Voices of the Global Church

Holding Up Half the Sky: A Biblical Case for Women Leading and Teaching in the Church. By Rev. Assoc. Professor Graham Joseph Hill.Women have played significant roles in ministry and leadership throughout the history of the church and the pages of the Bible. Today, women make up more than half the church, and do much of the mission, ministry, and discipleship in the life of the church. But women have often been held back from ministry roles. Graham Joseph Hill outlines the biblical vision for women in ministry and leadership. He offers a biblical and passionate call for women to be released to teach, to lead, to preach, to serve, to pastor, and to minister in every area of the church. The Bible paints a radical vision of women, empowered and emboldened for full ministry participation in Christ's church. The biblical vision for women and for their role as teachers, witnesses, disciplers, and leaders transforms not only personal lives, but also the church and the world. This book offers a biblical case for women teaching and leading in the church. Hill then explores practical ways that we can empower and release more female leaders in the church, and ways that we can amplify the voices and honor the gifts of women in the way Jesus intended. Together women and men can revitalize the church and renew the world.

“Hide This in Your Heart” sermon (Ps.119:11 and 2 Tim.3:14–16) – by Graham Joseph HillHiding God's Word in your heart restores your spiritual passion.Memorizing the Bible has been proven to be an essential, life-giving practice for spiritual growth. Those who memorize passages from the Bible can point to how it’s given them greater assurance of God’s love and a deeper understanding of how to follow Jesus.This sermon goes with the book by Graham Joseph Hill and Michael Frost. “Hide This in Your Heart: Memorizing Scripture for Kingdom Impact.” NavPress, 2020.Buy the book here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hide-this-in-your-heart-michael-frost/1136591162Or buy the book here: https://www.bookdepository.com/Hide-This-is-Your-Heart-Michael-Frost/9781641582049See a webinar on how to memorize the Bible, here: https://grahamjosephhill.com/bible-memory-challenge/#HideThisInYourHeart #BibleMemoryChallenge

Samson Sohail and Graham Joseph Hill talk about serving God in Pakistan. The Global Church Project podcast episode #163. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comSamson Sohail is executive director of the United Council of Churches in Islamabad, Pakistan. He leads a vibrant church, committed to peace and reconciliation and the Gospel, and to share the love of Jesus with the people of Pakistan.

Nikki Toyama-Szeto and Graham Joseph Hill discuss how the church can be a people who make love visible. They discuss a broad range of issues related to being a people who seek God's justice, inclusion, peace, and love. These include: (1) Partnering with the global church. (2) Being a people of justice and reconciliation. (3) Listening and learning from diverse voices and dialoguing across difference. (4) Developing unity that's deeper than agreement. (5) Being an Asian-American woman in North American church and society. (6) Being the church in rapidly changing times. (7) Embracing and welcoming asylum seekers and undocumented migrants. (8) How Jesus honors and amplifies the voices of women , and how the church can do so too. The Global Church Project podcast episode #162. On https://theglobalchurchproject.com/ As Executive Director of Evangelicals for Social Action, Nikki Toyama-Szeto guides the execution of ESA’s mission and vision. See: https://www.evangelicalsforsocialaction.org/ Nikki came to ESA with a long history of working with leaders of faith communities to help ignite a passion for biblical justice among the Global Church. She speaks and trains leaders globally—past engagements include speaking for Tearfund (Nepal) and Centro Esdras (Guatemala), CCDA (USA), and Billy Graham Center (USA). She writes and speaks from her experiences as a leader in organizations like International Justice Mission, the Urbana Conference and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She served on the Third Lausanne Congress (2010), helping to develop the plenary program.In addition to her vocational ministry, she serves on the board of Interserve USA, Missio Alliance, and Casa Chiralagua. She has written articles on gender issues and multi-ethnicity for various magazines and she serves as a “Leading Voice” for the Missio Alliance. Her work was profiled in Christianity Today’s, “Who’s Next?” and Rejuvenate Magazine’s “40 under 40”.She was a co-editor of the book More than Serving Tea (IVP, 2006), a collection of essays, stories and poems looking at the intersection of race, gender, and faith for Asian American women. She also co-wrote Partnering with the Global Church (IVP, 2012) with Femi Adeleye and edited the Urbana Onward series. Additionally, she is a co-author of The God of Justice: IJM Institute’s Global Church Curriculum (IVP, 2015). Nikki also co-authored a paper on “The Pursuit of Shalom in the Face of Violent Injustice” for the Micah Global Consultation.Much of her insights stem from experiences living among poor people in the slums of Nairobi, Cairo, and Bangkok. She helped develop and direct the Global Urban Trek, an urban immersion program designed to challenge students to use their majors on behalf of the world’s poor people.

James Pender and Graham Joseph Hill discuss ministries transforming and empowering the lives of people affected by Leprosy. The Global Church Project episode #161. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comJames Pender is the Programmes and Advocacy Officer – Asia at The Leprosy Mission England and Wales, having formerly held the position of Development and Natural Resource Management Advisor for the Church of Bangladesh Social Development Programme. James was immersed in mission work in Bangladesh for nine years.James said: “Leprosy is a disease of poverty and there is widespread poverty across Bangladesh with more than half of the population living on less than US$1 a day.“Leprosy breeds in squalid conditions and there is a rising number of new cases in Bangladesh. If left untreated, the disease causes nerve damage which leads to disability.“I’ve met leprosy-affected people in Bangladesh that have attempted suicide as they have felt so dejected by not only facing the stigma that still surrounds leprosy, but the desperate situation of not being able to work and feed their families.”The Leprosy Mission is an international Christian development organisation that diagnoses, treats and offers specialist care, including reconstructive surgery, to leprosy patients. Their aim is to transform and empower the lives of people affected by leprosy.Leprosy is a disease of poverty and as well as providing healthcare, the Leprosy Mission offers rehabilitation, education, vocational training, small business loans, housing and fresh water supplies and sanitation to tens of thousands of people each year. The Leprosy Mission provides a springboard to restored health, self-sufficiency and renewed hope. Their services are provided regardless of religion or ethnicity, promoting equality and social justice. See: https://www.leprosymission.org.uk

Vladimir Ubeivolc and Graham Joseph Hill discuss "The Missio Dei & Transforming Moldovan Society: Confronting Poverty, Corruption, & Human Trafficking, & Offering Hope." The Global Church Project episode #160. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comVladimir Ubeivolc is a pastor, author, theologian, and social activist. His father was a member of the Communist Party in the USSR and his mother was an evangelical Christian. Vladimir became a Christian at the age of 22 and later graduated with a Bachelor of Theology from Saint-Petersburg Christian University. He then earned an MA from TCM International Institute for Biblical Studies and a PhD from the University of Wales. He taught different disciplines in various colleges and universities in post-Soviet countries. Vladimir is an ordained pastor. Being a social activist and reflective practitioner, he has led a number of NGOs and platforms in Moldova and other Eastern European countries. Together with his wife Yulia they raise their daughter, Anna.For many years, Vladimir Ubeivolc and his wife Yulia led Beginning of Life NGO in Moldova; which runs two programmes. One is focused on preparing children and youth for a better future through educational and training course and the other programme helps people who have suffered from different types of social injustice, such as single motherhood, human trafficking, domestic violence, and poverty.Vladimir has taught Ethics and Missiology in different colleges and universities in Moldova and Russia, leading and speaking in conferences in almost all countries from the former Soviet bloc in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In 2014, together with his colleagues, he launched Studio of Innovative Leadership, which focused on teaching and promoting social transformation from a holistic theological and missiological perspective.Vladimir is author of numerous of articles on holistic mission, human trafficking, and social justice, and co-author and co-editor of a few books. His book Rethinking Missio Dei Among Evangelical Churches in an Eastern European Orthodox Context was published through Langham in 2016.

Rhiannon Lloyd and Graham Joseph Hill discuss how Jesus offers forgiveness, repentance, healing, and peace after conflict and war. Jesus's church can demonstrate redeemed ethnicity, radical reconciliation, and the new humanity in Christ (Rhiannon has spent the last 30 years leading healing, repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation initiatives in Africa and other parts of the world). The Global Church Project episode #159. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comDr. Rhiannon Lloyd, a former Doctor of Medicine and Psychiatry, has been in full time Christian work since 1985 ministering extensively in cross-cultural situations. She spent many years teaching courses for Christian workers and ministering to people with deep emotional wounds. Since 1994, she has pioneered a reconciliation ministry in Rwanda, working initially with African Enterprise. She has spoken to thousands of church leaders leading them to a place of healing at the cross and facilitating reconciliation between the ethnic groups. Healing and reconciliation teams have now been formed in many other countries. She lives in Wales, and her ministry is called “Healing the Nations”. For more information see www.healingthenations.co.ukIn the early 1990s, Rhiannon Lloyd felt God calling her out of her own experience of conflict and suffering to go to Rwanda to help in the work of peacemaking after the genocide. She left her home in tears, with great fear, and with feelings of inadequacy. But God used her faith and her willingness to surrender to him and go, and over the last 30 years she's led thousands of churches and communities through peace and reconciliation workshops and processes in many of the most war-torn countries of the world. Never underestimate how God can use you when you surrender everything to him and follow his call.In this interview, Rhiannon shares her insights into forgiveness, justice, repentance, peacemaking, and reconciliation, and into ways to bring healing and unity after serious conflicts and devastating wars and division.

Christian Jeyachandran and Graham Joseph Hill talk about what it means to follow Jesus in mission. How do we hear God's call to mission, step out in faith, and follow him wherever he leads? The Global Church Project episode #158. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.com Christine Jeyachandran serves with SIM in Peru, along with her husband David and their three children. Having learnt the local language, they work among University Students, teaching English, sharing about Jesus, discipling, and encouraging them as they follow Jesus. Christine and David feel that this is an incredibly strategic work which can impact the future leaders of Peru.

Gil Odendaal and Graham Joseph Hill talk about empowering the church to serve the most vulnerable in both the Global South and North. They discuss the shape of integral mission and credible witness, the need to take up our cross and follow Jesus, and how Christians can respond to issues to do with refugees and asylum seekers, racism and conflict, and consumerism. The churches of the Global South teach Western Christians about the realm of the spirit, about integral mission, and about truly being the priesthood of all believers. The Global Church Project episode #157. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comFrom directing global initiatives for Saddleback Church to building innovative programs for other reputable global ministries, Gil Odendaal has dedicated more than 30 years to empowering the church around the world to seamlessly integrate word and deed ministries that transform communities, especially through health related initiatives.Gil Odendaal is the author of Standing with the Vulnerable: A Curriculum for Transforming Lives and Communities (IVP, 2016). He is the Executive Director of Gil Odendaal Consultancy. Prior to this he was the Senior Vice President Integral Mission at World Relief. Gil seeks to empower the church to serve the most vulnerable in both the Global South and North. Whether that church consists of 2 Christ-followers gathering in a basement in a restricted access country or a church of 20,000 in an open Christian country – the goal is the same - to serve them so that that their gospel proclamation has social consequences as they call people to love and repentance in all areas of life. And their social involvement has evangelistic consequences as they bear witness to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. Prior to serving with World Relief, Gil served as Global Director for PEACE Implementation with Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California and as Global Director for the HIV/AIDS Initiative under Kay Warren, assisting and facilitating the deployment of more than 10,000 short term missionaries.

Oscar Muriu and Graham Joseph Hill discuss Oscar's passion for raising up a legacy of African leaders for the church of Christ worldwide. They also discuss what the West can learn from African innovations in church planting, leadership development, prayer and discipleship, and much more. They discuss what the churches of the Global North and the Global South can learn from each other, and how they can partner together for God's mission and harvest. The Global Church Project episode #156.Pastor Oscar dedicated his life to Christ in 1983, and has served as the Senior Pastor of the Nairobi Chapel since 1991. In that time he has seen the Church grow from a mere 20 people, to over 3,000 people. Pastor Oscar leads a church planting movement of 90 churches, the bulk of which are in Kenya; but others around Africa include Rwanda, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Ghana, Liberia, and Ethiopia. His present target is to plant 300 churches; with 210 of them in Kenya; 60 in the rest of Africa (one in each capital city of Africa); and 30 off the continent of Africa in the gateway cities of the world (London, Delhi, Sydney, Hong Kong, Chicago and others). His personal mission is to raise up a legacy of African leaders for the Church of Christ worldwide.All this began around 30 years ago, when a young pastor Oscar accepted the call to an aging, declining church of 26 people that was close to shutting its doors. Look at it today! Follow God's call! You never know how God will use you if you surrender fully to him. Oscar is an example of a person fully surrendered to God: a humble and visionary leader, committed to pouring his life into the next generation of pastors, leaders and church planters.

Tony Campolo and Graham Joseph Hill discuss Red Letter Christianity, and the transforming power of humility, self-sacrifice, and love. The Global Church Project episode #155. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comTony Campolo is professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University and a former faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania. For 40 years, he led the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, an organization which he founded to create and support programs serving needy communities. More recently, Dr. Campolo has provided leadership for the progressive Christian movement, Red Letter Christians as well as, for the Campolo Center for Ministry, a program which provides support to those the church has called to full-time ministry. He has written more than 35 books and can be found blogging regularly on tonycampolo.org and redletterchristians.org. Tony and his wife Peggy live near Philadelphia and have two children and four grandchildren.In November 2012, Tony Campolo received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Youth Worker’s Convention. The wording on the award is: “Award of Lifetime Achievement is proudly presented to Tony Campolo who has defined and courageously pioneered what is means to encourage, care and lead students, possessing the qualities that inspire us and provoke us to continue the journey into the future with boldness and confidence. As a result of Tony’s life of ministry and leadership he has left a legacy of encouragement and hope to youth workers and students everywhere.” (Biography taken from www.tonycampolo.org).About Red Letter Christians (from www.redletterchristians.org):Staying true to the foundation of combining Jesus and justice, Red Letter Christians mobilizes individuals into a movement of believers who live out Jesus’ counter-cultural teachings.The goal of Red Letter Christians is simple: To take Jesus seriously by endeavoring to live out His radical, counter-cultural teachings as set forth in Scripture, and especially embracing the lifestyle prescribed in the Sermon on the Mount.By calling ourselves Red Letter Christians, we refer to the fact that in many Bibles the words of Jesus are printed in red. What we are asserting, therefore, is that we have committed ourselves first and foremost to doing what Jesus said. Jesus calls us away from the consumerist values that dominate contemporary America. Instead, he calls us to meet the needs of the poor. He also calls us to be merciful, which has strong implications in terms of war and capital punishment. After all, when Jesus tells us to love our enemies, he probably means we shouldn’t kill them.

Albert Baliesima Kadukima and Graham Joseph Hill discuss "Responding to humanitarian crises in the Democratic Republic of Congo." The Global Church Project episode #154. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comAlbert Balisema is director of the NGO ESADER in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ESADER provides support to war related orphans and vulnerable children in the Congo, and also vocational training for youth. Working in coalition with churches and other organisations, Albert Balisema is involved in providing emergency relief for those in crisis from the war in the DRC, conducting advocacy to raise awareness and support for the people of DRC, including presentations to the UN Human Rights Council, and building capacity for the church networks and local church leaders so that they can work toward peace, reconciliation, healing, and building society.The unifying strategy for the coalition involving ESADER, World Relief, the World Evangelical Alliance, and Micah Global is working with local churches as the agent through which culture change, peace and reconciliation, long-term recovery and development have the greatest hope. The conviction is that churches engage in their communities not as extensions of NGOs, but as agents of God’s mission to the world, acting as churches committed to demonstrating mercy, justice and humility.

Leong Hap Choy and Graham Joseph Hill discuss Hap Choy's remarkable transformation from being a prisoner to a shepherd of the addicted and those in need. They also discuss their own experiences with addictions and what helped them get free. The Global Church Project episode #153. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.com Leong Hap Choy joined Malaysian Care more than 10 years ago, after being touched personally by Malaysian Care’s ministries. His story is a powerful witness to the transforming work of Jesus Christ, and to the remarkable work Malaysian Care does among prisoners, addicts, and vulnerable. Hap Choy now leads one of Malaysian care’s regional offices, as they provide 3 core services: (1) Addressing poverty and building a just and equitable society through “Rural & Urban Community Development”; (2) Serving among those in prison and suffering from addictions; and (3) caring for those with special needs. Malaysian Care is a non-profit Christian NGO established in Malaysia in 1979, committed to serving the poor and needy irrespective of religion and ethnicity. It focuses on empowering communities, aiming for long-term sustainable development, and seeking to be partners with the local church and the people they are serving.

Francisco Portillejo Hoyos and Graham Joseph Hill discuss ways to support humanitarian organizations. The Global Church Project podcast episode #152. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comFrancisco is the CEO of Tack & Gybe Associates and also of CRYPTALGO. His expertise is in capital markets, business strategy and development, and helping businesses and humanitarian organisations develop financial resources. His company has run successful experiments in Asia and Latin America, helping humanitarian organisations face and meet their financial, organisational, and strategic challenges.In this interview we discuss such issues as:1. What are the challenges facing humanitarian institutions on the financial front, today?2. Are these the same challenges faced by the broader Christian NGO and non-profit sector, or different?3. What are the other funding options that humanitarian organisations can initiative?4. What key support and guidance do humanitarian orgs and non-profits need today (strategy, finance, marketing, compliance, etc.)?5. Where else can humanitarian and other orgs go to get the support they need in these areas?

Lisa Sharon Harper and Graham Joseph Hill discuss why shalom is the "very good' in the gospel. The Global Church Project podcast episode #151.On her website https://lisasharonharper.com/the-very-good-gospel/, Lisa Sharon Harper writes:"Shalom is what God declared. Shalom is what the Kingdom of God looks like.Shalom is when all people have enough.It’s when families are healed.It’s when churches, schools, and public policies protect human dignity.Shalom is when the image of God is recognized, protected and cultivated in every single human.Shalom is our calling as followers of Jesus’s gospel. It is the vision God set forth in the Garden and the restoration God desires for every broken relationship.Shalom is what our souls long for.Shalom is the “very good” in the gospel.What can we do to build shalom between nations, in our communities, and in our own lives? Through a careful exploration of biblical text, particularly the first three chapters of Genesis, in The Very Good Gospel Lisa Sharon Harper shows us what “very good” can look like today—in real time.Because despite our anxious minds, despite division and threats of violence, God’s vision remains: Wholeness for a fragmented world. Peace for a hurting soul. Shalom."Lisa Sharon Harper is the founder and president of Freedom Road, and the author of several books, including the critically acclaimed, "The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right." Asked why she does what she does, Lisa's answer is clear: “So that the church might be worthy of the moniker ‘Bride of Christ.'" Through preaching, writing, training, network development, and public witness, Lisa engages the church in the work of justice and peacemaking. She was named “#5 of the Top 13 Women to Watch in 2012” by the Center for American Progress, and was awarded the 2013 Faith and Justice Leadership Award by the National Black Women’s Round Table. She formerly served as the Chief Church Engagement Officer at Sojourners.In 2015, The Huffington Post recognized her as one of “50 Powerful Women Religious Leaders to Celebrate on International Women’s Day.” Most recently, Relevant Magazine recognized The Very Good Gospel as one of “Six Books that Will Change the Way You See the World”, and Ms. Harper as one of “Seven Leaders to Follow in 2017.”

Christopher J. H. Wright and Graham Joseph Hill talk about the mission of God and the mission of God's people. The Global Church Project episode #150. On www.theglobalchurchproject.comChristopher Wright was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the son of missionary parents, and nurtured as an Irish Presbyterian. After completing a doctorate in Old Testament economic ethics in Cambridge, he was ordained in the Anglican Church of England in 1977 and served as an assistant pastor in the Parish Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, in Kent.In 1983 he took his family to India and taught at the Union Biblical Seminary (UBS), Pune for five years as a mission partner with Crosslinks (formerly BCMS). While at UBS he taught a variety of Old Testament courses at BD and MTh levels. In 1988 he returned to the UK as Academic Dean at All Nations Christian College (an international training centre for cross-cultural mission). Then he was appointed Principal there in September 1993.In September 2001 he was appointed International Director of the Langham Partnership International. This is a group of ministries originally founded by John Stott, committed to the strengthening of the church in the Majority World through fostering leadership development, biblical preaching, literature and doctoral scholarships. He is the author of acclaimed books in theology and mission.

Grishma Parajuli and Graham Joseph Hill talk about hearing the voice of Nepal's church. The Global Church Project podcast episode #149. On www.theglobalchurchproject.comGrishma Parajuli is Pastor of Nayagaun Church in Pokhara, Nepal, a vibrant Christian community of almost 1,000 believers, which also supports twelve daughter churches. Born into a high-caste Hindu family, Grishma first attended a church in 1983 in order to gather names of Christian leaders, intending to bring an accusation of forcible conversion of Hindus in breach of Nepal’s strict anti-conversion laws. Despite his hostile intentions, he was warmly welcomed by the church and given a New Testament as a gift. God met Grishma through His people and His word. The teaching of Jesus Christ touched his heart and he came to know that Jesus is The Way, accepting baptism as a believer – a risky and costly step for a high-caste Hindu person.Since 1997, Pastor Grishma has helped lead Nayagaun Church to proclaim Jesus to their Hindu neighbours, to build unity among the Christians of Pokhara, and to engage deeply with their community through ministry to people with disabilities.Pastor Grishma launched a national Christian training and leadership development program called Leadership Education and Development Nepal (LEAD Nepal). LEAD Nepal trains Nepali Christian leaders in theology, evangelism, pastoral care, expository preaching, transformative discipleship, as well as church leadership and administration. He also has a significant ministry with the diaspora Nepali community around the world.This is a remarkable story. Grishma went from a spy sent to destroy and accuse the church to a pastor, converted through the compassion of Christians toward lepers, and through the compassion, witness, and prayer of God's people. His church grew from 16 people in 1987 to over 1,000 today, and planted 12 daughter churches. Grishma started Lead Nepal, for training pastors and Christians leaders to meet the needs of the rapidly growing churches of Nepal (mobile training for Nepalese Christian leaders, focused on leadership training, theological education, and training in community development). More than 1,000 church leadership have been through this training program.Responding to the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake, Nepalese churches came together to offer rescue services, food and clothing, rebuilding work, disaster management, community relief and development, and more.Grishma says that Nepalese church growth is connected with personal witness, compassionate service, community development and care, serving the poor and disadvantaged, mobile leadership training, and more. The Christian message also offers hope to women and people of lower caste groups. The Nepalese churches also seek to be peacemakers between religions, political and ethnic groups, and others, in order to build a better and more harmonious society. As a minority group in Nepalese society, they come together with a common witness and service of their society and community, and common and combined forms of worship and prayer.

Ken Clendinning and Graham Joseph Hill discuss pastoral ministry, serving Jesus, and loving his church. The Global Church Project podcast episode #148.Ken Clendinning has served in a wide range of ministry roles, including the Director of Ministries for the Baptist Churches in NSW and ACT, Australia, the pastor of the Baptist churches in Broken Hill and in Orange, NSW, and serving on the faculty at Morling Theological College for over 14 years, where he lectured in the areas of pastoral and practical theology. He is currently serving as an interim minister, helping churches move become healthy and outward looking. Aside from his pastoral studies, Ken also has a background in education, psychology and sociology. For more than 25 years he served as the chaplain of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL football team.

Andrew Sloane and Graham Joseph Hill discuss the theme, “Christian Reflections on a Philosophy and Theology of Medicine.” The Global Church Project podcast episode #147. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comIn 2016, Andrew Sloane published "Vulnerability and Care: Christian Reflections on the Philosophy of Medicine" (Bloomsbury). Medical and bioethical issues have spawned a great deal of debate in both public and academic contexts. Little has been done, however, to engage with the underlying issues of the nature of medicine and its role in human community. This book seeks to fill that gap by providing Christian philosophical and theological reflections on the nature and purposes of medicine and its role in a Christian understanding of human society. The book provides two main 'doorways' into a Christian philosophical theology of medicine. First it presents a brief description of the contexts in which medicine is practiced in the early 21st century, identifying key problems and challenges that medicine must address. It then turns to issues in contemporary bioethics, demonstrating how the debate is rooted in conflicting visions of the nature of medicine (and so human existence). This leads to a discussion of some of the philosophical and theological resources currently available for those who would reflect 'Christianly' on medicine. The heart of the book consists of an articulation of a Christian understanding of medicine as both a scholarly and a social practice, articulating the philosophical-theological framework which informs this perspective. It fleshes out features of medicine as an inherently moral practice, one informed by a Christian social vision and shaped by key theological commitments. The book closes by returning to the issues relating to the context of medicine and bioethics with which it opened, demonstrating how a Christian philosophical-theology of medicine informs and enriches those discussions.Rev. Dr Andrew Sloane is Lecturer in Old Testament and Christian Thought, and Director of Postgraduate Studies at Morling College. He studied medicine at the University of New South Wales and practiced briefly as a doctor before training for Baptist ministry at Morling, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Theology and a ThD in philosophy and Old Testament studies. Andrew was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1991 and ministered in Sydney and Newcastle before joining the faculty at Ridley (Anglican) College in Melbourne in 1996. Andrew joined the faculty of Morling College in 2002 and has published in Old Testament and hermeneutics, ethics, philosophy, and theology. His most recent book is Vulnerability and Care: Christian Reflections on the Philosophy of Medicine (T&T Clark, 2016). He and his wife Alison have three adult daughters and currently attend Northside Baptist Church.

Adam R. Taylor and Graham Joseph Hill discuss the theme, “Mobilizing Hope: Faith-Inspired Activism and Following Jesus Christ.” The Global Church Project podcast episode #146. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comAdam R. Taylor and Graham Joseph Hill discuss the theme, “Mobilizing Hope: Faith-Inspired Activism and Following Jesus Christ.” Taylor says, "Martin Luther King Jr. read the words of the apostle Paul to the church in Rome – "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" – as a call not to retreat from the world but to lead the world into the kingdom of God, where peace and justice reign. In King's day the presenting problem was entrenched racism; the movement of God was a revolution in civil rights and human dignity . . . Learn what today's transformed nonconformists are doing at home and abroad to keep in step with the God of justice and love, and find ways you can join the new nonconformists in an activism of hope."Rev. Adam Russell Taylor is the executive director of Sojourners and author of Mobilizing Hope: Faith-Inspired Activism for a Post Civil Rights Generation. Taylor previously led the Faith Initiative at the World Bank Group and served as the Vice President of Advocacy at World Vision U.S. and the Senior Political Director at Sojourners. He has also served as the executive director of Global Justice, an organization that educates and mobilizes students around global human rights and economic justice. Taylor is a graduate of Emory University, the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology. Taylor is ordained in the American Baptist Church and serves at the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va.

Areej Masoud and Graham Joseph Hill discuss the theme, “Any hope for Palestine, now or ever?” The Global Church Project podcast episode #145. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comAreej Masoud and Graham Joseph Hill discuss the theme, “Any hope for Palestine, now or ever?” Areej Masoud is a Palestinian Christian from Bethlehem who currently works as the Development and Communications Department Coordinator at Bethlehem Bible College. Areej is impassioned to speak up on behalf of her people and introduce the world to her reality, often hidden from mainstream media! A reality where access to basic necessities such as healthcare, education, water, shelter, freedom of movement and economic security is greatly restricted.

Erin Martine Sessions interviews Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Graham Joseph Hill on their book "Healing Our Broken Humanity." The Global Church Project podcast episode #144. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comHealing Our Broken Humanity is about things disciples can do together and in their neighborhoods to bring change, hope, love, and healing. We offer 9 ways to transform society, from lament and repentance to seeking justice, being reconcilers, and more. Doing these things enables God's people to make a difference and see justice restored. Jesus calls us to be a peacemaking and reconciling people.Here's what's in the book:Foreword by Willie James JenningsIntroduction: Nine Practices That Heal Our Broken Humanity1. Reimagine Church2. Renew Lament3. Repent Together4. Relinquish Power5. Restore Justice6. Reactivate Hospitality7. Reinforce Agency8. Reconcile Relationships9. Recover Life TogetherEpilogue: A Benediction and PrayerAppendix One: Questions for Small Group Discussion and EngagementAppendix Two: The Nine Transforming Practices Accountability FormAppendix Three: Resources for Healing Our Broken HumanityTo help churches do these things, our book includes small group activities, discussion questions, and exercises in each chapter. Our hope is that Christians would do these 9 practices together in community, and also in their cities and neighborhoods.Discover here how to bring real change to a dehumanized world: https://amzn.to/2NqFScy Motion Graphic Title by Jack Galbraith, Digital Media Specialist at InterVarsity Press

Graham Joseph Hill interviews Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Elisabeth Sophia Lee about their book "Mother Daughter Speak." The Global Church Project podcast episode #143. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.com“Even through tumultuous times, mother-daughter relationships sustain us and keep us connected.”Mother-daughter relationships can be wonderful and powerful. They can also be stressful, challenging, and painful; yet they are often delicate and tender. After losing her own mother, Grace Ji-Sun Kim shares that strengthening her own mother-daughter relationship became more important than ever.Grace Ji-Sun Kim’s and Elisabeth Sophia Lee’s personal reflections in this book from family, to real life challenges, to faith, are attempts to open the dialogue between family members and communities. They share some of their vulnerabilities and pains in hopes that this kind of sharing will encourage others to engage in similar intimate dialogue.See more about the book here: http://www.thefarpress.com/product/pr...Grace Ji-Sun Kim is an Associate Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion and an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She is the author or editor of 12 books including "Embracing the Other: The Transformative Spirit of Love", "Here I Am", and "Healing Our Broken Humanity."Elisabeth Sophia Lee is a sophomore at Liberty High School where she is the Junior Student School Board Representative and a Senator in student government. She is a dancer at Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and blogs at Loving Life. In her free time she plays piano, writes, and sings in the worship team at the First Presbyterian Church of the Bethlehem.

Darrell Jackson and Graham Hill talk about mission shaped by love of God and neighbour, and by life renewed by the Holy Spirit. The Global Church Project podcast episode #142. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comIn addition to talking about what mission looks like when it is shaped by love of God and love of neighbour, and by life renewed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, Darrell and Graham also discuss these topics: (1) A biblical theology of mission. (2) Rejecting the secularisation of mission. (3) Developing holistic mission, including combining social justice and evangelism. (4) The missional challenges facing the global church, and the church in the West. (5) What global movements of people mean for the church and mission today. (6) Developing poly-centric, dispersed, and poly-phonic (multi-voiced) mission. (7) Highly relational and intentional approaches to interreligious and multiethnic settings. (8) The challenge of nationalism and the hope of solidarity for faith and mission. (9) Creation care as mission. (10) Confidence, humility, and mission as gift received and given. (11) Combining Spirit and mission. (12) Developing cultural intelligence and skills for mission today.Darrell grew up on the Isle of Man. He has thirty years of ministry experience in pastoral, denominational, cross-cultural, and educational settings. He worked in Hungary, and around Europe, and has mission experience in China, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and Zimbabwe.He is the Secretary of the Australian Association of Mission Studies, a Mission Commission Associate of the WEA, a member of the International Association of Mission Studies, serves on the Executive of the Lausanne International Researchers’ Network, is a member of the Editorial Board of Lausanne Global Analysis, a member of the National Leadership Team for Missions Interlink in Australia, and is a missiological consultant to Global Interaction (the Australian Baptist Mission Agency).Darrell is a global leader in the study of missions in Europe and Asia, and in diaspora missiology. He is married to Beth Johnson Jackson, who pastors a local church in Sydney, Australia.

Ali Abu Awwad and Graham Hill talk about "Painful Hope: Seeking peace, reconciliation and hope, through nonviolent solutions to conflict." They talk about fostering grassroots movements of understanding, nonviolence, reconciliation, peace, and transformation among Israelis and Palestinians. The Global Church Project podcast episode #141. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comAli Abu Awwad is a Palestinian peace activist and advocate for religious, ethnic, and political reconciliation, and nonviolence. He is the founder of Taghyeer (Change), a Palestinian national movement promoting nonviolence to achieve and guarantee a nonviolent solution to the conflict. His story has been featured in at least twelve documentaries, including two award-winning films, “Encounter Point” and “Forbidden Childhood.” Ali Abu Awwad is currently finishing his memoir called Painful Hope, an account of his experiences as well as his strategy and vision for the Palestinian future. You can read more about his life here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Abu_Awwad

P Bonny Resu and Graham Hill talk about how the church can take the whole gospel to the whole person in the Asia Pacific today. They discuss the ministry of Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (APBF), and also the growth, vitality, and mission of the churches of Nagaland. The Global Church Project episode #140. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comBonny Resu recently retired from the role of General Secretary of the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation; a position he filled for 20 years. His vision is to strengthen the unity and mission of the churches of the Asia Pacific, so that they are one body with one vision: to reach the Asia Pacific for Jesus Christ with the Good News of the gospel. He says, “Over 4 and a half billion people live in the Asia Pacific, and many of these are waiting for the great salvation revealed only in Christ Jesus. Let us celebrate, together, our unity in Christ, and work together to strengthen the church and its witness.”

Steve Scott and Graham Hill talks about art, mystery, and mission in the globally connected world, and how the church can honor, enjoy, and express faith through the creative arts. The Global Church Project podcast episode #139. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comThis world is globally connected, but also increasingly disruptive. Creativity and innovative thinking are vital to the wellbeing, mission, growth, and flourishing of the church. But what about art, beauty, and mystery? Where do they fit in the conversation? How do art, beauty, and mystery help renew local churches, restore our worship, and enhance our mission? How can we reimagine the place of beauty and the creative arts for Christian ministry? In this interview, Steve Scott helps us explore these important questions.Steve Scott is a British (US-based) poet, musician and artist. He is an international leader in missional thinking in the Christian arts scene, influencing, advising and recording diverse artists from around the world. An MA in Global Leadership (Fuller) Steve has a focus on how Johns Gospel informs the Gospel and culture conversation. See http://canaorg.net/“Steve Scott is a rare individual who combines a deep love and understanding of Scripture with a passion for the arts." - Steve Turner, author of The Gospel According to the Beatles.

Professor Dr Hyun Mo (Tim) Lee and Dr Graham Hill talk about shining the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ in Asia today. The Global Church Project podcast episode #138. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comProfessor Dr Lee and Dr Hill discuss a wide range of issues related to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in Asia. These include:Serving Jesus in Asia, which is the least evangelized continent in the world.Moving from the triumphalism of Western mission, and the colonialism of Western cultures, to becoming a humble and global Christian religion that honors Asian churches, theologies, and cultures.How truth is seen in many Asian cultures, and what that means for Christian faith, theology, and witness in Asia.Balancing the need for contextualization and the dangers of religious syncretism – a challenge in Asia, and in all cultures.The differences between Christian understandings of God and Buddhist (and Eastern religious) understandings of "ultimate reality."How eternal life and suffering are understood in Asia, and what that means for Christian mission and discipleship in Asia today.How the Sermon on the Mount resonates with Asian worldviews.The fact that in Asia the credibility of the teacher (the person) is of ultimate importance – someone's teaching is only accepted if the person is honorable. In the West, it is ok for the teacher to be flawed if their teaching is wise and true (the message is more important than the messenger, and the teaching is more important than the teacher). But, in the East, the opposite if often true! In Asia, it is ok for the teaching to be flawed if the teacher is wise and noble (the messenger is more important than the message, and the teacher is more important than the teaching). What does this mean? It means that, in Asia, the credibility and honor and character of the teacher is of utmost importance.Contextualizing the gospel, theology, and theological education for Asia – and contextualization done by Asians themselves.Developing a missiological approach to theological education and training in Asia today.What God is doing in Asia today, and where the greatest needs are in Asia (so that the church might serve those needs).Professor Dr Hyun Mo (Tim) Lee is a global authority in Christian missiology. He opens up new horizons for 21st century mission, not only for Korea and Asia, for all around world. Since 1993, Dr Lee has taught missiology at Daejeon Korea Baptist Theological University and Seminary. He worked as the leader of the World Mission Training Centre for 11 years, and has been instrumental in training and releasing thousands of missionaries all over the globe. Dr Lee is a member of the Korean Evangelical Missiological Society as well as the chairman of the missions and evangelism committee of the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation.

Ngwedla Paul Msiza and Graham Hill talk about the Baptist World Alliance – a global movement displaying the diversity, love, justice, and gospel of Jesus Christ. The Global Church Project podcast episode #137. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comPaul Msiza of South Africa was installed as president of the Baptist World Alliance in 2015. Paul is the first African to hold the office since William Tolbert of Liberia served as president of the BWA from 1965 to 1970.Serving as a Baptist World Alliance vice president from 2010 to 2015, Paul was also president of the All Africa Baptist Fellowship, and general secretary of the Baptist Convention of South Africa. Paul pastors a local church in Pretoria, South Africa, and has a global vision for mobilizing churches for missions, discipleship and evangelism.

Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta, James Bartle, and Graham Hill discuss how we might work together across religions to build free, just, reconciled, and peaceful societies. They also discuss such themes as: (1) Helping Indonesian women contribute fully to society. (2) The role of ritual and symbol in reconciliation, peacemaking, and community building. (3) Building bridges to those of other faiths – moving from "us and them" to "us." (4) Shaping a new paradigm of mission in multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-cultural settings. (5) Opening dialogue between Muslims and Christians, by working together for a better society. In other words, working together to address the things that concerns us all. This is The Global Church Project podcast episode #136. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comFarsijana is director of the Centre for Research and Community Development at Duta Wacana Christian University in Yogyakarta. She and he husband Bernie spend a lot of time working together with Christians and Muslims to build a just society. In the late 1990s, Bernie and Farsijana built a home in an all-Muslim neighbourhood. This home has become a centre for community outreach and hospitality. At any given time, they share it with several other people of both Muslim and Christian faith. Their house also serves as a centre for the Indonesian Women’s Coalition, which Farsijana leads, empowering women and serving the victims of natural disasters.James Bartle is an Australian who lives in Indonesia with his family, and teaches at Binus University, Jakarta, in the department of international business and management. His expertise is in Macroeconomics and Financial Economics, and he has a keen interest in Indonesian society and culture, and fresh approaches to cross-cultural witness.

Franco Ferrer and Graham Hill talk about iDisciple's vision to make disciples of all nations, beginning with the youth of The Philippines. The Global Church Project podcast episode #135. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.com Franco Ferrer is the pastor to students and young adults at the International Baptist Church in Manila, the Philippines. He’s a leader of iDisciple in the Philippines. iDisciple seeks to raise up a generation of young Filipinos who will dig deep into the Gospel, and allow God’s word to change their lives, their thought processes, and their actions.Franco is a part of a church that sees people of all nations loving and obeying God with all their hearts. They seek to be a body of Christ who open their hearts and their doors to all people, who embrace each other with the grace of Christ, who engage with others in showing God’s love, and who release the body of Christ to actively engage in their neighbourhoods, schools, businesses, cities, provinces, nations and world.

Vee Tetseo, Ai Nohara Tetseo, and Graham Hill discuss how the Spirit is shaping faith and mission in Okinawa and Japan today. They also discuss (1) Okinawan church history and experience, and its response to foreign occupation, (2) Okinawan pacifism and how that is expressed in the church, (3) Okinawan theology as it identifies with the occupied, marginalized, and minoritized, and (4) recognizing the uniqueness and importance of Okinawan culture, language, and identity today. The Global Church Project podcast episode #134. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comVee Tetseo and Ai Nohara Tetseo are married, and they serve Jesus in Okinawa. Vee is a missionary from Nagaland, India, and Ai is a native of Okinawa. They pastor a church together, and love seeing Okinawans experience life and faith in Jesus Christ. Vee is the General Secretary of the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation. The Asia Pacific Baptist Federation represents almost 60 Baptist denominations from 20 different countries, encompassing almost 30,000 congregations, with more than 5 million baptized believers.

Terry Casiño and Graham Hill talk about people movements around the world, diaspora missiology, and the future of world Christianity. The Global Church Project podcast episode #133. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.com Terry Casiño teaches at Gardner-Webb University, especially in the areas of Missions and Evangelization, Gospel Across Cultures, Introduction to Islam, and Urban Missiology. He is the author of numerous journal articles and the editor of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Intercultural Studies. Terry Casiño’s areas of research interest include the global diaspora, the history of mission movements in Asia, and world religions.Terry Casiño is an internationally renowned scholar and teaches across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. Terry has served as a pastor of churches in South Korea, the United States, and the Philippines. He is also the Regional Chair of the Lausanne Movement. Terry is a native of the Philippines, but resided in Seoul, South Korea, for almost 10 years. He now lives in the United States, and speaks and teaches about missions globally.

Victor Rembeth and Graham Hill talk about humanitarian and interfaith cooperation and how it witnesses to the love of Jesus Christ. The Global Church Project podcast episode #132. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comVictor Rembeth has been involved in humanitarian and disaster work for the last ten years, most of which served in senior management positions. His experience is varied and includes working with civil society organisations, NGOs, the UN, private sector and supporting the Government of Indonesia. Victor Rembeth has served in a wide range of role in Indonesia, including the Indonesia Academy Centre Director of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy. He previously worked with the World Economic Forum of Indonesia network of Disaster Resource Partnership, a private sector initiative focusing on disaster management. Prior to that, he served as Project Manager of the United Nations Joint Strategic Program for Disaster Risk Reduction, and also with NGOs serving in tsunami affected areas.Three consecutives major disasters have recently affected Indonesia: The tsunami in 2004, the earthquake in 2005, and the earthquake in 2006. These have been wake-up calls and eye openers for Indonesia, and how it prevents and responds to natural disasters. Victor tries to help Christians, and churches, and Christian Aid agencies respond well to natural and other disasters. He seeks to help Christians work with Muslims and other religious groups as we strive together for a peaceful world, and as we seek to respond to disasters and needs in the Asia Pacific region.

Andrew Duncan and Graham Hill talk about developing healthy churches, disciples, and pastors. The Global Church Project podcast episode #131. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.com Andrew Duncan is senior pastor of Thornleigh Community Baptist Church in Sydney, Australia. Andrew has been involved in pastoral ministry for 25 years, and has held a wide variety of roles in ministry, both with local churches and mission agencies. Andrew has a passion for mission both locally and globally. His desire is for people to fully understand the life transforming message of Jesus. His greatest pleasure is when he sees people come alive in faith. Andrew really enjoys teaching the Bible and loves working in the area of leadership, vision and strategy. He loves seeing lives transformed by the power of the gospel and the impact of Christian community.

Ken Tang-Quan and Graham Hill discuss three things: (1) how forgiveness promotes spiritual maturity and growth, (2) how to nurture healthy Asian-American and multiethnic congregations, and (3) the key qualities of effective, godly pastors and Christian leaders (these 7 qualities are character, calling, commitment, creativity, community, compassion, and conviction). The Global Church Project podcast episode #130. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comPastor Ken Tang-Quan has been serving as Senior Pastor of Palos Verdes Baptist Church since 1994. His vision is to see “changed lives changing lives.” He leads a church that seeks to be a family of people whose lives have been changed by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and who seek to exalt their creator, equip the church, and evangelize their community.

John Bond and Graham Hill discuss the nature of apostolic ministry, and especially its focus on multiplying, equipping, and releasing the next generation of leaders. They talk about launching church planting teams and movements, multiplying leaders, succession planning and passing on the baton, and leaving a legacy beyond your own ministry and life. The Global Church Project podcast episode #129. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.com John Bond has almost 50 years of ministry experience, in local church pastoral ministry and as an itinerant leader. His passion is doing the work of an Evangelist, and focuses on discipling, training and mentoring Church Planting Movement leaders. John is involved with Dynamic Church Planting International, where he serves as the World Zone Leader for Southeast and South Pacific Asia. This ministry has a vision for equipping leaders to plant 5 million dynamic churches to reach the world for Christ. John networks and coordinates church planters throughout the Asia Pacific, and provides church planting training for thousands of leaders throughout the region.

J. Dudley Woodberry and Graham Hill discuss how we might share the love of Jesus with Muslims today. The Global Church Project podcast episode #128. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.com“In these troubled times, with the increased interest in peacebuilding between Muslims and Christians and the increased responsiveness to the gospel among Muslims, it is evidently the fullness of time for Muslims. Let us as individuals and as an institution actively participate in what God is doing.” ~ Dr. Woodberry, in his sermon during the 50th anniversary celebration of the School of Intercultural Studies. See https://www.fuller.edu/faculty/j-dudley-woodberry/ J. Dudley Woodberry is dean emeritus of Fuller Theological Seminary and senior professor of Islamic studies at Fuller’s School of Intercultural Studies and is considered one of the foremost Christian scholars of Islam. He has served as consultant on the Muslim world to President Carter, the State Department, USAID, and other US government agencies. He has also been an active part of the Zwemer Institute for Muslim Studies and has served as coordinator and acting senior associate of the Muslim track of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization.Woodberry served as dean of the School of World Mission at Fuller Seminary, now the School of Intercultural Studies, from 1992 to 1999. He also served as a teacher in Pakistan and a pastor in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, and has ministered in at least 35 predominantly Muslim nations around the world.In addition to writing numerous articles and book chapters, Woodberry’s more recent books include From Seed to Fruit: Global Trends, Fruitful Practices, and Emerging Issues among Muslims (revised and enlarged 2nd ed., 2010), Paradigm Shifts in Christian Witness: Insights from Anthropology, Communication, and Spiritual Power (coedited, 2008), Resources for Peacemaking in Muslim Christian Relations (coedited, 2006), and Muslim and Christian Reflections on Peace: Divine and Human Dimensions (coedited, 2005). He has also coedited Missiological Education for the 21st Century: The Book, the Circle, the Sandals (1996) and edited Muslims and Christians on the Emmaus Road (1989). Recent teaching and lecturing trips have taken him to Afghanistan, Lebanon, Egypt, Thailand, and China.

Terry LeBlanc and Graham Hill discuss how Native North American and Indigenous peoples worldwide challenge and enrich the global church. The Global Church Project podcast episode #127. The full version is on theglobalchurchproject.comProfessor LeBlanc, a Mi’kmaq-Acadian, is the Executive Director of Indigenous Pathways and also the founding Chair and current Director of the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies (NAIITS), an indigenous learning community. Terry holds an interdisciplinary Ph.D. from Asbury Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida, and specializes in Theology and Anthropology.Terry LeBlanc teaches at Tyndale University College and Seminary in Toronto, Canada, and at George Fox University and Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and at Acadia University and Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Terry has accrued over 38 years of community work experience in Native North American and global Indigenous contexts, including as an educator in theology, cultural anthropology and community development practice.Terry has won several awards for his varied writings. In June 2010, he received the Dr. E.H. Johnson Memorial Award for Innovation in Mission for his work on the creation of NAIITS. In May 2015, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Acadia University.

Xiaoli Yang and Graham Hill talk about Chinese poetry and Christian faith, and how to nurture intercultural conversations. The Global Church Project podcast episode #126. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comXiaoli Yang has done extensive research into Chinese culture and poetry. Chinese poetry gives us a window into Chinese views of identity, freedom and communal belonging. It opens us conversations between Chinese cultural themes and other ways of seeing the world. Xiaoli explores how ancient Chinese poetry resonates with Chinese people today, and also with Christian themes. She explores why intercultural conversations are important, and why we need to develop skills in respectful and vibrant intercultural conversations.Xiaoli Yang has written a book called "A Dialogue between Haizi's Poetry and the Gospel of Luke : Chinese Homecoming and the Relationship with Jesus Christ." In A Dialogue between Haizi's Poetry and the Gospel of Luke, Xiaoli Yang offers a conversation between the Chinese soul-searching found in Haizi's (1964-1989) poetry and the gospel of Jesus Christ through Luke's testimony. It creates a unique contextual poetic lens that appreciates a generation of the Chinese homecoming journey through Haizi's poetry, and explores its relationship with Jesus Christ. As the dialogical journey, it names four stages of homecoming-roots, vision, journey and arrival. By taking an interdisciplinary approach-literary study, inter-cultural dialogue and comparative theology, Xiaoli Yang convincingly demonstrates that the common language between the poet Haizi and the Lukan Jesus provides a crucial and rich source of data for an ongoing table conversation between culture and faith.

Seforosa Carroll and Graham Hill discuss addressing climate change, nurturing interfaith relationships, dealing with gender-based violence, amplifying the voices of Oceanian female leaders and theologians, and reimagining home and our relationships with place and land. The Global Church Project podcast episode #125. On https://theglobalchurchproject.comSeforosa is a Fiji born Rotuman. She is passionate about interfaith and cross-cultural relationships, and gender and culture. Having lived in Australia since 1987, Sef has always maintained connections with the Pacific, particularly Pacific Islanders living in the diaspora. This includes work with the Pacific Island Women’s Advocacy Services, and the South Pacific Association of Theological Schools, and the Association of Oceanian Women Theologians. Sef is keen to profile and elevate the voices of Pacific Islanders, and especially the voices of Pacific Island Women.

Brooke Prentis and Graham Hill discuss what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices say to Australian church and society. The Global Church Project podcast episode #124. The full episode is on theglobalchurchproject.comBrooke Prentis is a descendant of the Waka Waka people in Queensland, Australia. She is an Aboriginal Christian Leader. Brooke is the Coordinator of the Grasstree Gathering, a national and multi-denominational conference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Leaders.Brooke speaks at churches, colleges, universities and conferences about cultural awareness and issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Brooke seeks to invite non-Aboriginal people to journey together with the oldest living culture in the world and follows Jesus call to love all people, and speak out against injustice.

Mary Alice Trent and Graham Hill discuss how Christians can model an inclusive love and a biblical vision of diversity. The Global Church Project podcast episode #123. The full version is on theglobalchurchproject.comMary Alice Trent is the founder and past chair of the Conference on Christianity, Culture and Diversity in America. She teaches courses in culture, theology, and African-American literature at Indiana Wesleyan University. Along with journal articles, poetry and stories, Mary Alice Trent has published three books: “Ethics in the 21st Century;” “The Language of Diversity;” and “Religion, Culture, Curriculum, and Diversity in 21st Century America.”

Tracy Trinita and Graham Hill discuss Tracy's journey to faith, wholeness and sharing the love of Jesus Christ. The Global Church Project podcast episode #122. On https://theglobalchurchproject.comTracy Trinita is an itinerant speaker and apologist for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Originally from Bali, Indonesia, she was the country’s first-ever supermodel modeling for top designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Paul Gautier, Kenzo, Benetton, among others in Paris, Milan, New York and other major capitals around the world.A life of glamor, fame and glory never really filled the gnawing emptiness she felt and in 2002, she received Jesus as her Savior and Lord. She studied theology and apologetics at RZIM’s Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) and at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. Since then, she has served as an apologist and teacher at Yayasan Pengembangan Apologetika Indonesia (YPAI) and at International English Service (IES) Church in Jakarta.Her work at RZIM focuses on the fashion, arts, media and entertainment industries as she hopes to bring the message of Christ’s saving grace to the people with whom she once worked.You can connect with Tracy here: https://rzim.org/bio/tracy-trinita/

Steve Chong and Graham Hill talk about the RICE Movement and its passion for helping people pursue discipleship, evangelism, and renewal. The Global Church Project podcast episode #121. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comSteve Chong is the founding leader and director of the RICE Movement and he loves seeing how God is raising up the next generation of young people come to know Jesus and be renewed in their faith. Growing up with chinese-malaysian family, schooling at James Ruse High School and studying commerce meant that even though he was born in Australia Steve has been surrounded by asian youth all his life which has likely fuelled a passion to see his Australian asian demographic be used by God. Having worked as a youth pastor, he completed bible college and then spent 7 years leading a church but now is part time working for RICE and part time in an itinerant preaching role, living by faith and speaking at different churches and events in Sydney, Australia and abroad. He is married to a Naomi and they have two boys and two girls all under the age of 8. You can support and book Steve via RICE’s itinerant speaking ministry here - https://ricemovement.org/our-board/ - and you can follow him on facebook (www.facebook.com/stevechong) and on instagram (www.instagram.com/steve.chong) or on snapchat (@steve.chong)The vision of the RICE Movement is for a renewal of gospel evangelism in Australia through the raising up of high school youth, university students, and young workers, so that they are mobilised into action for God’s purposes. It is RICE's passion to convict, mobilise, equip, train, and revitalise the next generation to serve the Lord Jesus Christ through the events they run. Their hope is that RICE will continue to bless and be blessed by Sydney’s youth. RICE yearns for a generation that is ready to lead Australia towards love and good deeds, following the example of Christ. See https://ricemovement.org/about-us/

Marc Rader and Graham Hill discuss the qualities and skills of effective preachers and communicators. The Global Church Project podcast episode #120. On https://www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comMarc Rader was born in Canada to a Lutheran minister and his wife. Growing up he never thought that he would follow in his father's footsteps – he wasn't against the idea, it just never crossed his mind. Eventually, however, the Lord led him to ministry. Marc began theological study at Tyndale Bible College in Toronto and ministered at a Christian and Missionary Alliance church. Even then, teaching was the one aspect of ministry that he enjoyed the most. While there he met his Aussie wife Nicole and in 1996 they relocated to Sydney where he began work in Gymea Baptist Church. Marc held several roles at the church, eventually moved into his current role of Senior Pastor.In 2005, Marc was asked to join the faculty of Morling College on a part-time basis. Over the years he has taught the Biblical Survey courses, Church History, an Introduction to NT Greek, and Advanced Preaching. While working in two institutions has its challenges, Marc has found that working in a local church keeps his teaching grounded in active ministry and involvement in the academy strengthens that ministry.Marc's external ministry includes training events and preaching and speaking at a wide range of events. Marc recently completed a Doctor of Ministry degree, which focused on feedback for preachers. It is Marc's hope to turn the doctoral project into a effective tool for preachers all over the world.

Viv Grice and Graham Hill discuss how the church can nurture and inspire healthy, Christ-glorifying pastoral ministry. They also discuss how to develop happy, healthy pastoral families, and how to nurture pastoral marriages and the spiritual and emotional lives of pastoral children (PKs). The GlobalChurch Project podcast episode #119. The video is available on theglobalchurchproject.comViv serves as the Team Leader for Gen1K Leadership Development for the Baptist Churches of NSW/ACT, Australia. He is responsible for supporting and developing local Baptist churches, pastors and chaplains across the Australian states of the ACT and NSW. Prior to joining the Association, Vivian served on the pastoral teams of a number of Baptist churches.

Purevdorj ‘Puje’ Jamsran and Graham Hill discuss the growth and vitality of the church in Mongolia. The Global Church Project podcast episode #118. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comPuje Jamsran is Principal of Union Bible Theological College, which is the leading centre of theological training in Mongolia.After the communist regime, Mongolians are searching for their roots and identity by studying the religious rites, customs, and the traditional lifestyle of their ancestors. This has led to a rise in traditional religions including Mahayana Buddhism and shamanism.In 1989, just before the fall of Mongolia’s Communist government, there may have been only four Christians in Mongolia. But by the year 2000, this tiny seed had grown into a community of 8,000 to 10,000 Mongolian Christians. By 2010, it is estimated that there were over 40,000 believers in hundreds of churches meeting in most parts of the country.Puje Jamsran is a passionate theological educator and experienced Church planter. His passion is to equip the Mongolian church to reach that nation and the rest of Asia for Christ.

James Bhagwan and Graham Hill discuss love of God and love of neighbor. This includes restoring right relationships by addressing issues to do with social justice, poverty, climate change, refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, and gender violence. The Global Church Project podcast episode #117. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.comJames Bhagwan is a powerful preacher and communicator, and the Secretary for Communication and Overseas Mission with the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma. He is passionate to call the church to embody the Kingdom of God – where life in its fullness exists. He desires to see the church catch and live out God's vision of peace, stewardship of creation, human dignity, equality, compassion, generosity, dialogue, learning, and a preference for the marginalised.Aside from his church ministries, James Bhagwan is an award-winning radio and television producer, as well as director and writer. He combines creativity with justice, theology, creation care, and mission.

Paul Cook and Graham Hill discuss how to help local churches take their compassion and put it into action. The Global Church Project podcast episode #116. On https://theglobalchurchproject.com Paul Cook is Advocacy Director for Tearfund. He is keen to see the church engage fully in the areas of advocacy, justice, faith, the environment, politics, and economics.Paul oversees Tearfund’s policy research, lobbying and campaigning strategy. He also serves on the board of several charity coalitions, including Micah Challenge International. Paul was appointed Head of Public Policy at Tearfund in 2005, to deliver successful advocacy initiatives with, and on behalf of, poor communities around the world.

María Elena Mamarian, C. René Padilla, and Graham Hill discuss how the church can address domestic violence in church and society. The Global Church Project podcast episode #115. On https://www.theglobalchurchproject.com María Elena Mamarian is the President of EIRENE, a ministry dedicated to the strengthening of family relationships. Her ministry offers comprehensive assistance to marriages and families in crisis. It is focused on the local church as the matrix of healthy relationships, based on love, and oriented towards the formation of a society characterized by justice, peace, and the integrity of creation. It addresses family and gender violence and injustice. And María Elena Mamarian promotes the development of leaders who help families become violence-free and healthy, and the formation of Christian leaders focused on the integral development of people, marriages, families, and churches.