Modern Day Missionaries

Michelle Escobar, ministry development pastor raised in Mexico and Argentina, offers insight on family dynamics. Gabriel Gomez, MK from Guadalajara and college ministry student, shares growing-up perspectives. Macy Gutierrez, Peruvian-field MK and counseling grad, reflects on faith and inner life. They talk candidly about what MKs hold inside, unspoken family expectations, and practical ways parents can create honest space.

Have you ever been in a season where everything seemed to be working against you, and you could not tell if it was spiritual warfare, burnout, or just the hard reality of missionary life? When you can tell the difference, you know how to fight.In this episode, evangelist, World Harvest founder, and Modern Day missionary Jacob Ebersole shares what spiritual warfare actually looks like on the mission field, the dramatic and the invisible, and the surprisingly practical ways missionaries can stand and fight without losing their joy in the process. You will walk away with new language for what you have already been carrying and a clearer picture of how to build the kind of team and foundation that holds when everything else is falling apart.In This Episode, You’ll LearnHow to recognize the difference between overt and covert spiritual attack, and why that distinction affects how you respondWhat Jacob discovered about building the kind of team that does not crumble when the opposition gets intenseThe unexpected thing that could carry you and your team through the hardest season of your ministryHey missionaries—how are your finances on the field? At Modern Day Missions, we make it simple for missionaries to receive donations and for donors to give. Serving 1,100+ missionaries worldwide, we free you to focus on your calling. We also offer resources like our weekly podcast, fundraising coaching, and a resource-packed newsletter. Connect with us at modernday.orgThanks for listening! Email us your questions at care@modernday.orgWebsite: https://www.modernday.org/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu3ie6N7vXvESqcHrM-SRTC7-XoPEmnv6Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moderndaymissions/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderndaymissions/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moderndaymissionsX: https://twitter.com/Modern_DayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moderndaymissions/

What do you do when everything falls apart on the field? When the team fractures, the funding dries up, or a decision you made starts unraveling in ways you never anticipated? What if the way you respond in the first few hours determines whether your ministry survives?In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Phil Cooke, filmmaker, media producer, PhD in theology, and one of the most sought-after crisis communications experts in the Christian world. Phil has worked in over 70 countries, walked countless ministry leaders through their worst moments, and written the definitive guide for churches and ministries navigating crisis. Together they pull back the curtain on what missionaries are almost never prepared for, why cover-ups always cost more than the crisis itself, how to build guardrails before you need them, and what to do in the first critical hours when something goes wrong. This is not a theoretical conversation. This is a plan. In This Episode, You’ll LearnHow to spot red flags in your team and your own life before they become a crisis.Why how you communicate in the first hours matters more than the crisis itself.The two phone calls Phil says every missionary needs to make when a crisis hits. Hey missionaries—how are your finances on the field? At Modern Day Missions, we make it simple for missionaries to receive donations and for donors to give. Serving 1,100+ missionaries worldwide, we free you to focus on your calling. We also offer resources like our weekly podcast, fundraising coaching, and a resource-packed newsletter. Connect with us at modernday.orgThanks for listening! Email us your questions at care@modernday.orgWebsite: https://www.modernday.org/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu3ie6N7vXvESqcHrM-SRTC7-XoPEmnv6Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moderndaymissions/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderndaymissions/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moderndaymissionsX: https://twitter.com/Modern_DayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moderndaymissions/

Bob Goff, author, speaker, and founder of Love Does, shares wild stories and winsome wisdom. He talks about joy growing out of insecurity. He likens life to a Roomba that learns by bumping into walls. He challenges performing for supporters and invites small, imperfect steps of love.

Are you preparing for your financial future, or are you hoping it takes care of itself? What does it actually look like to invest on a missionary income? And is it even possible when support fluctuates month to month?In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Elias Reyes, president of Modern Day Missions and a financial consultant with 25+ years of experience serving missionaries and nonprofit leaders. They talk about the retirement realities most missionaries are not prepared for and simple steps they can take to get on track. This is a conversation about faith, stewardship, and practical things you can do right now, no matter where you are starting from. In This Episode You’ll Learn:Why waiting to invest is one of the costliest decisions a missionary can make, and what the numbers actually look like over timeHow to start investing on an inconsistent income, even if you can only set aside a small amount each monthThe difference between saving and investing, and why you need both working together to protect your family's future Resources Mentioned:Modern Day Missions: modernday.orgContact Modern Day about the Guidestone retirement account: office@modernday.orgInvestment Platforms MentionedFidelity: fidelity.comCharles Schwab: schwab.comTD Ameritrade: tdameritrade.comGuidestone: guidestone.orgThanks for listening! Email us your questions at care@modernday.orgWebsite: https://www.modernday.org/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu3ie6N7vXvESqcHrM-SRTC7-XoPEmnv6Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moderndaymissions/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderndaymissions/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moderndaymissionsX: https://twitter.com/Modern_DayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moderndaymissions/

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 builds trust, how to remove the awkwardness from the ask, and a simple text-to-text approach that helps you follow through with confidence. If support raising has felt emotionally draining or unnecessarily complicated, this conversation will help you approach it with steadiness, integrity, and a renewed sense of purpose.Hey missionaries—how are your finances on the field? At Modern Day Missions, we make it simple for missionaries to receive donations and for donors to give. Serving 1,100+ missionaries worldwide, we free you to focus on your calling. We also offer resources like our weekly podcast, fundraising coaching, and a resource-packed newsletter. Connect with us at modernday.orgThanks for listening! Email us your questions at care@modernday.orgWebsite: https://www.modernday.org/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu3ie6N7vXvESqcHrM-SRTC7-XoPEmnv6Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moderndaymissions/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderndaymissions/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moderndaymissionsX: https://twitter.com/Modern_DayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moderndaymissions/

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 about covenant, identity, and God’s faithfulness. This conversation is not about politics — it’s about how we read our Bible and how that shapes our theology, our mission, and our confidence in God’s promises.If you care about the Great Commission, the Jewish roots of your faith, and understanding your identity as a missionary, this episode will challenge and strengthen you.In This Episode You’ll Learn:How replacement theology so often subtly shapes modern missions thinkingWhy understanding Jew and Gentile identity matters for your callingWhy unity in Christ does not erase identityResources Mentioned:Israel Masterclass by Gateway Center for IsraelHey missionaries—how are your finances on the field? At Modern Day Missions, we make it simple for missionaries to receive donations and for donors to give. Serving 1,100+ missionaries worldwide, we free you to focus on your calling. We also offer resources like our weekly podcast, fundraising coaching, and a resource-packed newsletter. Connect with us at modernday.orgThanks for listening! Email us your questions at care@modernday.orgWebsite: https://www.modernday.org/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu3ie6N7vXvESqcHrM-SRTC7-XoPEmnv6Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moderndaymissions/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderndaymissions/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moderndaymissionsX: https://twitter.com/Modern_DayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moderndaymissions/

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 when life feels heavy, and how small practices like morning devotionals, Saturday rituals, and even silly moments can become anchors for your homeYour family matters. And it’s worth the work. ✍️ In this episode, you’ll learn:How to recognize when your family is drifting—and what to do about itCreative ways to bring back joy, fun, and laughter when life feels heavyHow to walk with your kids through change without losing connectionHey missionaries—how are your finances on the field? At Modern Day Missions, we make it simple for missionaries to receive donations and for donors to give. Serving 1,100+ missionaries worldwide, we free you to focus on your calling. We also offer resources like our weekly podcast, fundraising coaching, and a resource-packed newsletter. Connect with us at modernday.orgThanks for listening! Email us your questions at care@modernday.orgWebsite: https://www.modernday.org/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu3ie6N7vXvESqcHrM-SRTC7-XoPEmnv6Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moderndaymissions/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderndaymissions/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moderndaymissionsX: https://twitter.com/Modern_DayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moderndaymissions/

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 us.This episode will encourage you to stay curious but also rooted, as we look at how to use AI in ways that align with your calling and keep your heart sensitive to God. In This Episode, You’ll Learn:How AI is already influencing your ministry, whether you realize it or notWhen AI becomes a helpful tool and when it starts replacing spiritual dependenceWhy using AI without discernment can lead to “brain rot” and spiritual driftHow Carey uses AI for sermon prep and leadership without losing his voiceWhat it looks like to stay mentally and spiritually sharp in the age of AIResources Mentioned:Carey NieuwhofChatGPTClaude AIThe Art of Leadership AcademyHey missionaries—how are your finances on the field? At Modern Day Missions, we make it simple for missionaries to receive donations and for donors to give. Serving 1,100+ missionaries worldwide, we free you to focus on your calling. We also offer resources like our weekly podcast, fundraising coaching, and a resource-packed newsletter. Connect with us at modernday.orgThanks for listening! Email us your questions at care@modernday.orgWebsite: https://www.modernday.org/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu3ie6N7vXvESqcHrM-SRTC7-XoPEmnv6Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moderndaymissions/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderndaymissions/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moderndaymissionsX: https://twitter.com/Modern_DayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moderndaymissions/

Modern Day Missionaries is a podcast created specifically for missionaries navigating real life on the field.We talk honestly about the questions missionaries actually ask—How do I retain supporters?Am I burned out… or heading there?How do I stay connected to my spouse in the middle of ministry chaos?What does it look like to flourish as a single missionary?Our heart is simple: help you be well so you can serve well—and truly thrive in your faith, family, finances, and freedom.Each episode features practical wisdom and encouragement from people who deeply understand the missionary life, including guests like Steve Shadrach, Bob Goff, David Joannes, Curt Thompson, Brian Barcelona, and Mary Ho—voices who love missionaries and get the realities of the field.Every conversation is designed to give you tangible, practical ideas you can apply immediately, shared by people who know that missionaries live a different kind of life.Hosted by Stephanie Leigh Gutierrez, who served overseas for a decade with her family, Modern Day Missionaries is the podcast she wishes she’d had on the field—and the one created now, just for you.Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts or watch on YouTube, and join us as we help missionaries not just stay on the field—but thrive on it.“Modern Day Missionaries” is a podcast series for Christian missionaries produced by “Modern Day Missions.”Thanks for listening! Email us your questions at care@modernday.orgWebsite: https://www.modernday.org/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu3ie6N7vXvESqcHrM-SRTC7-XoPEmnv6Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moderndaymissions/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moderndaymissions/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moderndaymissionsX: https://twitter.com/Modern_DayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moderndaymissions/