The Sent Life

The word "missionary" is found nowhere in the Bible, and yet many Christians have dedicated their lives to what we call "the missionary task." The question is, where in Scripture does the idea of a missionary come from, and why do we place so much emphasis on it today? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk about the biblical foundations for the missionary role.

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"I've always been a Christian." This is not an uncommon statement to hear in some parts of the world. But how do we as Christians respond when speaking with someone who may be culturally Christian? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk about nominalism and how to engage people who are far from God. Whether you live in the "Bible Belt" or in a context where it's normal to wear the title of "Christian," we hope this...

There has been a lot of talk in recent years about the necessity of investing in and mobilizing the next generation. But what would it look like practically for young adults to participate in the life of a church plant, and why do we need young adults in our church planting efforts? On this episode of The Sent Life, Keelan continues the conversation with Jon Chasteen, Director of Next Gen Mobilization at NAMB. This time, Jon shares...

Boston, Massachusetts is one of the most historic cities in America, and it is not far from the birthplace of the first Baptist church in the U.S. However, along with its rich American history, Boston, like much of New England, has a great need for Gospel-preaching churches. On this episode of The Sent Life, Keelan sits down with Jon Chasteen, a church planter in Boston and Director of Next Gen Mobilization at NAMB. Join us for a c...

One of the challenges of sharing the Gospel with Hindus is the fact that they often seem very accepting of whatever you say. Many Hindus are even happy to add Jesus to the shelf of idols in their home. The question is, how do we share that Jesus is the Truth when those we are speaking with do not seem to think about truth in the same way we do? On this episode, Scott and Keelan talk with a missionary to South Asia about her experie...

One of the unique challenges missionaries face is leaving behind loved ones in order to proclaim the Gospel to those who have never heard or accepted. This becomes especially difficult when friends or family members don't fully support the missionary's decision to go. On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan consider the question, how can missionaries leave well for the mission field? Specifically, how can they love those...

Is security really something we need to worry about for a 10-day trip? And if so, how do we best prepare ourselves and our missionary partners when going on short-term mission trips? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan have the opportunity to talk with Stephen Haber from the International Mission Board about how those going on and sending short-term trips can minimize security issues for themselves and their missiona...

We often talk about the idea of calling, but what is the missionary call specifically? Is it a mystical experience? Is it a sense of being out of place? Or is it something else? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk about how to think about and discern a call to the work of missions. Whether you are discerning a call to missionary work personally, or are walking alongside someone who is, we hope this episode provi...

Missions is a conversation that naturally comes with a lot of emotion. This makes sense when we see biblical examples of people like Paul being provoked at the sight of lostness around him in Athens. However, one of the potential dangers for missionaries and aspiring missionaries is the idea of the "Savior complex." On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk about how to distinguish between a healthy zeal for God's mis...

The world is big, and lostness is everywhere. And while some missionaries know exactly where they want to plant their lives, some may not have a specific location or people group they feel called to serve. The question is, how do missionaries discern where they should serve in a world of endless need? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk about the decision-making process and how missionaries can discern where and...

In the West, we have a tendency to take a skeptical approach towards the supernatural. And yet, other parts of the world heavily emphasize supernatural experiences, which can often leave missionaries feeling perplexed. The question is, how should we understand the role of the supernatural "middle realm" when doing missionary work? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk about the "Flaw of the Excluded Middle" and ho...

What does it look like to support missionaries from thousands of miles away? More specifically, what is the local church's responsibility in caring for their sent ones? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk with Pastor Ben McRoy about some practical ways that churches can care well for their missionaries while they're on the field. Join us as Pastor Ben shares some potential pitfalls as well as some best practices...

On this very special 200th episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan answer questions sent in by returned Journeymen. These topics include how to develop a missions strategy, how to return to the mission field, and why women outnumber men on the field. You don't want to miss this episode of The Sent Life!

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What does it take to have a long-lasting missionary ministry? How can missionaries develop rhythms that will help them endure for the long haul? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan have the privilege of speaking with Daren and Shawna Davis, who have served with the IMB for many years, even serving as Affinity Leaders at the IMB. In this conversation, we explore how the Lord has kept them on the field through the year...

How far should we go with bridges and redemptive analogies in cross-cultural evangelism? And how do we avoid putting unnecessary pressure on these bridges when sharing the Gospel? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk about overcoming barriers to communicating the Gospel cross-culturally and how to use bridges well. Join us as we explore some of the ditches to avoid, as well as how to use bridges effectively in mi...

Sharing the Gospel with Hindus can often be a daunting task. Where do we begin when there is so much diversity within Hinduism? And how do we guard against syncretism in this process? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan sit down with Dr. Anna Daub, missionary to South Asia and professor of missions and anthropology at Southeastern, to talk about how we can better witness to our Hindu neighbors about the Gospel of Jes...

The war in Iran has raised a plethora of questions, especially for Christians. What does this mean for the Iranian church and the progress of the Gospel? How should we as Christians be praying for those being directly impacted by these events? On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk with Southeastern's Director of Persian Leadership Development, Dr. Kambiz Saghaey, about the conflict in Iran.

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For some to go, others must send. And one of the greatest examples of faithfulness to send and support missionaries is found in none other than Annie Armstrong. On this episode of The Sent Life, Scott and Keelan talk with Ryan Martin about a children's book he co-authored with Lynette Ezell on the life of Annie Armstrong. Join us as Ryan shares why they decided to write a missions book for children and why Annie's life is an import...

From the very beginning, Southern Baptists have been unified around one sacred effort, which is to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. As Southern Baptists gather this week in Orlando, Scott and Keelan reflect on the origins of the SBC and how we as a convention cooperate today for the sake of the Great Commission. Join us as we remember God's past and continued kindness towards us in this one sacred effort!

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