christ. Aweis is a partner of Open Doors and the General Secretary of the Bible Society of Somalia. You can see him sharing a few minutes of his story here on the Open Doors website. NB. This episode contains some stories of extreme violence against Christians and may not be suitable for younger listeners. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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/revenge killings in the mountainous tribal society where he lived. This is a story of perseverance and faith that will inspire you to step out into mission, trusting God to be your shield and defender. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 believers from a Muslim background. What happened when terrorists attacked the school in Pakistan that Tim and Rachel's children attended? How should one respond when an African student of a fundamentalist Islamic madrassa in your city (where the students have had weapons training in Afghanistan) asks you for a bible? These are just a few of the stories that Tim shares with us. To access the brilliant courses and resources that Tim has authored or helped to create, visit: https://word.org.uk/ Come, Follow Me is the discipleship course particularly for believers from a Muslim background. Joining the Family is to help churches to understand and to welcome Muslim-background Christ followers into fellowship. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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. In the UK, Esther began a journey to Jesus that involved visions, paintings, Scripture that came into her mind (though she had never seen a Bible) and a powerful dream. This is an amazing story of freedom - in more ways than one. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 historical contexts of the Bible. In what sense are we, as the people of God, also nomadic? What is significant about the theme of 'tabernacle' throughout the Scriptures? Ron mentions the help that one of John Piper's books was to him in his time of grief. You can download The Misery of Job & The Mercy of God for free here. To learn more about nomads or working with nomads, do check out The Nomadic Peoples Network here. For the courses that Ron mentions in the episode, visit this site. And for Ron's podcast, Let Nomads Move You, visit your normal podcast platform or click this link. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 workers stay long-term in difficult places? What is the difference between calling, assignment and role? How can we respond when Muslims publicly challenge or criticise our faith? How do Arab believers help Westerners to understand bible stories from a Middle-Eastern perspective? Do check out Dick's books at: https://www.abidepublishers.com/shop Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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. Some of the books that Peter recommends are: Glenn Schwartz, When Charity Destroys Dignity; Jean Johnson, We Are Not the Hero; Jonathan Bonk, The Realities of Money and Missions; and from a non faith-based perspective: Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert, When Helping Hurts Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14) Mathew's book, Global Revival, Worldwide Outpourings can be found here. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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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 trials, including rejection, criticism and pressure from his family and friends to come back to Islam, and a season of partying that led to a period of deep depression and hopelessness. But the Lord’s kindness and grace has drawn him back into great community, where Shahriq testifies to a journey of healing and deliverance, growth and discipleship – and a huge heart to bring the gospel to Muslims and to teach others how to do so. Do check out his Instagram page @realshahriqkhan Or you can find him on Youtube @RealShahriqKhan And for training resources and to join the underground community, visit this webpage. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

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 regularly interrogated by the police. This is a powerful story of incarnational love, of unlikely friendships, of Muslims finding the truth about Jesus, of hope for hopeless refugees in Sudan. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. matt@frontiers.org.uk You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________