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The “Modern Day Missionaries” podcast discusses topics that affect the lives of Christian missionaries on the mission field in the areas of faith, freedom, family, and finances. It is produced by "Modern Day Missions" and hosted by Stephanie Leigh Gutierrez.
Each episode in the “Modern Day Missionaries” podcast is a conversational interview where Stephanie hosts guests who are experts in their fields and who either are or have been missionaries, or who serve in the missions space. At Modern Day, we want to help missionaries be their very best so they can give their very best!
Learn more about "Modern Day Missions" https://www.modernday.org/
144 Episodes
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In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Ben Ankarlo, fundraising coach at Modern Day Missions, to unpack what is really happening beneath the surface of support raising. Together, they explore how fear unknowingly shapes decisions, why some missionaries default to self-funding or scarcity, and how embarrassment and control can distort the way we invite others into partnership. Ben shares from lived experience as a missionary who is still actively fundraising today. You’ll learn why clarity ...
Have you ever wondered what the Church really believes about Israel? Have you felt confused by replacement theology, one law teaching, or political noise around the Jewish people? And does any of this actually matter for missionaries today? In this episode, Modern Day Missions Executive Director Marvin Slaton II and Gateway Center for Israel Pastor & Director David Blease explore the three prevailing theologies shaping the global Church’s view of Israel and unpack what Scripture says abo...
You didn’t move across the world to lose your family in the process. Mission life is full of purpose, but it can also pull at the very relationships we care about most. Jonathan and Elizabeth Trotter, missionary parents, writers, and trusted voices in cross-cultural life, open up about what it looks like to stay emotionally connected as a family in the middle of ministry, transition, and loss. We talk about how to create your own family’s culture (or find it if you’ve lost it), recovering joy...
AI is changing everything—how we think, work, lead, create…How about how we hear from God? Without realizing it, are we letting it reshape our hearts, our habits, and our spiritual lives, too? Today, we talk with Carey Nieuwhof about the very real tension missionaries face when using AI for ministry. From sermon prep to leadership decisions, we explore how to use this tool with wisdom, where it may be subtly weakening us, and how to stay rooted in the Holy Spirit with all of the noise around ...
You're serving full-time. You're pouring yourself out. And yet, you still feel like it's not enough. Many missionaries live with an unnamed pressure, a constant inner drive to do more, be more, prove more. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Curt Thompson helps us uncover the role that shame plays in shaping our stories and how it may be calling the shots in your life and ministry without you even knowing it. Could shame be behind your exhaustion, disconnection, or sense of not-enoughness?&nbs...
Want to know how you can double your monthly donations this December? Statistics show that missionaries who take a few simple steps can significantly increase year-end giving—and in some cases, receive more in the final four days of the year than any other month. In this episode, Modern Day Missions president and financial consultant Elias Reyes shares how to make the most of this golden opportunity. Whether you’re nervous about overwhelming your donors or just unsure where to star...
What’s really going on when you feel numb, irritable, or disconnected on the field—even when you’re doing what God has called you to do? Why do high-functioning workers sometimes shut down emotionally, pull away from others, or lose the ability to feel God’s presence? How does long-term pressure affect your brain—and what can you do to move toward restoration? If connection feels hard, there’s a reason—and a way through it. Psychiatrist Dr. Karl Lehman breaks down the neuroscience...
What if the support you need is waiting on the other side of a bold conversation with the right person? Many missionaries feel unsure about how to connect with business leaders—and even more unsure about how to talk about money. But what if those very people are called to partner with you? In this encore episode, we revisit our conversation with Lee Domingue—entrepreneur, author, and founder of Kingdom Builders. Lee offers a compelling vision for how missionaries and business leaders can join...
What if the pushback you're getting from Gen Z missionaries isn’t rebellion—but an invitation to lead differently? Many leaders are navigating cross-generational tension in missions, unsure how to guide and motivate a generation that values autonomy, mental health, and meaning over traditional hierarchies and hustle culture. In this conversation, leadership expert Dr. Tim Elmore joins us to unpack the cultural shift happening on the mission field. Drawing from decades of research and his new ...
What happens when your identity in Christ feels solid, but deep down, you’re still exhausted, fragmented, and unsure who you really are? Many missionaries live in a cycle of spiritual striving and internal disintegration—even while faithfully serving. The result? Burnout, weariness, and a haunting sense that something is off, even if they can’t name it. This conversation gently opens the door to a new way of living. Our guest is Cheryl Scanlan—Master Certified Coach, director of Promised Land...
What are missionary kids really carrying—and what can adults do to help lighten the load? From the pressure to perform, to the fear of disappointing others, MKs often carry invisible expectations they didn’t choose and can’t always name. These burdens can shape everything from their identity to their view of God. In this conversation, we explore the emotional and spiritual weight many missionary kids carry and what it means to support them with greater empathy, patience, and grace. Our guest ...
Ever hosted a short-term mission team and wondered, Was that really worth it? Or maybe you're gearing up for your next one and already feeling the weight of logistics, expectations, and exhaustion. In this episode, Jesse and Andrea Kroeze—leaders of Touch the World and seasoned missionaries—offer a fresh take on how short-term teams can become a strategic blessing instead of a draining burden. Having lived both as hosts and senders, they bring hard-earned wisdom, practical tools, and bold enc...
Gen Z is stepping onto the mission field with big questions on their hearts. Is missions moral? Does the West still have a role to play? How do you navigate support raising in today’s world? And what does healthy emotional and spiritual sustainability really look like? In this conversation, Mark Matlock—author, Insight Lead at Barna, and Executive Director of Urbana—helps us understand the shifts happening with today’s young adults. He shares how their imagination, honesty, and bold questions...
Are you frustrated by fundraising? Feeling stuck, under-supported, or embarrassed about the whole process? In this episode, Dr. Steve Shadrach, author of The God Ask and one of the leading voices in personal support raising, helps reframe fundraising not just as a financial task but as a deeply spiritual journey. With decades of experience mentoring and training missionaries, Steve shares the fears that keep us from asking, the beliefs about God that shape our support journey, and why staying...
Do you ever struggle with knowing how to keep your team motivated? Especially when the work is hard, the stakes are high, and the pay is low (or non-existent)? How can you create a team culture of health from the top down? In this encore episode, we sit down with Nic and Rachael Billman, founders of Shores of Grace. They have spent over 14 years leading missionaries and staff in Brazil. They open up about the challenges and rewards of managing complex teams, from balancing paid staff and volu...
Are you constantly pouring out but feeling spiritually depleted? You care deeply—for people, for God’s mission—but somewhere along the way, your soul has gone dry. What if one small shift could change everything? If you're thinking, "Empathy is overrated. People need tough love!" then this episode is especially for you. Drs. Bill and Kristi Gaultiere unpack how true empathy—the kind rooted in Christ—can become a powerful source of spiritual renewal. You’ll learn why many missionaries resist r...
Whether it’s pornography, mental health concerns, faith struggles, same-sex attraction, gambling, or emotional collapse—many missionaries are silently asking: What would happen if anyone knew? In this episode, Dr. Janeen Davis joins us to talk about the silent battles missionaries face—and what it takes to tell the truth when shame tells you to hide. We talk about how secrecy steals your strength, why we’ve created a culture of judgment instead of grace, and how to become the kind of person—o...
You felt sure. God gave you a vision, you raised the funds, you moved overseas. But then things didn’t go as planned. The vision changed—or maybe you changed. In this episode, Jonathan and Amanda Vining share their powerful story of navigating unexpected shifts, how they learned to walk with God in uncertainty, and why vision isn’t a one-time download—it’s something you live, adapt, and grow into. In This Episode, You'll Learn: What to do when your vision shifts unexpectedlyHow to tel...
How’s your fundraising working for you right now? Do you feel stuck? Are the methods you're using just not connecting with supporters anymore? In this episode, fundraising expert Mary Valloni and branding strategist Mike Kim share modern, proven strategies missionaries can use to fully fund their ministry without awkward sales pitches or burnout. Learn how to keep donors through big transitions, build a small but powerful advocacy team, brand yourself in a God-honoring way, and tell the three...
Do you ever feel like you’re running hard in ministry but still falling behind? Missionary life can be an endless swirl of urgent needs, unfinished to-do lists, and pressure to prove your worth through results. In this episode, Amy Young of Global Trellis helps unpack the hidden productivity trap that drains your energy—and the surprising shift that frees you to focus on what truly matters. Discover how to spot “fake wins,” embrace slow productivity, and protect your calling from burnout so y...
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