The Aaron Renn Show The State of Missions | Ted Esler
Aug 18, 2025
Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, offers a compelling look into the evolution and future of global missions. He highlights the historical impact of figures like William Carey and discusses the challenges posed by globalization and cultural shifts. Ted navigates the role of unreached people groups and examines the complex influence of American imperialism. Notably, he emphasizes the vital contributions of women in missions and analyzes how modern dynamics are reshaping the global church's approach to evangelism and discipleship.
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How Missio Nexus Was Formed
- Missio Nexus formed from two older associations, tracing roots back to 1917 and a 1946 body.
- The two merged in 2012 to create Missio Nexus as a major mission association.
Western Dominance In Funding And Sending
- Western countries still provide the majority of mission funding and send the most missionaries, with the U.S. dominant.
- Accurate counts are hard, but western influence remains larger than raw numbers suggest due to short-term and informal channels.
Unreached People Group Paradigm
- The unreached people group paradigm, popularized in 1974, focuses on ethnolinguistic groups rather than nation-states.
- This paradigm still drives formal mission strategy and highlights the 10/40 Window as a persistent focus.
