Podcasts about missio nexus

The global church is growing exponentially, but traditional training models are inadequate and inaccessible to emerging leaders. With less than 10% of global church leaders having received any formal theological education, Rich explains how Global Action uses competency-based theological education (CBTE) to meet this urgent need—offering a nine-month, contextually relevant curriculum that trains pastors to disciple others and lead their communities well.In this episode of The Mission Matters podcast, host Matthew Ellison is joined by Rich Griffith of Global Action for a compelling conversation about equipping pastors and ministry leaders around the world. Rich passionately describes the transformational impact he's witnessed—pastors weeping with joy upon receiving a certificate, because for the first time, they feel equipped and recognized to carry out God's call.Learn more at globalaction.com.As Chief Development Officer of Global Action, Rich's role involves building strong relationships with donors and developing church partnerships. For the past 20 years, Rich has served as an associate pastor at three different US churches. He is passionate about Jesus Christ and desires to contagiously engage others in the biblical mandate to “be His Witnesses.” Rich loves how God is not only transforming hearts around the world, but also calling North Americans to step out of their comfort zones and into God's larger plan.Prior to Rich's pastorate, Rich played seven years in the NFL as a tight end and long snapper for the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars.  During his athletic career, he was voted Fellowship of Christian Athletes' Athlete of the Year in 1995, and was nominated for the NFL's True Value Man of the Year in 1996 and for the Byron White Humanitarian Award in 1997.Rich has been married to his wife Keri for over 30 years, and they have four adult children. Rich resides in Phoenix, Arizona.The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

Many people going to the missions field have little exposure to actually sharing the gospel and need significant training. Why? The church has a passion for evangelism but traditionally, there has not been much focus on how to do it for regular people. Christians generally know how to explain the Gospel, but there's fear and ignorance of how to get into spiritual conversations. How do you get to that moment? How do you bridge a conversation to get to those opportunities?Listen in to this conversation and be challenged in your evangelism. Ted Esler and Matthew Ellison dive deeper into Kevin King's new book Living Out Loud: Letting Your Love for God Flow into Your Everyday Language (https://a.co/d/iN39Rel) and reinvigorate the desire to live out loud.Kevin King is cofounder and president of International Project, a missions-sending organization focused on church planting among unreached people groups across the globe. International Project has a variety of teams in New York City, as well as in other cities in North America and internationally.Kevin has a BA in Bible, an MA in biblical counseling, and an MDiv. His passion for evangelism began when he gave his life to Christ in high school—and later intensified to focus on reaching people who have never heard the gospel. He then discovered the strategic advantage of working with international students and the people groups God was bringing to the US through migration.Kevin and his wife, Jeanne, moved to New York City in 1998 and began sharing the gospel on college campuses and in ethnically diverse neighborhoods. Through the people they've led to Christ, churches have been planted in multiple countries. In 2010, Kevin founded Equip, a ten-month program training cross-cultural church planters to start simple churches that will expand and multiply. A core element of the training is equipping Christians to live their faith out loud in everyday conversations. Workers from multiple missions agencies who have gone through the Equip training are now serving effectively around the world.Kevin enjoys overseeing the International Project teams, as well as engaging in and starting Bible studies with international graduate students through Jeanne's ongoing campus ministry. He also loves running, scuba diving, and hiking. Kevin and Jeanne live in Harlem, where they raised their two children, who are now grown.The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

Is it possible to 'do missions' without ever sharing the Gospel? Not according to Scott Hildreth. In fact he's written a book called A Short Guide to Missions and Evangelism (https://a.co/d/8cCsKWv) that contains a warning to the western Church that she's dangerously close to walking away from the mandate to carry the Gospel to those who need it most. Listen in as Ted Esler and Matthew Ellison talk with Scott about his book (available May 6) and this current challenge in the western Church.Dr. Hildreth is an associate professor of missiology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS). He is married to Lesley and has two adult children and two grandchildren. Before coming to SEBTS, he and his family served with the International Mission Board in Europe and Central Asia. Dr. Hildreth serves as an elder at The Summit Church and also serves as interim pastor or guest speaker when possible. He has written on evangelism and missions. His research interests are on contextualization, missiology, and theology of mission.The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

How are American Christians thinking about engaging non-Christians in the United States? According to recent Barna research there are 60 to 80 million Americans who don't fit the paradigm that a lot of Christians have about those outside of the church. They are not really hostile to discussions about faith and spirituality and are actually spiritually curious at the right moments. Join Ted Esler's conversation with Mark Matlock, the Executive Director of the Urbana Student Missions Conference and also author of Faith for the Curious: How an Era of Spiritual Openness Shapes the Way We Live and Help Others Follow Jesus. Mark Matlock is a facilitator of innovation and impact, helping organizations adapt to changing times through turning research based insights into action. The founder of WisdomWorks LLC a consultancy helping churches and faith-based organizations leverage their collective wisdom and insight to innovate and adapt in changing times. Mark also works with Barna to assist clients with board training and on-site facilitation of research findings. Mark has been an advisor to organizations such as the Seed Company, Youth Specialties, Young Life, Awana, Brotherhood Mutual, Movement.org, BetterMan and has served as a board member of the American Bible Society. Mark is the author of more than 20 books for teens and parents, and in 2019 co-authored Faith for Exiles: Five Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon with Barna Group President David Kinnaman. Having initiated many research projects with Barna over the last two decades related to Next Gen studies, Mark's research continues to provide insights into emerging generations and how to cultivate faithful disciples.Mark is an ordained minister, certified LifePLanner, LEGO Serious Play facilitator, and MCORE trainer and coach. Mark is also certified as a HopIn online platform agency. He's been married for 30 years to his wife Jade. They have two adult children.The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Curious-Spiritual-Openness-Shapes/dp/0801018714https://www.urbana.org/

It's easy to fall into the trap of doing things the same way they've always been done. After fifteen years as the missions pastor of a large church, Larrie Fraley began to reevaluate their missions strategy. He realized that there must be a better way to steward God's resources. What were the pivotal moments in his journey of rediscovering missions, and where does the church stand now? Tune in as Ted and Matthew delve into Larrie's story.Larrie is Lead Global Outreach Pastor at Christ's Church of the Valley in Peoria, Arizona. Married to Sheila, two daughters, and seven grandchildren, and will celebrate 55 years of marriage in 2025. One of the four founding officers of Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV), Peoria, Arizona. CCV was founded in April 1982 with over 52,000 in weekend attendance.  Larrie was an executive at Intel Corporation for 19 years as a director in Intel's Information Technology Division. Responsible for managing Intel's Information Technology Centers around the world.He's founder and current President of STARS Youth Sports, Inc., which started in 2004, now has over 15,000 youth players annually, with over 1,000 coaches and 45% non-CCV attendees. Also Larrie is founder and past president of Streetlight. Streetlight's mission is to eradicate child sex slavery.  Larrie is currently a PhD Student at the University of Bucharest and host and producer of the Let's Go 360 podcast. https://www.letsgo360.org/The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

What happens when a group of ministry- and mission-minded men decide that they want  more than a social gathering and want to change the world? The G6 World Changers in Scottsdale, AZ come together with intentionality - to know each other better as well as each other's passions. One outcome is that they support worthy organizations together through finances and any other gifts members bring to the table. But it's all driven by a passion to be involved in spreading God's word and in sharing the generosity that God gives to us with others. Listen in as Ted Esler and Matthew Ellison talk with Bob Smith who unofficially represents the G6 World Changers - a giving circle. Bob gives insight into how the group functions and what types of projects they support. Bob Smith is a senior executive, general counsel, strategic advisor, manager and leader of large-scale transactions. A trusted advisor to Boards of Directors and senior corporate leadership teams and a recognized corporate governance expert, he also serves as director on a public company board. His experience spans public company spin-offs, major litigation, significant regulatory strategy, and building high-performing legal teams. His ability to deliver outstanding value by providing clear communication, sound advice, and innovative and effective results across the full range of critical business and legal challenges has enriched all his work. As a testament to his reputation for wisdom, he has even advised Congress in the creation of national policy. As Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. (now TransCanada Corp.), Bob served as a member of the Executive Council and Benefits and Risk Management committees. He was also a member of Columbia's Foundation and a Board member of Columbia Pipeline Partners, Ltd. (CPPL). He serves on the Board of Trustees of the El Faro Ephraim Foundation, which supports training and compassion efforts in Guatemala. He served as the interim president of Global Action from 2017-2018.The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

How should an American Jesus follower view attempts by other Christians to enter the United States? Immigration is a contentious issue in our politics and culture in 2025.  What should the church's attitude be toward people who are suffering, hurting, and fleeing persecution or even economic challenges? Guest Steve Moore gives his take on the current immigration crisis with Ted Esler in this episode of The Mission Matters.Steve Moore is the president of nextleader and Hold the Rope. At nexleader Steve gives leadership to a growing network of over 250 coaches who use the Identity Profile Self-Awareness Tool (IPSAT) to help people discover, optimize, and unleash their God-given potential. At Hold the Rope, he leads a startup initiative focused on helping Jesus-followers understand how God is at work around the world, the scope of the task that remains and how anyone can be involved.From 2006-2015, Steve served as the president and CEO of Missio Nexus, the largest network of Great Commission-oriented evangelicals in North America, representing churches, organizations and training institutions that send missionaries to nearly every country.Steve has provided leadership for teams serving in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean. He served on the board of World Relief and on the National Association of Evangelicals for eighteen years.Steve attended Kingswood University before pursuing graduate studies at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies with a leadership concentration. Kingswood University recognized Steve with a D. Div. in 2012.He is the author of six book, including The Top 10 Leadership Conversations in the Bible: Practical Insights from Extensive Research on over 1,000 Biblical Leaders, and most recently, Grow Toward Your Dreams: Practical Steps to Discover, Optimize and Unleash Your Potential.Steve and his wife Sherry have four adult children and live near Atlanta, Georgia.http://www.nexleader.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/Who-My-Neighbor-Samaritan-Connected/dp/1615217231⁠The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

Are there unchurched and unreached peoples who might be missed by current methodologies and mindsets? Is innovation in church and missions primarily a process that has to do with ideas/technologies/tools/methods or does it reside in something else that God gifts us with?  Pioneering isn't easy - the Church needs better pathways to nurture ideas, support innovators, and build collaborative movements for the challenges of our time. Tyler Prieb founded Missional Labs to help bring a startup mentality to individuals and teams working on new projects that go after Great Commission impact.Join Ted Esler and Matthew Ellison as they engage Tyler on the need for a renewed imagination in our evolving church and missions fields. Tyler is the Founder & Executive Director of Missional Labs (https://missionallabs.co/), a venture group investing in the frontiers of 21st-century mission. He was previously Chief of Staff at Church of the City New York in Manhattan, and has worked for multiple leading organizations across church planting, leadership training, entrepreneurship, innovation, and global mission.  He's worked with leaders in over 50 countries, and was named a young leader for the Lausanne movement in 2016.  He's pursuing a Doctor of Missiology (in progress), and holds an MA in Theology (RTS) and a BA in Economics and Humanities (Azusa Pacific University).  His focus is on the intersection of innovation and missiology. He loves coffee, reading, and travel, and lives in Nashville with his wife Melany and daughter Penny.The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

Listen to Jennifer Holloran, President and CEO of the American Bible Society being interviewed by veteran journalist Lorna Dueck. In this episode, Jennifer shares about how her simple desire to follow God's leading and use her strategic gifts to serve ultimately led her to work at Wycliffe Bible Translators USA in a variety of leadership roles, and now as CEO for the American Bible Society. In her current role, she is helping to expand Bible engagement and distribution throughout the world, and make Scripture available in the digital space in a more accessible way.===Learn more about the Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.caHelp people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donateConnect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesocietyWhether you're well-versed in Scripture or just starting out on your journey, The Bible Course offers a superb overview of the world's best-selling book.  This eight-session course will help you grow in your understanding of the Bible. Watch the first session of The Bible Course and learn more at biblecourse.ca. ===Dr. Jennifer Holloran serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at The American Bible Society. With decades of experience in the global movement to expand Bible access and engagement, Jennifer has a keen ability to lead strategically and pursue innovation.Prior to joining American Bible Society, Jennifer served Wycliffe Bible Translators USA for more than 22 years in various leadership roles, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. In this position, she oversaw Wycliffe USA's global operations, including field partnerships, church engagement, finances, human resources, marketing and communications, development, and technology.In addition to her work experience, Jennifer has also served on the boards of numerous organizations working to further develop Bible access and engagement, including Missio Nexus, Mission Aviation Fellowship USA, and Partners International.Jennifer holds a doctorate in strategic leadership from Regent University as well as a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in human resources from University of Central Florida.Jennifer and her husband, Tim, live in Philadelphia with their daughters, Katherine and Penelope. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, running, video gaming, and music. Jennifer is a singer-songwriter who also plays piano, violin, and viola. She released her first album, “Come on Home,” in 2013.Learn more about the American Bible Society: americanbible.org

Research (Dr. Elliot Stephens) has shown that there are three factors that affect attrition on the mission field: interpersonal skills, ministry competency and spiritual formation. Agencies can train for skills, but it's these softer skills that are often neglected at higher levels of Christian education. Ed Scheuerman built his program at Lancaster Bible College largely in response to this research. Listen in as Ted Esler, Matthew Ellison, and Ed Scheuerman discuss trends in higher Christian education as it relates to missions and mentoring the current generation of students. After getting his BA in Philosophy (with an emphasis in Religious Studies) from West Chester University (PA), Ed completed one year of formal Bible training, taking 42 hours of Bible and Missions classes at Tennessee Temple University in 1985. In 1986, he completed his MA in TESL from WCU. In December 2007, he completed his Doctorate of Missiology degree from Biola University. He was ordained by Calvary Bible Church in Hanover, PA. Ed and his wife Carol served with PIONEERS, International, in Southeast Asia for 23 years. They served in China for nearly seven years (starting in 1987), teaching and ministering at a university. Their work was primarily with their students, discipling those who came to faith. They were then based in Hong Kong for four years (1994-1998) as a support link to the in-China team. In 1997, Ed was asked to assume the role of Area Leader for South Asia / Mainland Southeast Asia (shepherding the teams from Vietnam to India). The family relocated to Chiang Mai, Thailand. The Area Leader role was primarily a pastoral role, shepherding church planting teams. While there, Ed also became involved in various member care ministries. In May 2010, Ed was recruited by Lancaster Bible College to be the Coordinator of the Intercultural Studies major. His book, Knowing God to Make Him Known: Living out the Attributes of God Cross-Culturally” was published in 2021 and is used by churches and missions agencies to help train potential missionaries. His passion is to help students find and follow God's call for their lives in the cause for world missions. The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

In a recent survey (to be published in 2025, stay tuned) of pastors, those with seminary or divinity school degrees were significantly more likely to report passion for those in their community and little toward cross-cultural work or missionaries. Is this the result of a marginalization of missions in theological education? If so, how can seminary education be refined to present missions as worthy of a pastor's or church's passion? Matthew and Ted seek answers with J. D. Payne who serves as professor of Christian Ministry at Samford University.https://www.jdpayne.org/about/The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

We cannot be successful in gospel obedience without an element of risk. What is a Biblical theology of risk, and how can mission leaders manage risk so that missionaries thrive in their contexts?  Scott Brawner is co-founder and President of Concilium, a non-profit organization that builds capacity and resilience into Christian missionary orgs. Join Ted, Matthew, and Scott as they discuss risk and the role of the security professional in a ministry organization.The Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.www.concilium.usBook: Anna Hampton Facing Fear: The Journey to Mature Courage in Risk and Persecution

There are three billion people with least access to the Gospel. Motivated by this fact, author and mission strategist Jeannie Marie writes and teaches everyday Christians how to share their faith to Muslim and Hindu friends. These least reached are not just around the world -thanks to the diaspora, they are across our street. Join Ted for this conversation with Jeannie as they talk about what the makeup of this diaspora is, how to befriend them, and how the church should engage them. Jeannie's book, Across the Street and Around the World: Following Jesus to the Nations in Your Neighborhood...and Beyond and her online courses offer practical training for Christians wanting to engage their neighbors from the nations. Jeannie Marie's online courses:Inviting Muslims to follow JesusOffer Jesus Naturally to Your Neighbors and the Nations https://www.jeanniemarieacademy.com/freevideotrainingThe Mission Matters Podcast is a place to talk about the importance of our Mission as Christians. The Mission Matters is a partnership of Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen, who have a shared passion to mobilize God's people to be a part of His mission.

Today's HeadlinesFCRA delays keep India's Gospel work in limboTurkish Church facing eviction gets two-week extensionUnreached people groups: real or imagined?

Today's HeadlinesChildren in Lebanon find relief at summer camp amid threats of warMissio Nexus 2024: progress, prospects, and the Panta ta EthneSGA meets with leaders in Armenia

What role does innovation play in the future of global missions, and are we ready to embrace it?   In this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast, we sit down with Ted Esler, president of Missio Nexus, to explore the intersection of faith, leadership, and innovation in global mission work. Ted shares his inspiring journey from being a missionary in the Balkans to leading an organization that catalyzes collaboration within the Great Commission community. Learn how innovation is shaping the future of mission work and discover critical insights that can transform your approach to leadership in ministry.   Main Points: The Poverty of Imagination in Mission: Ted argues that a lack of creativity and risk-taking is holding back the Church from fulfilling the Great Commission. Theological Foundations of Innovation: The conversation explores how Jesus exemplified innovation in His ministry, challenging traditional paradigms and pushing boundaries. Practical Steps for Legacy Organizations: Ted provides actionable advice for legacy mission agencies to renew their vision and embrace innovation in their operations. Leadership Lessons: How transitioning from the mission field to leadership in North America challenged and refined Ted's approach. Innovation in Mission Work: Exploring the importance of innovation and how it drives the effectiveness of global missions today. Missio Nexus: Learn about the role of Missio Nexus in fostering collaboration among mission agencies and globally focused churches.   Call to Action: If you found this conversation insightful, subscribe to our podcast to hear more inspiring stories from mission leaders. Don't forget to leave a review and share this episode with your network to spread the word about the innovative work done in global missions. Visit our website for more resources and updates.   Links & Resources: Ted Esler's Book - The Innovation Crisis - https://theinnovationcrisis.com/ Missio Nexus Website - https://www.missionexus.org/ Perspectives on the World Christian Movement - https://www.perspectives.org/    Guest Bio: Ted Esler is President of Missio Nexus, the association of mission agencies and churches in the US and Canada. Missio Nexus coaches, networks, and trains churches and other organizations focused on the global Great Commission. Before Missio Nexus, Ted was a field missionary in Bosnia and Croatia, and he held leadership roles with Pioneers for 25 years. Ted has a PhD in intercultural studies from Fuller Theological Seminary and is often asked to speak nationally and internationally. We'd love your feedback to help us to improve this podcast. Thank you!

Curious to know how God is at work on university campus' across the United States? In this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast, we hear from Tom Lin, President and CEO of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, about his remarkable journey from discovering Christ through varsity ministry to leading one of the largest campus ministries in the U.S. We delve into the strategic importance of university ministry, hear leadership insights, and the impact of global collaborations through movements like Lausanne. Main Points: Tom Lin's Journey: From aspiring economist to faith-driven leader, Tom shares his inspiring personal story and the pivotal moments that shaped his path. Foundations of Leadership: The significance of building strong foundations in faith, making risky decisions for Christ, and the essential role of community. Revival on Campuses: Hear about the spiritual awakening among students and the profound impact of recent revivals on secular and Christian campuses alike. Current Trends in Campus Ministry: Addressing key issues like mental health, diversity, and sexuality while presenting the gospel as good news to today's students. Global Partnerships: The importance of collaborative efforts in ministry, exemplified by initiatives like EveryCampus and the Lausanne Movement. If you have enjoyed this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast please take a moment to subscribe and don't forget to leave us a rating and review. Links & Resources: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship EveryCampus Initiative Urbana Student Missions Conference Lausanne Movement Guest Bio: Since 2016, Tom Lin has served as president / CEO of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Previously, he served as pioneering missionary and country director of campus ministry in Mongolia and vice president of missions and director of the Urbana Student Missions Conference. He has also served as a trustee on the boards of Wycliffe Bible Translators, Missio Nexus, and the Leadership and Legacy Foundation. He currently serves on the boards of Fuller Theological Seminary, The Crowell Trust, and the Lausanne Movement. Tom is the author of Pursuing God's Call (2012) and Losing Face and Finding Grace (1996), a coeditor of the Urbana Onward book series (2012), and a contributor to Still Evangelical? (2018)—all published by InterVarsity Press. He is also a contributor to Uncommon Ground (2020, Thomas Nelson). He has a BA in economics from Harvard University, an MA in global leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary, and an honorary doctorate in public service from Taylor University. Tom and his wife, Nancy, have two daughters.

Dr. Mike Chupp and Pastor Bert Jones are joined by Ted Esler, the president of Missio Nexus, to talk about the innovative work they are doing in missions for the cause of the Great Commission.  RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE: Give to CMDA Email CMDA Matters CMDA Bookstore Missio Nexus Global Health Outreach Global Missions Health Conference Center for Advancing Healthcare Missions CMDA Advocacy

In the episode, learn from Brenda Long, a nonprofit leader for over 30 years, who explains Noisemaker – a new, innovative marketing platform designed to equip volunteers quickly and help them promote their favorite causes. Ambassadors (volunteers) can create campaigns and spread the word through their social media channels. The platform rewards ambassadors for their efforts. Noisemaker's primary focus is on Christian nonprofit organizations and faith-based groups, but it is not limited to them. Smaller nonprofits with limited budgets and staff resources have well received it. The platform automates many processes and provides customizable templates for easy use. Noisemaker offers an innovative solution for managing more volunteers effectively in promoting organizations' causes. Other podcast episodes you will enjoy: Episode #144 Innovation to Reduce Your Nonprofit's Loan Payments with Todd Tarbert Learn how your local non-profit could save savings up to 60% on their monthly loan payments! In this episode, learn from Todd Tarbert, Founder and CEO of Semble, an innovative and unique approach to lowering your nonprofit's monthly loan payments. Semble is a company that addresses loan needs for churches, nonprofits, and ministries, and typically, through Semble's innovative and unique approach, they can lower a nonprofit's monthly loan payments by 40% to 60% to help further their mission.   Episode #141 Telling Stories That Shape One's Imagination with Heather Pubols. In this episode, learn from guest Heather Pubols as we discuss the role of the Christian nonprofit in telling stories that shape one's imagination. Heather Pubols is an experienced nonprofit communications leader, a passionate storyteller, the founder of Le Motif, and editor of Missio Nexus' Evangelical Missions Quarterly (EMQ).    

In this episode, learn from guest Heather Pubols as we discuss the role of the Christian nonprofit in telling stories that shape one's imagination. Heather Pubols is an experienced nonprofit communications leader, a passionate storyteller, the founder of Le Motif, and editor of Missio Nexus' Evangelical Missions Quarterly (EMQ). How does telling stories shape one's imagination? What is the storytelling role of the ministry nonprofit? Heather shares about the lack of funding for good storytelling in mission agencies and churches, emphasizing the importance of stories in transforming people's imagination and involvement in missions. Learn how to revitalize global ministry and engage the Church with stories! Several recent podcasts focused on the Middle East. Here are the links: EP #139 Resiliency in the Midst of Crisis – A Holy Land Update with Pastor Hanna Massad. In this episode, Dr. Hanna Massad discusses the challenges faced by Christians in Gaza, including limited resources and persecution. He emphasizes that despite these difficulties, the Christian community remains strong in their faith and support for one another. EP #138  Unique Firsthand Perspectives of the Iranian Church with Rev. Tat Stewart. Rev. Tat Stewart masterfully and humorously tell the story of how God wove the details of his life together and raised him up to become an influential part of the spiritual awakening in Iran in the 1970s. At a time when few foreigners could observe the impact of the Iranian Revolution, Tat, being no stranger to the people of Iran, was given a unique window to see firsthand how the Gospel spread like wildfire there.

The populations of the world are changing with mass movements of refugees and immigrants. So, what does this mean for the future of global missions?  Should we still be reaching the unreached, or have they come to us? Missio Nexus president Ted Esler unpacks the answers and offers innovative insights for reaching the world with the Gospel! EQUIPPERS - Our next ZOOM MEETING is Thursday, November 16!    REGISTRATION DETAILS ARE IN YOUR E-MAIL INBOX.  Not an Equipper and want to attend?   Become an Equipper Today! 

Today's HeadlinesGrief turns to anger in flooded LibyaAlgeria's church is driven undergroundMissio Nexus leans on collaborative history to tackle today's tough issues

Wendy Wilson, mission advisor for the Development of Women for Missio Nexus, is convinced that women and men are designed for full and equal partnership in ministry, and it shows! In this episode, Wendy challenges the church to awaken to that vision, and she provides one way to get there: safe, experiential spaces to talk about the theology and practice of mixed-gender ministry partnership. Listen and be inspired—as Wendy notes, change is happening!    Guest Bio:  Having served in various capacities in leadership training ministry since 1984, Wendy's great joy is envisioning and equipping women to participate fully in living out their design in the Image of God and in the grand calling of the Great Commission. With a BBA from Texas A&M University and an MABS from Dallas Theological Seminary, Wendy has led inter-mission and inter-confessional mentoring and equipping efforts for 30+ years, having lived and traveled abroad for many of those years. After serving for twenty-eight years with a pastoral training mission, with a focus on engaging women with shepherding gifts, she has served since 2012 as the mission advisor for Development of Women to the Missio Nexus network of mission agencies, and as the founder and executive director of the collaborative Women's Development Track.    More info on Missio Nexus and Wendy's ministry:    Missio Nexus  Women's Development Track    Other Resources:    CBE eLearning Course: Beyond Bias: Aligning towards God's Vision for Women and Men in Bible Translation    The Ministry of Women in the New Testament: Reclaiming the Biblical Vision for Church Leadership    How to Teach Mutuality to the Next Generation    Disclaimer:  The opinions expressed in CBE's Mutuality Matters' podcast are those of its hosts or guests and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CBE International or its members or chapters worldwide. The designations employed in this podcast and the presentation of content therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of CBE concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. 

Today, we're continuing the conversation that we began last week with Scott Brill, the Chief Financial Officer at Young Life, and Mark Tjernagel, the CFO for Cru. These two seasoned CFOs have given us a behind-the-scenes look at the role of the Chief Financial Officer and a nonprofit organization and how that role is changed over the years.  Mark brings a perspective of having worked for Cru his entire adult life and is the longest-serving CFO that Cru has ever had. Scott began his career in the private sector with Target Corporation and joined Young Life a little over five years ago as their CFO. Let's pick up the conversation where we left off last week. [00:00:43] Tommy Thomas: Take me a little bit into getting maybe a little more toward the accounting and finance piece of this, because I know our listeners, I want them to hear about that piece. Tell me a little bit about the size of your teams, and so you both work for two of the largest Parachurch Ministries, at least in the United States, probably in the world. Both of you are international. Tell me about your teams.  Scott, what does that look like at Young Life?  [00:01:09] Scott Brill: Yeah, so I have the financial services teams plus administrative and legal risk management teams. The financial services team is, 40 to 50 people. And that's really a lot of hourly people focused on income processing, the donation activity, accounts payable, all of our P card activity that's associated with that and is used throughout all of the U.S. and many countries in the world and then, our core accounting teams which are fewer people, but support accounting for all of our consolidated Young Life missions across the world. And we're in 102 countries. Not all of those are consolidated, but we're doing ministry work in 102 different countries. [00:01:57] Mark Tjernagel: So, for me, our structure is a little bit different than Young Life. I have a team of about 75 people based out of Orlando, largely. Doing everything from the typical financial services that you would think of, but also internal audi. Cru is made up of many ministry divisions and many of your listeners have probably heard of the Jesus Film Project or Family Life or the Campus Ministry. Those are all parts of Cru. So, Cru is a lot like an umbrella. With all of these things under it, each of the heads of finance for all of those divisions also reports on my team, so there are about 75 of those people, that I directly give leadership to then indirectly, there's probably another 75 to 100 people that either, you know, in related departments, but they don't report to me or that are out within our divisions. And so they report more indirectly as opposed to directly to me. But it's a pretty good-sized team. We have a lot of great folks working in finance.  [00:03:01] Tommy Thomas: How much of the job takes an accounting mind, and how much of it takes a finance mind? And I think I do know the difference between those two functions.  [00:03:11] Scott Brill: Yeah, you're talking about our jobs? Yeah, the CFO role. I would say it's predominantly the leadership and more of the financial mind is way more prominent than the accounting. There are a lot of CFOs who've never done accounting, and don't have accounting degrees, right? They have an MBA and an engineering undergrad, right? And I think at that, at this level, you have a good controller who has to firmly understand all of the accounting, but many CFOs don't have that. [00:03:44] Mark Tjernagel:  Yeah, I came up through accounting, right? I started in accounting. That was my track to be in the CFO. That's a little heavier in terms of my experience than the finance side, what we would call treasury management, but certainly, once you get to this, the level of CFO, I don't do any journal entries, I'll interact with the partner from the auditing firm that's auditing Cru. Most of my time is not on the technical. It's on the relational side and the leadership side. [00:04:12] Mark Tjernagel: And I have to understand what's happening with accounting, right? It's certainly that. But most of my time is not on the technical. It's on the relational side and the leadership side. But I would say this, I think if I'm trying to really dig deeper into where your question was going there. As a CFO, I do spend more time thinking about things like debt and investments and liquidity, and cash flow. Things like that, which tend to be more the finance side, the treasury function, then I do thinking about strategies for how we're managing the accounting for a film project or something like that. I have people that are really good at that, and they do it, and they report it up to me, but I tend to be involved a little bit more on the liquidity and the treasury side.  [00:05:03] Tommy Thomas: Obviously, Scott, you've had a longer tenure in the private sector. So you might draw from that and, Mark, you obviously are from a nonprofit. But to both of you, how has the CFO role changed over the last 20 years? [00:05:19] Mark Tjernagel: I wasn't the CFO, you know in the 80's, so I don't know what it was like back then, but I'll speak for myself, what I'm seeing now, is it requires communication skills and it requires relation, abilities to build relationships. There's so much technical, so many people in the ministry, in the nonprofit setting, that don't understand like the super technical finance things, right? And frankly, don't even care about them. They just want to know can I do it and I do what God's called me to do. And so the ability to translate, to simplify, to take a really complex matter and just to be able to present it in less than 60 seconds, and then to say to a Board, you know to our Board or to leadership, hey, here are the things that we should be concerned about, and being able to say it really simply. Communication skills are vital for the nonprofit CFO. You have to be able to communicate well. [00:06:13] Mark Tjernagel: So, communication skills are just vital for CFOs. Now, maybe it was like that in the eighties, but I know right now that's the life of a CFO and a nonprofit. You have to be able to communicate well. [00:06:37] Scott Brill: Yeah, I agree. And that evolution has, the role has tended to get more strategic and forward-looking.  You report on what the results were and you share that with everybody. Make sure everybody knows how they did financially.  It's much more about how you are partnering and working with people to change and improve results going forward. +++++++++++++++++++ [00:06:56] Tommy Thomas: In both of your organizations, what does your interface with the board look like?  [00:07:02] Mark Tjernagel: For me, I attend all the board meetings. My team does the presenting. We have two financial-related committees, an audit committee, and what we call an investment committee. And so we're putting the materials together, we're doing the presentations, we're framing out the issues we need decisions on for the board. So as the CFO, I personally interact with the chairman of those committees. Make sure they have what they need ahead of time. So, there's a lot of personal interaction with board members. Whenever the board meets, they always have dinner. And members of management are able to go and interact with them in that way. So there's a personal relationship with the board members, but there's also a kind of a real formal role that we play as well in presenting to the board. [00:07:56] Scott Brill: We have a finance committee that basically does the presentations to the finance committee at each of the board meetings and shares that with the entire board during the executive session. And then we have an investment committee. That's a subset of the finance committee and I chair the investment committee. So, we're actively integrated with the board on keeping them up-to-date and involved in our financial performance.  [00:08:25] Tommy Thomas: You guys have the privilege of probably working with fairly sophisticated boards. I know some of your board members from each of your organizations. If you were teaching at CLA or somewhere, what kind of counsel are you giving the CFOs on how to interact with their boards, and how to keep them informed? [00:08:47] Mark Tjernagel: One of the most important concepts, and look, I serve on a lot of boards and at Cru, I don't serve on the Cru board. I help our board as a member of management, but then I serve on a lot of other boards. One of the most important concepts to remember for people is that the board has a distinct role and it's not management. Like management has a role. The board has a role. And there's a lot of trouble when the board tries to manage and run the organization or when management tries to or fails to run the organization and basically keeps going to the board to tell them what to do all the time. So keeping those roles separate, I think is really important where you, so for example, one of my previous bosses told me, and it's been a lesson I've always remembered is Don't ask the Board what to do. Present to the Board your proposal of what you'd like to do. If they don't like it, they'll tell you. Don't ask the board what to do, present to the board your proposal of what you'd like to do. If they don't like it, they'll tell you, but don't go to the board and say we've got this issue, we're not sure what to do, what do you guys think? Go to the board and say we've got this issue. Management has worked through a process. We would like to propose this course of action. And we're seeking the Board's approval on management taking this action. And so, it emphasizes that separation between the Board, that's governing these trustees that are governing the organization, and management, which is running the organization. [00:10:17] Scott Brill: One of my first interactions with nonprofit boards, that was the conversation. Is this a governing board or a fundraising board? Never is the conversation, is it a managing board?  The Board should be focused on fundraising or governance or some combination of both. And that's the advice I would give them is exactly following up on Mark's. [00:10:39] Scott Brill: Continue to use them for governance purposes and fundraising purposes.  [00:10:44] Tommy Thomas: What role does the board have in risk management, if any, and if not, how does your office help mitigate risk? [00:10:56] Scott Brill: I think that's one of their principal duties, right? As a governing board, they are charged with evaluating the risk relative to the nonprofit, focused, in our case, our ministry. And where are risks appropriate to take relative to the value of the ministry? And where do we need to have risk mitigation strategies in place?  To mitigate the risk to the broader global ministry. [00:11:23] Mark Tjernagel: Yeah. I totally agree. It's fundamental to the board's role to evaluate what we would call enterprise risk at that level to hold management accountable to that evaluation and provide the information that they need to perform their role in assessing that risk. Risk management reports to me, and they do an assessment of risk and so forth, all of that, but a lot of that ends up being, like the insurance component, how we're transferring risk outside or what we're holding inside and what we're using the captive for and what we're just buying in the regular markets, that's more of the kind of the insurance side, the risk role for the board is broader than the insurance side. It's reputational risk and it's, it's all those things as well. ++++++++++++++++++++++ [00:12:16] Tommy Thomas: Let's go back to your team for a minute. When some people would think about accounting and finance, somehow creativity and innovation might not be in the same sentence.  How do you lead your staff in creativity and innovation without getting too far afield from ones and zeros? [00:12:36] Mark Tjernagel: There are things you can be creative in and then things you shouldn't be creative in. Controls how your transactions process and function. There are a lot of aspects of the finance function that are a little more set. But when it comes to things like how are you supporting decision-making? How are you analyzing your data? And Scott talked earlier about the finance function has evolved from reporting history more towards helping to set the path for the future. There's a lot of creativity in how you think about your data. I can't give you the exact example, but I'll give you a general example. Right now, we have a board meeting next week and even now we're finalizing kind of what's the story behind a lot of the data we're looking at with this certain aspect of our donation and our staffing models and what that means and how then might that impact what we do in the future? So, there's creativity in that. It's not, we're not artists or anything like that, but I will say this. It's not just accounting and finance majors working in finance, right? We have a lot of people that don't have those degrees, and one of the degrees that I have found has been super helpful are economics degrees, because economists, that's what they do. They're really looking at data and they're trying to interpret things and say what in essence is really happening. And, that mindset and that thinking is really helpful for us in finance as well. Two words that I never like hearing together are creative and accounting.  That's not a place where I like to have people doing too much creativity. [00:14:08] Scott Brill: Two words that I never like hearing together are creative and accounting.  That's not a place where I like to have people doing too much creativity.  For me, it comes down to asking why. When I joined Young Life five years ago the controller would tell you after the first three months of coming in, he started to come in with, okay, I'm going to start with, here's the why. And that really drives the, wait, I'm thinking about this differently. I'm not sharing you. This is what we do. This is how it's been done in the past; this is the result of that. It's the, okay, why are we doing this? Why are we looking at this? That helps you start thinking okay, like now I can think about how I want that work going forward, which sparks the creativity. Oh, I get to change how this is working. How should it work going forward?  [00:15:02] Tommy Thomas: What's the most ambitious project you or your department has taken on and how did it come out?  [00:15:13] Scott Brill: I'll go first. We're in the middle of it. I don't know how it's going to come out. But we're implementing Workday to replace Lawson as our general ledger software package.  It's going to include human resources and a lot more of the typical enterprise infrastructure. So I did not want to do that. But we didn't have a choice because Lawson is no longer going to be supported. I'm going to foreshadow that it's going to come out great or you're going to die trying one of the two, like those system projects are a bear, like they just are. [00:15:50] Mark Tjernagel: I'll take a little bit different angle and I'll say this. When I took over the leadership of the finance team, I think it's safe to say it was in disarray. We had a very low tenure. We had high turnover rates. There was a lot of pressure that we were understaffed. And so there's a lot of pressure to get stuff done. And it wasn't a very fun place to work. And one of the first things I did was I gathered a small group of leaders and I just said, all right we've got to figure out how to make this a better place to work. Like, how do we change a culture and, it's not going to happen overnight, but what do we do? And we worked a lot together. We didn't get an answer. The answer didn't just come to us in the first meeting. We collaborated and we prayed. We did a lot of activity, put a lot of effort into how we change the culture, and tried out different things that worked, some worked great, some didn't work so great, the theme of what really worked well and undergirded a transformation to which what I would say now is, we do have a great culture now in the finance function. We tried to change towards just really leading with our values. We have the values within Cru of faith, growth, and fruitfulness. My team added a fourth value called community, because we really needed to work on that. And we just, we said, what does that mean? The slogan for the wall, but what does it actually mean? How do we do that? How do we infuse within how we lead the value of faith? What does it mean to have a value of faith, the value of faith if you're in finance and what does growth mean for us as professionals and as missionaries and as, doing our work unto the Lord? And if we really value fruitfulness, how do we do our schedule in our everyday lives? And that was daunting because finance just stunk. Nobody wanted to work there. So I would say that was probably the biggest scary thing that we took on. And thankfully, looking right now, we're always growing and learning and changing, but it's much, much better than it used to be. +++++++++++++++++++++++++ [00:18:05] Tommy Thomas: If I had the privilege of traveling to Orlando and then out to Colorado here in the next couple weeks, and you let me attend one of your staff meetings, and at some point, we ask you to leave the room and you left me alone with your staff, first, what would they say would be the most difficult thing about working for you? [00:18:25] Tommy Thomas: And on the flip side, what do you think they'd say would be the most rewarding aspect of working for you?  [00:18:32] Mark Tjernagel: I'll let Scott go first on that one.  [00:18:37] Scott Brill: You mean what I want them to say? You're asking what they're going to say. What they tell me they would say is... the hardest thing is I don't let things slide. If I ask them why we're in a meeting today and it's why is this, different here? And they're like, Oh. I'm not sure why. And they're like, Oh, hard to believe we actually ran through this ahead of time together and yeah, we're stuck on this, this why. And so that is what I think they would say is I'm always like finding the little discrepancies or, and I'm always looking for, why does this make sense or why care about this? I think that the thing that I hear that they enjoy the most is that I'm forthright, I tell them exactly what I'm thinking or, what I'm seeing. And so they know where they stand on an initiative or what they're doing, with their team and what I think about it, but I let them do it. One of my better coaching moments was with somebody who worked for me. I was like, you need to stop telling your team what to do. Then you can ask questions about why they're doing something a way, but don't tell them to do it differently. Let them figure out why they should be doing it differently. Otherwise, you're not getting commitment to what you're doing. You're just getting compliance with the methodology you are forcing upon them. [00:20:07] Mark Tjernagel: The hard part of working for me is similar, high expectations, right? And it's not necessarily demanding excellence.  There can never be a fault, but just really demanding high expectations and pushing people to do things beyond what they think they can do.  I think the thing they might say that they appreciate the most about me is they know I have their back and I will go to bat for them. I will take the blame.  On their behalf, I'll try to shield them from a lot of the politics and the things that happen up in the other realm of the organization and defend them a lot.  [00:20:51] Tommy Thomas: You guys appear to be on the screen here, probably 10 to 15 years my junior. But I want to ask you a question about supervising generations. So, you may have some boomers on your team, you may have some Gen Xers, you may have some Millennials, and you might even have some Gen Z people. What have you noticed about the difference in the way you, I'll use the word, manage and or lead?  [00:21:20] Mark Tjernagel: I wish I was better at this. I don't know that I'm great. I think there are certainly different ways that we interact. I will interact with different generations, not playing favorites with one or the other. Some of our older staff are more experienced and mature staff. There's one gentleman in particular who I remember when I asked him, I challenged him to a different role because I wanted him to have something that was less intense than the work that he had, but that could allow him to work for a longer period. And so just working with him on that. But I think I'd say this across generations. People are still motivated by a few things. And I think one of them is knowing that the work that they're doing is important. And that they are seen and valued and so whether you're a brand-new staff member or an intern. I had we have some interns work in the summer. We took them out to lunch earlier this week, But then I've got people that are in their 70s still, you know working full-time jobs with us and everybody is the same. They want to know that their work matters and that they matter. And so how I can communicate that sometimes you can communicate differently to different generations, but it's that similar message. [00:22:48] Scott Brill: And the generational groupings are helpful when you're doing mass research and really understanding okay, what's changing with the thousands of kids that are showing up at a Young Life camp and what's happening out there? When you're dealing with teams of 50 you should be dealing with them as individuals within your leadership team. And I have somebody who's 26 years old but has a lot more of the characteristics of a boomer. Don't treat them like, oh, you're Generation Z and I need to give you this and treat you this way. You should be tailoring your leadership to the individuals on your team.  And I think that's really the focus, from a leadership standpoint, I think the generational consistencies help you with the big broad strokes on, do you have to have more digital community environments available? [00:23:45] Scott Brill: Yes. Will that continue to grow? Yes. But don't put that on everybody just because of their age group.  +++++++++++++++++++++++++ [00:23:54] Tommy Thomas: What was the most important lesson you think you learned during the pandemic that you'll take forward?  [00:24:02] Scott Brill: We can get work done without having everybody physically in the same office.  [00:24:08] Tommy Thomas: And you think y'all will continue that as you move forward? [00:24:13] Scott Brill: Yes, I think we've learned where that can be done just as efficiently, sometimes more efficiently and where it can't. So, I think, going forward, we'll be able to have that better balance of, hey, these things can happen very easily remotely, and these teams can be much more geographically diverse and still be very productive.  These functions and these activities require a lot more physical presence to be as. [00:24:45] Mark Tjernagel: I would say I totally agree, and I'll add something that's going to sound contradictory. But I think it's true as well, which is the importance of personal face-to-face interaction, right? We can get so much more work done differently now, and we learned how to do that in a hybrid setting. But man, we also found how important it is that our people get together and have time and opportunities to interact with one another. And not everybody wants it, some people crave it and some people don't, but everybody needs a dose of it. And so finding ways you can balance that is going to be really important going forward. [00:25:27] Scott Brill: I totally agree that's the hardest thing going forward is how you keep that connected, the team environment. So you might be just as productive, but if you don't feel like you're part of a team and you're very connected to people as individuals, that will show up in retention. I agree with you, Mark. It's not contradictory at all. It's what you need to do to make it sustainable. [00:25:56] Tommy Thomas: I've always been a big believer in non-profits working together and ministries working together. And I know you guys have this off-site thing that the different levels of leadership within multiple parachurch ministries do. Tell us about that and, what does the CFO conclave look like? [00:26:18] Mark Tjernagel: Sure. Our predecessors have been meeting for years. Sometimes the organizations will have a COO, sometimes a CFO, that attends. So, I did actually, our COO attended for a long time and I just started attending a few years ago. But yeah, there are several parachurch organizations. We get together usually twice a year and we spent about a couple of days together and honestly, a lot of times, we'll talk about some technical issues, how we're dealing with things, but a lot of times it's just great to get together with a peer from another organization and just be able to because the people that can relate to the challenges and the struggles and the things you're going through. Those times have been really rich and rewarding for me. [00:27:09] Scott Brill: Yeah, it was super helpful for me because coming from a for-profit public corporation world and moving into faith-based ministry, I learned a lot in those first sessions from the different ministries. Here are the challenges, oh, wait, that's the same thing I'm hearing from my team. Where are you already gone through this? And it was super valuable for me as I made that transition.  +++++++++++++++++++++= [00:27:37] Tommy Thomas:   Let's try to land this airplane here in the next minute or two. I'll ask you some possibly short answer questions, perhaps not. What's the main thing you wish somebody had told you earlier in your career? [00:27:56] Mark Tjernagel: Being in ministry is not easy. [00:28:05] Scott Brill:  I wish I had learned earlier that you don't always have to be 100% right or 100% accurate. Maybe it's the engineering math in me that I always wanted to get that final accuracy over the edge. And that caused me some issues in relationships because I was too focused on that. [00:28:33] Tommy Thomas: If you could go back in time and tell a younger version of yourself one thing, what would that be?   [00:28:40] Scott Brill: That's easy. Don't do that. Be directionally correct and focus more on the relationship. I think I'd go back to me and just encourage me to hang in there. That it's worth it. In the long run, it's worth it.  The struggle, the challenges, it's worth it.  [00:28:58] Tommy Thomas: If you could get a do-over, is there anything in your career you would like another shot at? [00:29:02] Mark Tjernagel: All the times I've messed up and how I've led people. [00:29:10] Scott Brill: Yeah, that's a good one. I'll double down on that.  [00:29:16] Tommy Thomas:   What's one piece of advice that you might have to those listening that are in some sort of CFO track? What kind of counsel are you giving them? And maybe this is a little bit of a longer answer. [00:29:29] Mark Tjernagel:  I would say I'll modify the question a little bit. I'll say if somebody is in college, my recommendation or they're new in their career, I'd say learn everything you can about data and analytics software and tools, like Tableau and Power BI and things like that. Like how to think about information and data and how to visualize it and then also learn as much as you can about automation.   Robotics is really big in accounting and finance now and it's the wave of the future and so understanding automation early in your career will be really helpful as you grow in your career if you're on a CFO track. I'd go back to what I said earlier, which is to take communications classes and network yourself right because the process of networking into things like the Christian Leadership Alliance or other events like Missio Nexus or places like that is helpful because it helps you learn how to communicate about who you are and how to communicate with other groups of people but any classes or courses on communication is super helpful because it's fundamental to a CFO. [00:30:43] Scott Brill: Organizational behavior relationships. That's what's going to matter the most as you progress further up in your career. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I hope you've enjoyed learning from these two seasoned CFOs. Their insights have inspired me to have conversations with CFOs from additional nonprofit organizations. Future programming also includes conversations with the Chief Communication Officer, the Chief Information Officer, and the Chief Legal Counsel of nonprofit organizations. So, stay tuned for these episodes.  We're getting close to the 100th episode of Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas. This is a huge milestone for us, and we have a very special guest for that episode.  I'll give you one clue as to who it might be. This person played a pivotal role in accelerating my career as a nonprofit executive search consultant. Thank you for joining us today. If you are a first-time listener, I hope you will subscribe and become a regular. You can find links to all the episodes on our website: www.jobfitmatters.com/podcast.  [00:24:51] Tommy Thomas: If there are topics you'd like for me to explore my email address is tthomas@jobfitmatters.com.    Word of mouth has been identified as the most valuable form of marketing. Surveys tell us that consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all other forms of advertising.  If you've heard something today that's worth passing on, please share it with others. You're already helping me make something special for the next generation of nonprofit leaders.   Links and Resources JobfitMatters Website Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas Cru Website Young Life Website   Connect Tommy Thomas - tthomas@jobfitmatters.com Tommy's LinkedIn Profile

Are you someone that is tired of the traditional way non-profit organizations are run? Many non-profit organizations are stuck thinking in the traditional categories - unwilling to take the risks to innovate. This has led to the downfall of so many organizations, but it doesn't have to be this way. How can you innovate in any position - even if you are not in a position of authority?Join us today on the Lasting Change podcast, where we're talking with Ted Esler, the president of Missio Nexus and author of the book “The Innovation Crisis: Creating Disruptive Influence in the Ministry You Lead.” Together we're talking about how many non-profits do not value innovation or create the space for partners and employees to truly innovate.Learn more about how you can get involved today at onecollective.org/podcasts

Data in missions represents people…people who need to hear the Gospel. This weekend on Missions Today, Ted Esler from Missio Nexus joins Collin to talk about a new report just out that sheds light on current mission activity around the globe. Pulling data from 118 mission agencies, we'll discover the most recent insights and trends in the world of missions. That's this weekend on Missions Today!   For more information on our guest this week and his work, please check out the links below: Ted Esler Missio Nexus 2022 Missions Data The Innovation Crisis #missions #data #research #missionexus #minorities #funding #discipleship #gospel

Welcome to a very special episode of Today's Conversation. In collaboration with The Mission Matters podcast, we bring you an engaging discussion featuring esteemed guest Michael Oh, the global executive director and CEO of the Lausanne Movement. Joining him as co-hosts are NAE President Walter Kim, Ted Esler, president of MissioNexus, and Matthew Ellison, president of sixteen:fifteen.In this episode, our distinguished guests delve into the dynamic work of God across the globe, with a particular focus on the transformative power of the global missions movement. Prepare to be captivated as they explore:The distinction between global missions and the globalization of missions, unraveling the nuances of their impact.The profound interplay between the demonstration and proclamation of the gospel, revealing the intricate relationship between both aspects.A captivating preview of the highly anticipated Lausanne Congress in Seoul, showcasing its unique and groundbreaking elements.An inspiring conversation about the hopes and aspirations they hold for the global Church in the upcoming decade.Don't miss this extraordinary episode as we bring you a truly enriching conversation that illuminates the remarkable ways God is at work in our world.

Today, John is joined by Ted Esler. Ted is the President of Missio Nexus, a massive online community designed to connect Great Commission ministries and individual believers. This episode is sponsored by: First North and Ivey - O'Sullivan Healthcare We post episodes the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month! Visit our website - Email us - Instagram - Twitter - Facebook

Join us as we hear from Ted Esler, the President of Missio Nexus. He speaks about his new book: The Innovation Crisis: Creating Disruptive Influence in the Ministry You Lead, describes his current role and career journey, the need for innovation in the church today, and what steps faith-based organizations can take to create an innovative community.

Scott and Emily attended and greatly enjoyed the MissioNexus Conference in 2022, and came back with some new vocabulary and insights. Join them as they highlight workshops dealing with involving Gen Z in missions and much more.

We are nearing the end of our summer sermon series, Missio Nexus, and this Sunday Pastor Brett will be looking at how God would call us to flourish in our workplaces. Given that we will spend anywhere from a third to a half of our life working, we need to know what God thinks about work, about our work, and how it can flourish our neighborhood and city. We return to the Scripture text that opened our sermon series, which was from Jeremiah 29. We'll be looking at verses 7 and 11 and from these two verses, we'll see that God wants us to flourish our workplaces as a place of calling, of blessing, and of ministry. To prepare for the sermon, please read Jeremiah 29:1-11.

We are nearing the end of our summer sermon series, Missio Nexus, and this Sunday Pastor Brett will be looking at how God would call us to flourish in our workplaces. Given that we will spend anywhere from a third to a half of our life working, we need to know what God thinks about work, about our work, and how it can flourish our neighborhood and city. We return to the Scripture text that opened our sermon series, which was from Jeremiah 29. We'll be looking at verses 7 and 11 and from these two verses, we'll see that God wants us to flourish our workplaces as a place of calling, of blessing, and of ministry. To prepare for the sermon, please read Jeremiah 29:1-11.

This episode is filled with interesting stories of Greg sharing the life of him as mission-mobilizers, where they began the journey when mobilization was not very much heard of. His love for mission resources is evident in his excitement as he speaks of the different materials available. He encourages his listeners to pray for the diasporas and the unreached daily with use of prayer guides. He invites his listeners to engage in missions as a mobilizer, or as an ‘along-sider', through helping other people walk into their global mission. The field is ripe and ready. About Greg Parsons Greg and Kathleen joined the staff of the U.S. Center for World Mission (USCWM) in 1982, now called Frontier Ventures.Greg was the Director of the USCWM from 1990-2010. Now his role as Director of Global Connections takes him around the globe to meet, learn from and serve leaders. Greg also serves as the Chancellor and Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies at William Carey International University. He teaches and speaks in churches and in the course, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. He also writes a regular column in Mission Frontiers magazine, the bulletin of Frontier Ventures. He is working on several books and serves on several boards including Missio Nexus. More about Frontier Ventures Formerly known as the U.S. Center for World Mission founded by Dr. Ralph Winter, FV is the birth place of the Perspectives course, Global Prayer digest, Mission frontiers Magazine, and many more. In 2015 The U.S. Center for World Mission and the Frontier Mission Fellowship were joined together again as one entity, known today as Frontier Ventures. https://www.frontierventures.org/ Powered by Firstory Hosting

What contributes to effective missions mobilizers? During this webinar, we will share the results from the Agency Mobilizer Training survey conducted by Missio Nexus and the Center for Missionary Mobilization and Retention.

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

Our conversation with Ted Esler continues as we try to define words like “disciple” and “church” and map out both the common ground and the battle lines. Then, we try to chart the path forward. You can listen to part one. Ted Esler is the president of an association of agencies and churches representing over 30,000 mission workers worldwide. Ted worked in the computer industry before becoming a church planter in Sarajevo, Bosnia, during the 1990s. In 2000, Ted became the Canadian director of Pioneers and three years later moved to Orlando to join the leadership team of Pioneers USA. In 2015 he was appointed as president of Missio Nexus. Ted has an MTS in theology (Heritage Seminary, 2002), and a Ph.D. in intercultural studies (Fuller Theological Seminary, 2012) and resides in Saint Cloud, Florida with his wife, Annette. They have five adult children and two grandchildren. Support this podcast and impact God's mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us. The Missions Podcast is sponsored by ABWE's Global Gospel Fund.

In this episode of the UpNext podcast, we talk with Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, about his journey, reflections on life, the marketplace, ministry, and what he is currently working on.To learn more about Ted and his work, please check out www.missionexus.org/

What are disciple-making movements and church planting movements? Do these methods, carried to their logical conclusions, undermine our doctrines of the local church and of conversion? Or are we being too theologically rigid? Let's reason together, build common ground, and determine where the real issues lie. Hear part 1 in a two-part series with Missio Nexus president Ted Esler. Hear our previous conversation with Ted here. Ted Esler is the president of an association of agencies and churches representing over 30,000 mission workers worldwide. Ted worked in the computer industry before becoming a church planter in Sarajevo, Bosnia, during the 1990s. In 2000, Ted became the Canadian director of Pioneers and three years later moved to Orlando to join the leadership team of Pioneers USA. In 2015 he was appointed as president of Missio Nexus. Ted has an MTS in theology (Heritage Seminary, 2002), and a Ph.D. in intercultural studies (Fuller Theological Seminary, 2012) and resides in Saint Cloud, Florida with his wife, Annette. They have five adult children and two grandchildren. Support this podcast and impact God's mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us. The Missions Podcast is sponsored by ABWE's Global Gospel Fund.

Are you experiencing greater than unusual turnover of your staff? Well, listen in as today's guest has great insights on the importance of employee retention, keys to effective remote communication, and innovation for Christian-led organizations. As a leader, how do you inspire your team, care for your people, and practice healthy communication? And how can you unleash an atmosphere of innovation in your organization? Today we will address these leadership topics that help your organization flourish over the long term.    I'm delighted to welcome Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus and the author of The Innovation Crisis: Creating Disruptive Influence in the Ministry You Lead to the Flourishing Culture Podcast.  Find full show notes here: https://bit.ly/tedeslermissionexus Share the love. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it on Apple Podcasts and write a brief review. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flourishing-culture-podcast/id1060724960?mt=2  By doing so, you will help spread our podcast to more listeners, and thereby help more Christian workplaces learn to build flourishing cultures. Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on Twitter https://twitter.com/allopus Follow our Host, Al Lopus, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/allopus/ Email our host at info@bcwinstitute.org 

What if there was an explosion of innovation in the church today? Imagine the effects of innovation on discipleship, community, racial reconciliation, hospitality, and giving! These are just some of the giants waiting for ministries to tackle. Our guest this week, Ted Esler, suggests that they can be conquered through faith-filled and audacious innovation. That's this week on Missions Today! To learn more about Ted, and his work, please check out Missio Nexus!

Have you ever wondered how we might innovate with regards to mobilization? What might be some consequences if our ministries fail to innovate? Is God asking you to take a risk, and to follow His direction? In this episode of the Missionary Mobilization Podcast, Dave converses with Ted Esler, the president of MissioNexus, and author of The Innovation Crisis. They discuss significant topics about how the world changes, and how we must creatively innovate in missions mobilization.  Topics Discussed: What motivated you to write this book?  You write that, “If there is any one marker of an innovative ministry, it is that mission triumphs over methodology.”  Can you unpack that a little bit for us?  In chapter 6, you write about “wicked problems.” What are wicked problems and would the overall lack of missions engagement in our local churches be considered one?  When it comes to innovation, why is collaboration important? Innovative mobilization is often risky. How might you counsel a ministry that might be risk averse? What may occur in our mobilization ministries if we fail to innovate?  What types of innovation have you seen in mobilization? Show Links: hello@missionarymobilization.org Missionary Mobilization Journal Pioneers The Innovation Crisis - Ted Esler Fuller Theological Seminary MissioNexus Trinity Bible College & Graduate School  The Missionary Mobilization Podcast is a resource for Christian leaders who want to increase the number of missionaries around the world. Our goal is to equip and encourage missions mobilizers and missions pastors for greater Kingdom impact. (The views expressed on the Missionary Mobilization Podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Missionary Mobilization and Retention) If you have questions or ideas for a show, contact us here: hello@missionarymobilization.org

Ted Esler believes there's a crisis in the Christian world. He believes leaders in ministry and missions aren't innovating. Is this true—and is innovation itself biblical? Ted joins Scott and Alex this week to discuss his new book, The Innovation Crisis. Ted Esler is the president of Missio Nexus, an association of agencies and churches representing over 30,000 mission workers worldwide. Ted worked in the computer industry before becoming a church planter in Sarajevo, Bosnia, during the 1990s. In 2000, Ted became the Canadian director of Pioneers and three years later moved to Orlando to join the leadership team of Pioneers USA. In 2015 he was appointed as president of Missio Nexus. Ted has an MTS in theology (Heritage Seminary, 2002), and a Ph.D. in intercultural studies (Fuller Theological Seminary, 2012) and resides in Saint Cloud, Florida with his wife, Annette. They have five adult children and two grandchildren. Love the show? Want to help more people think and go? Support this podcast. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us. The Missions Podcast is sponsored by ABWE's Global Gospel Fund.

Where is the line between innovation in ministry and accommodation of the world? Ted Esler, president of Missio Nexus, shares his perspective this week in a lively interview. Support this podcast and impact God's mission. Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email us. The Missions Podcast is sponsored by ABWE's Global Gospel Fund.

In this episode, Ted Esler talks about the lack of innovation in ministries today and why the church should be at the forefront of innovation in this ever changing world we live in. Ted worked in the computer industry before joining Pioneers in 1990. He served in Bosnia and in various leadership roles with Pioneers until 2015 when he was appointed the president of Missio Nexus. The author of The Innovation Crisis, he holds a PhD in Intercultural Studies (Fuller Theological Seminary, 2012).Ted's RecommendationsNoise by Daniel KahnemanThe CEO Next DoorThe ChosenGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcastSupport the show

In this episode, Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, unpacks the impact of the leader's character, both internally and externally. Ted draws a parallel between Jesus's ministry and innovation. In this thought-provoking interview, you will discover various windows of opportunity (e.g. Covid-19) where we have failed to creatively innovate. It will require righteous leadership to overcome this crisis.

In this episode, Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, unpacks the impact of the leader's character, both internally and externally. Ted draws a parallel between Jesus's ministry and innovation. In this thought-provoking interview, you will discover various windows of opportunity (e.g. Covid-19) where we have failed to creatively innovate. It will require righteous leadership to overcome this crisis.

Join Brandi and James as they interview Geoff Whiteman, LMF discussing his research on resiliency and cross cultural workers. His study was completed by 892 workers representing 41 nationalities and serving in 148 countries. He will be speaking a Missio Nexus in September https://missionexus.org/innovate-2021/ on what the data said about organizations and resilience. Visit his […]

Ted Esler is the President of Missio Nexus, an association of agencies and churches representing about 30,000 Great Commission workers worldwide. He worked in the computer industry before becoming a church planter in Sarajevo, Bosnia, during the 1990's. Ted is the author of Overwhelming Minority, which tells the story of their family's ministry in Bosnia. In 2000, Ted became the Canadian director of Pioneers, and three years later moved to Orlando to join Pioneers USA's leadership team. He was appointed as President of Missio Nexus in 2015. Mission Minded Podcast: In Matthew 28:18-20, we are commissioned by Christ to make disciples of all the nations. Living in light of this scriptural call can be challenging. Join the Mission Minded podcast and participate in discussions with mission-minded individuals that come from diverse backgrounds, working all over the world, to bring some of the challenges into the light. The ITEC team hosts special guests who tell stories, ask questions, and inspire us to use our God-given gifts to take the Gospel to our neighbors and the nations. Mission Minded Podcast is produced by ITEC. The goal of this podcast is to inspire conversations about Great Commission participation. The views, organizations, and individuals represented, interviewed, and discussed on the podcast do not necessarily represent an official position or formal partnerships with ITEC.

Tune in for Part 2 of "Deconstructing the Great Commission" where Matthew Ellison and Denny Spitters continue their conversation with guest Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus. They discuss the difference between the Great Commission & the Great Commandment. In an age of deconstruction, Ted contends that critical thinking goes too far when we rethink the Great Commission, making the point that it doesn't need to be rethought, it just needs to be rediscovered.

JD Payne says: “We now live in a time when the Church thinks of itself as doing missions even if the gospel is never shared. Catch the newest podcast episode where Matthew Ellison and Denny Spitters chat with their guest Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, asking him why he makes a direct connection between missions and the gospel itself and why he feels the direct link is necessary. Aren't there all sorts of different ways to do missions?

Did you know that a third of humanity has no access to the gospel? If you were born into an unreached people group, would you want missionaries to prioritize ministry to the unreached? Why does nearly 97% of the world's missionaries go to places where the church already exists? Listen in as Dave has a conversation with Dr. Marvin Newell. Dr. Newell is the newly-appointed Executive Director of Alliance for the Unreached and staff missiologist for Missio Nexus, a network of evangelical mission agencies, churches, and training centers in North America. Previously he served as a missionary to Indonesia. Marv is the author of four mission-related books and holds a Doctorate of Missiology degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. In this episode, your faith will be challenged to remember those who do not have access to the gospel and the importance of mobilizing missionaries to these unreached people groups. The 2021 International Day for the Unreached is May 23, 2021.   Some of the topics discussed: 1. How did the Alliance for the Unreached begin? 2. Why the focus on unreached people groups? 3. Some missions leaders have taken the position that we shouldn't focus on unreached people groups. How should we respond to them? 4. How can mobilizers, missionaries, and mission pastors utilize some of the Alliance's resources? 5. How can churches and mission agencies partner with the Alliance? 6. What's the future vision for the Allisnce for the Unreached?   Show Links: Support the Center for Missionary Mobilization & Retention Missio Nexus Alliance for the Unreached A Third of Us Advocates for the Unreached marvnewell@gmail.com marv@alliancefortheunreached.org Assemblies of God World Missions   Check out the full show notes here!

Our podcast guest this week is Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus. This ministry exists to catalyze relationships, collaboration and ideas within the great commission community. Their mission is all about partnership and helping like-minded organizations succeed in furthering the call of the great commission. You will also hear more about their mission conference that’s just about to happen!  With a powerful line-up of speakers and access to outstanding resources you won’t want to miss out. Links: Download the Great Commission Action Guide Follow us on Facebook   Watch our 2020 Pentecost Sunday Special Webcast Event Learn more about the ministry of Misssio Nexus   Sign up for their Missions Conference: Focus 2020 (registration ends September 18th 2020)

Ted Esler of Missio Nexus shares a high-level view of how global missions is being impacted by COVID-19. Ted describes how COVID-19 is affecting evangelism, discipleship, and church-planting - and how those areas might be affected in the future. Ted offers words of encouragement to churches seeking to faithfully participate in global missions in a changing world. [et_social_share]

In this episode of Talking Missions, Brad Murray interviews Doug about Frontier Missions.Brad@talkingmissions.com"Be on mission Live on purpose"We hope that you will be inspired, encourage, and empower to mobilize the world around you.If this audio-interview was of value to you, it would mean a world to us if you consider to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE it.Also, remember to leave us a comment below!Make sure to subscribe to the audio version of Brad Murray Talking Missions on your favorite podcaster provider.Facebook: @talkingmissionsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingmissionswww.talkingmissions.com

On this segment of Talking Missions, our host Brad Murray interviews Christine Harrison from YWAM Turner Valley. Christine HarrisonSchool of Bible StudiesYWAM Turner ValleyChristine.goehner@ywamturnervalley.orgwww.YWAMTurnerValley.org"Be on mission Live on purpose"We hope that you will be inspired, encourage, and empower to mobilize the world around you.If this audio-interview was of value to you, it would mean a world to us if you consider to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE it.Also, remember to leave us a comment below!Make sure to subscribe to the audio version of Brad Murray Talking Missions on your favorite podcaster provider.Facebook: @talkingmissionshttps://www.instagram.com/talkingmissions/www.talkingmissions.com

Today we introduce The Mission Matters Podcast. We are excited to announce this partnership with 1615. Full information about the new podcast is here: Fundraising in a COVID-19 Era

Today, 1.6 billion people around the globe are Muslim. On this episode, Greg Kelley interviews a man who served as a missionary to the Muslim world. Marv Newell, of Mission Nexus, is our guest.   Marv will give you an insider look into the world of Islam. He'll also talks about the practice of Ramadan, a holiday which is currently underway. Ramadan is a month long and those who follow it fast during the entire month.   Marv has a lot of experience serving in the Muslim community. He was a missionary in Indonesia, a country with the highest Muslim population.   You will also hear about a special online event on May 31, the International Day for the Unreached. Links: Download the Great Commission Action Guide Follow us on Facebook   Register for our May 31. 2020  Special Webcast Event  Learn more about the ministry of Missio Nexus  

In this episode, Ted Esler, Missio Nexus President, and Matthew Ellison, founder of 1615, are teaming up on a new podcast called The Mission Matters podcast. You will find it right here, on the same podcast feed.

Michael VanHuis of Missio Nexus believes that the local church is absolutely crucial to the work of cross-cultural missions. Drawing principles from the Church Missions Leader Survey Report, Michael outlines 5 best practices that can help local churches build healthy global missions programs. Michael also highlights some free missions resources for churches! [et_social_share]

In this episode, Ted talks about innovation with Samuel Chiang of the Seed Company

Michael VanHuis discusses this year's On Mission virtual conference held on March 11, 2020. Michael also shares other resources that Missio Nexus will be offering in the future. Join David and Michael as they discuss great resources that help churches, mobilizers, and mission organizations engage in the Great Commission.   

In this podcast, Ted interviews Joe Handley of Asian Access

In this podcast, Ted talks about The Year in Review.

In this podcast, Ted interviews Mike Latsko of Vision 5:9 on the status of Unreached People Group thinking.

In this episode Ted talks with Dave about Disciple Making Movements.

Mr. Esler is the CEO of Missio Nexus, an organization that focuses on missions leaders coming together in support for making the Gospel known around the world. Mr. Esler narrates the Missio Nexus Podcast with new episodes released monthly. He previously worked for a missions agency called Pioneers. He also served as a missionary in the Balkans during the Balkan Year War. In working with Missio Nexus, he emphasizes the community aspect and the importance of many agencies and churches working as one to carry out the work of Christ.

In this episode Ted talks about Brexit with John-Baxter Brown.

In this episode Ted interviews USAID personnel Randy Tift and Diana Lighfoot.

In this episode Ted interviews Gary Franz from Good New Jail and Prison Ministry.

Marvin Newell of Missio Nexus unpacks 3 mega-trends that are impacting missions today. He suggests practical ways that churches and mission agencies can respond to these realities. [et_social_share]

This week on Gateway to the Unreached Greg Kelley interviews Marv Newell, Senior Vice President of Missio Nexus. Missio Nexus is made up of a network of missions agencies whose goal is to see  ministry leaders around the world accelerate the fulfillment of the Great Commission in servant partnership within the church globally. Every believer should feel like they have a part to play in the Great Commission and in this week’s podcast Marv and Greg will go into detail about what the barriers are today that stop us from fulfilling the Great Commission—and how we can avoid them. Make sure to listen. Links:  Download the Great Commission Action Guide Watch the International Day for the Unreached Webcast Follow us on Facebook   Learn more about Missio Nexus 

In this special crossover episode with Rethink Creative, host Steve Grusendorf interviews Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, as they speak about some of the current challenges for missions organizations, the local church, and how clear storytelling and effective brand strategy could be the key to bridging the gap for the next generation of missions innovation.

Resources for churches and ministries are constantly growing and changing. It’s important to admit that you don’t know and can’t possibly know everything. Tim Foot and Cased Berry from Slingshot Group are joined by Louis Galucci from Missio Benefits to discuss the endless resources that are available to HR teams and how to utilize them best. It’s important to be a student of human resources because the world is so often changing. Staying on top of new information, compliance issues, and laws will help you lead your team well. Resources like SHRM, HR Ministry Network and other websites will lend HR teams a helping hand in understanding the wide variety of topics they need to know. Community is also an incredible resource for support. Find like minded people in your position in your community to form groups to meet up, share stories, encourage one another, and help each other professionally. Even using tools like the Enneagram and other personality profiles can be an asset to your team in more ways than one! Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) https://www.shrm.org A membership program with access to compliance laws, HR advisors, webcasts and more. HR Ministry Network https://newspringnetwork.com/questions/hr Free HR resources for churches and ministries. Missio Nexus https://missionexus.org Missio Nexus engages people who serve within the Great Commission with ideas, events, and resources which propel the gospel around the world. Life Church open.life.church Free tools from Life.Church to expand your ministries from HR resources to training, life groups, and more. Myers Briggs https://www.myersbriggs.org/home.htm?bhcp=1 Personality test based on the 16 personalities developed by C.G. Jung that assess how individuals use their perception and judgement. Strengths Finder https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/home/en-us/strengthsfinder An assessment helping individuals discover what they naturally do best, how to develop those talents, and how to apply that to everyday life. Enneagram https://www.enneagraminstitute.com Based on 9 personality types, this assessment helps individuals discover more about their motivations, attitudes, and behaviors. Discovering Insights https://www.insights.com/us/products/insights-discovery/ Insights Discovery seeks to increase self-awareness, and help people perform at their highest level. The Gallup 12 Question Survey https://q12.gallup.com A brief survey to discover what matters most to your employees. www.missiobenefits.com www.slingshotgroup.org

Tom Lin, President and Chief Executive OfficerTom Lin was commissioned as the eighth president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA on August 10, 2016, the first full president to be chosen from InterVarsity staff.Tom served with InterVarsity/USA from 1994 to 2001, planting new student chapters at Harvard University and Boston University, developing new national fundraising strategies, and designing national training for InterVarsity staff.From 2002 to 2006, Tom helped establish an evangelical student movement in Mongolia and served as the country director for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students in Mongolia. Tom and his family moved back to the U.S. in 2006, when he became InterVarsity’s Central Region Regional Director, overseeing undergraduate campus ministry in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska.From 2011 to 2016, Tom served as Vice President of Missions and Director of the Urbana Student Missions Conference. He led a team which oversaw 25 short-term urban projects, study abroad ministry, long-term collaborative partnerships in over 100 countries, training students and staff in missions, new global initiatives, and Urbana.Tom has served as a missions consultant for various organizations and is frequently invited to speak in the U.S. and around the world. From 2005-2014, he served as a trustee and vice-chair of the board of Wycliffe Bible Translators, and has also served on the boards of Missio Nexus and Leadership & Legacy Foundation. He currently serves on the boards of Fuller Theological Seminary, the Crowell Trust, and the Lausanne movement.Tom is the author of Pursuing God’s Call (2012) and Losing Face, Finding Grace (1996), both published by InterVarsity Press, as well as co-editor of the Urbana Onward book series (2012). He has a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University, and holds an M.A. in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary.Tom, his wife Nancy, and their two daughters currently live in Madison, Wisconsin.

In this launch episode we've brought on Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, to discuss the role of innovation in the great commission. Over the course of the episode, you will hear topics like the history of innovation in missions, the lack of innovation in missions today, and how we can begin innovating in missions again. This is an insightful, inspiring discussion that you won't want to miss!

Marvin Newell of Missio Nexus unpacks 3 mega-trends that are impacting missions today. He suggests practical ways that churches and mission agencies can respond to these realities. [et_social_share]

Ted Esler of Missio Nexus gives us an overview of how the North American church is participating in missions. He highlights 3 major trends and gives advice to Christ-followers about how to respond. [et_social_share]

For more information on Missio Nexus, please visit www.missionexus.org

Tom Lin was commissioned as the eighth president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA on August 10, 2016, the first full president to be chosen from InterVarsity staff. Tom served with InterVarsity/USA from 1994 to 2001, planting new student chapters at Harvard University and Boston University, developing new national fundraising strategies, and designing national training for InterVarsity staff.From 2011 to 2016, Tom served as Vice President of Missions and Director of the Urbana Student Missions Conference.He led a team which oversaw 25 short-term urban projects, study abroad ministry, long-term collaborative partnerships in over 100 countries, training students and staff in missions, new global initiatives, and Urbana.Tom has served as a missions consultant for various organizations and is frequently invited to speak in the U.S. and around the world. From 2005-2014, he served as a trustee and vice-chair of the board of Wycliffe Bible Translators, and has also served on the boards of Missio Nexus and Leadership & Legacy Foundation. He currently serves on the boards of Fuller Theological Seminary, the Crowell Trust, and the Lausanne movement.Tom is the author of Pursuing God’s Call (2012) and Losing Face, Finding Grace (1996), both published by InterVarsity Press, as well as co-editor of the Urbana Onward book series (2012). He has a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University, and holds an M.A. in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary.Tom, his wife Nancy, and their two daughters currently live in Madison, Wisconsin.

We believe having a healthy culture for a Christian organization is an end in itself. But we also believe when a ministry has a healthy culture it creates the conditions necessary for growth. What lessons about how to build a healthy culture can a global mission-sending agency teach the rest of us? The answer, I believe, can be seen inside the culture of East-West International Ministries. In the past five years, East-West has doubled the number of missionaries they send overseas from 100 to 200. Clearly, that's a sign of a growing, healthy culture. I want you to hear the full story, so let me set the context for what you're about to hear. The setting is Dallas, Texas, site of the Great Commission Community at the 2017 Mission Leaders Conference hosted by Missio Nexus. Missio Nexus is the largest association of Great Commission churches and organizations in North America. At the conference, I had the pleasure to speak to a group of mission leaders about the proven approach of the Best Christian Workplace Institute to help Christian organizations, churches and businesses grow their culture. What you're about to hear is an open conversation between myself, Dave Gibson, EVP of Field Ministries, and Jessica Garrett, Human Resources Director, both from East-West Ministries International. I invite you to listen and learn, along with me. Find full show notes here  http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s3e15-jessica-garrett-dave-gibson-east-west

Ted Esler of Missio Nexus gives us an overview of how the North American church is participating in missions. He highlights 3 major trends and gives advice to Christ-followers about how to respond. [et_social_share]

What makes donors give?  Why are some nonprofit fundraising initiatives successful while others struggle and fail?   Tim Kachuriak, founder and Chief Innovation & Optimization Officer of NextAfter, looks to the web as a living laboratory to discover the answers to these questions and more.  NextAfter is a research and consulting firm that works with businesses, nonprofits and NGO's to help them grow their resource capacity.  Having gathered data from their research and consulting clients, some of the largest nonprofit organizations in the world, they are also now passing on this information to the 84% of nonprofits with revenue under $1M - specifically, how to attract, inspire and cultivate relationships with donors online. In this interview, Tim unpacks some of this data, by sharing with us the primary motivation behind why donors give, including the differences between what motivates millennials vs the baby boomer generation.  He also introduces an innovative model for consulting, that gives greater power to the clients.   Passionate, humble, and an avid learner, Tim will inspire and equip you to develop better marketing and communication avenues to reach more donors who would love to support your cause.   Key Takeaways  1) The web is perhaps the greatest behavioral laboratory that has ever existed 2) Millennials tend to give when they are inspired whereas baby boomers give out of obligation, duty, and a sense of responsibility 3) Giving is a way we can affect the change we want to see in the world 4) The act of giving offers people an opportunity to experience God's nature  5) Keep yourself inspired by reminding yourself every day why you're doing what you're doing - reflect on the stories where you made a difference Tim Kachuriak Bio Prior to founding NextAfter, Tim served as Senior Vice President of Innovation and Optimization for The Pursuant Group, and Vice President of Digital for KMA Direct Communications. During his career, Tim has consulted with a number of national and international nonprofits including The Heritage Foundation, Prison Fellowship International, Doctors Without Borders, Wycliffe Bible Translators, The George W. Bush Presidential Center, Moody Bible Institute, The Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, as well as others. A nonprofit thought leader, Tim is the lead researcher and co-author of the Online Fundraising Scorecard, a contributing writer for Fundraising Success, CO+OP, and Outcomes magazines. Tim has trained organizations around the world as far away as Bangalore, India and Oslo, Norway and is a frequent speaker at national nonprofit conferences including Social Media for Nonprofits, Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Direct Marketing Association Non Profit Federation, the National Religious Broadcasters association, Missio-Nexus, and the Christian Leadership Alliance. A Western Pennsylvania native, Tim and his wife Rebecca currently live in Prosper, TX with their four children Max, Charlie, Gracie, and Joey. Connect With Tim & NextAfter If you are a large nonprofit organization looking to improve your fundraising abilities, contact Tim or one of his team members at www.NextAfter.com If you are a small nonprofit or planning to launch a fundraising initiative, access all of NextAfter's open source library of research at www.NextAfter.com You can also connect with Tim and his NextAfter team via social media at: Twitter: @digitaldonor @nextafter_ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NextAfterInc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/next-after LinkedIn (Tim Kachuriak): https://www.linkedin.com/in/timkachuriak  

Recently I was asked to present this financial workshop at the annual MissioNexus conference. Glean some insights from Nehemiah in this podcast and then learn what it takes to implement Evaluation, Exploration, Explanation, and Execution...

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