The Missionary Perspective

J. B. Godfrey is a veteran missionary, pastor, and missions leader with decades of service around the globe. He and his wife Linda served for many years in North Africa and later helped mobilize missionaries across Asia and the Muslim world. Currently, he serves as the Vice President of BIMI's Far East and Southeast Asia Fields, encouraging and equipping the next generation of missionaries. A passionate speaker and storyteller, J. B. brings deep insight into cross-cultural missions, spiritual warfare, and the joys and costs of gospel work.

Alex Kocman is a Christian, husband, father of four, student, writer, podcaster, church leader, missions advocate, and voice on the biblical and cultural issues affecting us today. He received his M.A. in Media and Communication Studies and B.S. in Biblical Studies through Liberty University, where he also served as an online evangelism and apologetics instructor with Liberty University Online from 2012-2014. From there, he spent two years as a Student Ministry Coordinator at a large, multisite church. He now serves as Director of Communications and Engagement for ABWE, a theologically conservative church-planting missions agency with about 1,000 missionaries reaching nearly 90 countries. Since 2017, he has cohosted The Missions Podcast with Scott Dunford, interviewing notable guests across the evangelical and missiological worlds. In 2023, he also began hosting Cloud of Witnesses, ABWE's show highlighting stories of veteran missionary faithfulness, and in 2024, he launched The World View on YouTube. He is the co-author with Chad Vegas of Missions by the Book: How Theology and Practice Walk Together (Founders Press, 2021), which argues for a biblical vision of the missionary task driven by historic Protestant orthodoxy bounded by the regulative principle. He is also the author of Striving for the Faith: A Journey Through Philippians for Life on Mission (Founders Press), which is now available for preorder and slated for release in February 2025. His other miscellaneous writings have been featured in various outlets, including The Gospel Coalition, For the Church, 9Marks, Biblical Missiology, Founders Ministries, Doctrine and Devotion, Message Magazine and ABWE's blog, Liberty University News, American Bible Society's Record Magazine, and Christian Life News. He resides with his wife and four children in York, Pennsylvania, where he spends his free time studying theology, weightlifting, and nursing a heavy coffee addiction. He adheres to the 1689 London Baptist Confession and serves as an elder at Faith Bible Fellowship Church, where he leads the missions team and serves as director of communications and worship.

Josh and Erik share a topic not often discussed by missionaries: how to conduct funerals on the mission field. 

Keith Mead has served as a pastor for over 40 years. He is now retired. His wife and two of his four children are with the Lord. Pastor Mead was not only Josh's pastor when he was a child but is Josh's grandfather. 

D.J. Harry is the pastor of Needhams Grove Baptist Church in Seagrove, North Carolina. His undergraduate training was in science education which led him to teach high school chemistry, biology, and physics for eight years. However, in 2005, God directed his steps into pastoral ministry. He received his M.Div. from Piedmont International University and will complete his D.Min. in 2025. A featured speaker at marriage conferences, parenting conferences, and camps, DJ is known for his Bible-centered preaching and for his passion for the Lord. DJ and his wife, Lorrie, were married in 1997. They have four adult children that are all serving the Lord!

Erik and Josh answer questions sent in by a college student

Erik and Josh answer questions sent in from a college student.

Adam and Esther were married on June 13, 2008, in Salem, Oregon, after God brought them together with a beautiful love story of purity, answered prayer, and parent and pastoral counsel. Under the direction and mentoring of Dr. Paul Chappell, senior pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church, both Adam and Esther served faithfully with bus children and in the music and Spanish ministries. The personal mentoring and ministry involvement during their childhood and teen years, and then the multitude of ministry experiences at LBC, has prepared them for entering a lifetime of service on the mission field. With the assistance of Baptist International Missions, Inc., the Fridenstines are planting and seeing churches grow in El Salvador while directing a Christian school and Bible Seminary to raise, mentor, and see future generations sent to the harvest field of souls.

Erik and Josh catch up after a four-week break from podcasting. 

Josh and Erik discuss the planning before hosting a mission trip and what happens when everyone goes home.

Erik interviews his close friend, Branden Lawrence. Branden is an assistant pastor who has served at Temple for 20 years! He is also the missions pastor, music pastor, head of AWANA, and head of VBS! Branden always finds a way to choose joy and see the bright side of things, and he is such a fun person to know.

Erik interviews his close friend, Branden Lawrence. Branden is an assistant pastor who has served at Temple for 20 years! He is also the missions pastor, music pastor, head of AWANA, and head of VBS! Branden always finds a way to choose joy and see the bright side of things, and he is such a fun person to know.

Erik and Josh respond to more questions about missionary life. 

Erik and Josh answer questions submitted by a supporting church. 

Erik and Josh continue their in-person conversation about what they love about working on missions.

Josh and Erik sit down together in Martinsburg, West Virginia to discuss what excites them about serving the Lord in World Evangelism.

Pastor Todd offers invaluable insight into balancing work, family life, and ministry.  Pastor Todd addresses the need for husbands and wives to cultivate godly personal relationships. The episode illuminates the strains young couples and missionaries face and offers guidance for maintaining a godly marriage in the face of adversities.

In this episode, they interview Daniel Jenkins, a veteran missionary actively working in the Gambia, as they explore the profound journey of world evangelism. They revisit the events since their previous meeting with Daniel, shedding light on the intricacies of their indispensable work. Get an exclusive peek into the Biblical Faith Seminar Daniel hosted in the Gambia. Learn about their progress as they record numerous gospel sessions in various languages for distribution across West Africa, their triumphs and challenges, and the unwavering commitment to spreading the Word of God. Daniel gives a personal snapshot of his family life in Gambia as missionaries since 2019, and relays their experiences with language immersion and cultural adaptations needed for effective missionary work. Be inspired by their dedication in planting a church amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the impressive growth within their congregation. They shed light on the religious landscape in Gambia, mainly a dominantly Islamic nation, and their efforts to engage with the population effectively. Delve deeper into the journey of establishing a church in Busambala, Africa and the challenges faced while advocating for biblical faith in a culture often resistant to non-traditional religious beliefs. Listen to the stories of transformation, community enrichment, and the significance of making the Bible central to teachings. Dive into the discussion about the critical role missionaries play in cultivating new believers' faith and identity, particularly in Muslim countries. The episode highlights the importance of church identity, collaboration with local leadership, and initiatives for believers' self-sustainability. Discover why places like Gambia offer immense opportunities for those called to serve in missions. Join in for an enlightening dialogue that outlines the complexities of missionary work and the essence of taking Christ to non-believers.

Erik and Josh discuss finances in light of the missionary's furlough ministry. 

Erik and Josh share tips on being a wise steward of your finances while on Deputation.

Ron & Donna Bragg Africa International Representative Emeritus • Ron and Donna Bragg became BIMI missionaries in 1973 and served faithfully for 46 years. • After language school in France, Ron and Donna started a work along the Sahara Desert in the Moslem country of Senegal. • God blessed and after 16 years, their small congregation voted to buy land and begin to build their own church building in 1991 with their tithes and offerings. The African Baptist Church of Saint Louis, Senegal, continues to be a Gospel witness in a very difficult place. • In 1991, Ron Bragg was appointed as the second Africa Director for BIMI, serving in this capacity until June 2012. He was given the responsibility for 43 missionary families across the continent of Africa. • Dr. Bragg traveled extensively across the continent of Africa, opening new fields for BIMI and helping national pastors and missionaries. • The next five years Dr. Bragg served BIMI as the Africa International Representative, continuing his ministry of helping the BIMI missionaries and recruiting new missionaries for Africa. • Their daughter Hannah and her husband, Luke Townsley, served in the Dominican Republic as missionaries with BIMI. The Braggs' son, Hiram, and his wife, April, also served as missionaries in Senegal, Africa, under BIMI. Their son, Luke, is minister of music at Faith Baptist Church, Belleville, Illinois, and Kelly and Kory faithfully serve in their local churches. • On December 31, 2017, Dr. Bragg transitioned into the position of Africa International Representative Emeritus.

Erik and Josh discuss the importance of being a good steward of finances, especially if you're a missionary.

Josh and Eric continue their discussion on Mission Conferences 

We are sometimes asked by supporting pastors what they can do better for their next mission conference. In this episode, Erik and Josh discuss what they enjoy about the mission conference experience from a missionary perspective.

Erik continues his conversation with Pastor Dennis Harry. This time, they discuss how missionaries and pastors can improve their communication.

Dennis Harry is the Pastor of Needham's Grove Baptist Church.

Kevin Folger currently serves as Pastor Emeritus of Cleveland Baptist Church and North America Director of Spiritual Leadership Asia. You will be blessed as he shares insight from 40+ years of ministry. Contact Kevin Folger Email | kfolger@clevelandbaptist.org Website | https://kevinfolger.com/  | https://sl-asia.com/ Podcast | Laborers in the Harvest

Erik and Josh discuss the important role food plays in the culture of your host country. 

Matthew and Susanna are preparing to serve the Lord in Côte d'Ivoire with Baptist World Mission. Matthew spent a year working in the country and even picked up the French language along the way. Susanna grew up as an MK in Côte d'Ivoire and looks forward to returning to serve the Lord in her home country.

Dr. Bud Steadman began his ministry as mission mentor on April 1, 2023 after fulfilling the role of executive director of Baptist World Mission beginning April of 2009. Prior to coming to BWM he served for thirteen years as the senior pastor of Community Baptist Church of South Bend, Indiana.

David Edens served for over 40 years in the country of Niger. 

Part One of our interview with Missionary David Edens. David served for over 40 years in Niger. BIMI missionaries have served in Niger since 1971. This has been one of our most difficult fields, and staunch Moslems that live nomadic lives populate the desert region where our missionaries work. Conversions have been few and far between, but God is beginning to move in an exciting way in this desert country. Bible translation work has been done for years into the Tamajaq language and now it is being broadcast by radio to a possible listening audience of 2 million people. This weekly broadcast is also heard in Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, and Mali, which have extensive Tamajaq-speaking populations. Many encouraging reports are coming in as a result of these Bible broadcasts and the Bible translation work continues, along with the preaching and teaching of the Word of God in Agadez and surrounding villages. Laborers are desperately needed in this field because it appears God is on the verge of doing something great in this staunch Moslem area. Could it be that God would have you volunteer to reach the Muslim people of Niger?

Josh and Erik are back after 8 months to update their listeners on their family and ministry life. They are excited to be back and are looking forward to sharing more stories and insights with their audience.

Josh's wife, Julie, joins him on this special Christmas episode of the podcast. 

You got questions, we try to give you the answers. 

Erik and Josh respond to questions sent in from a recent college graduate. 

Josh and Erik continue to answer questions submitted by a young preacher boy.  We trust this podcast has been a blessing. We want to hear from you! Write us and let us know how you have been blessed by the Missionary Perspective Podcast. 

Chris and Dawn were married in 1989; they have been blessed with four children and five grandchildren. Their journey in full-time Christian ministry has taken them from Georgia to South Carolina, Costa Rica, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. Through the ministry opportunities God has given them over the past thirty years, their passion has been to see souls saved, solid churches established, encourage church leaders, see marriages restored, parent-teen relationships healed, child-rearing methods improved, and generations impacted by solid, biblical counseling of the fundamental truths of God's Word. Chris and Dawn are graduates of Pensacola Christian College, where Chris also received his MS in Education. Their passion for Biblical counseling led them to pursue certification through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC), and Chris is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Biblical Counseling. They eagerly anticipate how God will use Selah International Counseling Ministries to make a difference in the lives of God's servants and advance the Kingdom of Christ.

Josh's cousin and future church planter, Adam, sent in a list of questions about ministry. They were such good questions, we thought we'd share them with you! 

Jeff is a Christian CEO who has led Buckman's Inc. for 50 years and has helped the company expand from $46,000 in sales to 75 million dollars in revenue. God has used Jeff to make a great impact in world evangelism. Look for his book on Amazon, Making Your Business God's Business: Having a Front Row Seat to Watch God Use Your Business to Impact the World.

Erik and Josh discuss the benefits of hosting a construction team and share tips on how to best prepare for one.

Erik and Josh discuss a recent article written by Pastor Ryan Hayden, a friend of The Missionary Perspective Podcast and the visionary behind MissionHost, an Airbnb for missionaries.    

Erik continues his interview with Kyle Sheridan. The Sheridans' ministry is nestled at the foot of the Andes in the capital of northern Chilean Patagonia. They were married in 2011, and after one year of deputation, with a newborn baby, they stepped out by faith to come to South America to plant the first independent Baptist church in Chilean Patagonia. It is called Bible Baptist Church of Coyhaique.

The Sheridans' ministry is nestled at the foot of the Andes in the capital of northern Chilean Patagonia. They were married in 2011, and after one year of deputation, with a newborn baby, they stepped out by faith to come to South America to plant the first independent Baptist church in Chilean Patagonia. It is called Bible Baptist Church of Coyhaique.

Bradley Edmondson is the executive director of Medical Missions Outreach. Medical Missions Outreach partners with Bible-believing churches around the world to evangelize the lost and disciple believers. Each patient that comes through their clinics will hear the beautiful message of the gospel, presented in their own language by a volunteer from that local church. 

Erik and Josh discuss missionary internships, the pros and cons of hosting interns, and how to make the most of an internship.

Josh and Erik are back from their summer hiatus and recap how the Lord has worked in their respective ministries. 

We are taking an 8 week hiatus. We will be back with a new season of episodes in August. We look forward to sharing more interviews and everything missionary! 

Stephen shares what life was like the first couple of years in Burkina Faso. We also discuss the various approaches he takes to sharing the gospel with people from differing religious backgrounds in his country. 

Stephen and his family serve in Burkina Faso. In this two-part interview, Stephen shares his experience of church planting in this difficult and needy mission field.    To contact Stephen, write to knickinburkina@gmail.com

Erik and Josh conclude their discussion of what causes stress on the mission field. They offer insight into what has helped them deal with the stress that comes with living in a foreign country.