The Church Around the World

What happens when believers rediscover the very names God uses to reveal Himself? Host Dan Ehrman talks with author Grace Fox about her new book, Names of God: Growing Strong.

Grace, an award-winning author of sixteen books and member of the First 5 writing team with Proverbs 31 Ministries, has served more than thirty years as a career missionary alongside her husband, Gene. Together they co-direct International Messengers Canada, a sending agency at work in thirty countries.

Key takeaways for church leaders:

What does it look like to plant a church inside a famous honky-tonk bar on the Gulf Coast? Ben & Julie Ragsdale are doing it every Sunday.

Dan Ehrman sits down with Ben and Julie Ragsdale, lead pastors of Worship on the Water — a thriving congregation that meets under an open-air tent at the world-famous Flora-Bama, right on the Alabama-Florida line. With 8 million tourists passing through their community each year, this couple has built a church in the wild where the gospel goes out every week — and baptisms happen right in the Gulf.

In this episode of t...

What would it look like if your church committed to reaching every home within five miles — by prayer, personal invitation, and a Bible on every doorstep? That's exactly what Cross Points Church in Shawnee, Kansas set out to do.

In this episode of the Church Around the World podcast, Dan Ehrman sits down with Pastor David Jones and lay leader Shannon Jensen to unpack the 3-for-30 initiative — a three-year, whole-church outreach effort to pray for, invite, and deliver 30,000 New Living Translation Bibles to every home in their community. Their story is full of unexpected conversions, hard-won logistical less...

What does it look like to lead a ministry organization for decades and never lose sight of the fact that it belongs to God? That question sits at the heart of this conversation with Mark Taylor.

Dan Ehrman and Tyndale House Foundation's Caroline Curry sit down with Mark Taylor — former President and CEO of Tyndale House Publishers and longtime Chairman of Tyndale House Ministries — for a rich conversation spanning six decades of gospel-centered leadership, Christian publishing history, and sacrificial generosity. Mark shares the story behind the founding of the New Living Translation Bible, Tyndale House Foundation's global gran...

What does it actually take to translate the Bible — and is the New Living Translation really just a paraphrase? If you've ever heard that criticism, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Church Around the World, Dan Ehrman sits down with Dr. Andrew Abernethy — professor of Old Testament and assistant dean at Wheaton College's Divinity School, and a member of the New Living Translation Bible committee — to pull back the curtain on the NLT translation process and what it means to make Scripture genuinely accessible without sacrificing accuracy.

Three takeaways for church leader...

What happens when the Church shows up—not just with programs, but with people—in the lives of children growing up in under-resourced neighborhoods?

This week, Dan is joined by guest co-host Caroline Curry (Development Specialist, Tyndale House Foundation) and two leaders from By the Hand Club for Kids: Peter Hanson, VP of Volunteer Development, and Stephen Fernandes, Chief Development Officer.

By the Hand Club for Kids has been walking alongside children in some of Chicago's most challenged communities for over two decades—offering not just after-school programming, but something rarer: the sustained presence of caring...

In this episode, Dan Ehrman sits down with Steve Macchia and S.K. "Suz" Skinner to explore their new book, Praying the Parables of Jesus: A 40-Day Devotional Journey in Word and Image (NavPress/Tyndale). Steve is the founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), an author of 17 books, and a leading voice in spiritual formation and discipleship for Christian leaders. Suz is an artist and spiritual director who serves on LTI's Emmaus faculty and helps others encounter Christ through Scripture and art.

Together, Steve and Suz discuss their unique collaboration — pairing written devotional reflections with or...

How do you lead a congregation into deeper engagement with Scripture—and sustain it together? Pastor Andrew Forrest joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share how Asbury Church in Tulsa is guiding the entire church through The One Year Bible in 2026 with a “Year Through the Bible” initiative built around shared rhythms, joy-filled discipleship, and practical tools pastors can adapt in their own contexts. 

Andrew also reflects on the difficult leadership transition of leaving the church he planted and pastored for over a decade to serve Asbury following its disaffiliation from a denomination. Along t...

In this episode of The Church Around the World, host Dan Ehrman is joined by Alex McElroy—pastor, author, and founder of Proof For The Truth—for a thoughtful conversation on how apologetics strengthens local church ministry, shapes discipleship, and equips believers to engage culture with confidence and grace.

Alex shares how apologetics is not merely an academic exercise, but a pastoral tool that helps congregations address doubt, disciple the next generation, and remain grounded in biblical truth amid cultural pressure. The conversation also explores the landscape of African-American apologetics, highlighting its unique voice, historical context, and grow...

In this week’s episode, host Dan Ehrman sits down with Dr. Eric J. Tully, Director of the PhD in Theological Studies and Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS). Dr. Tully joins us to explore why ancient languages matter deeply for the life of the local church, not just the academy — from deepening biblical interpretation to enriching preaching and discipleship.

We also dive into the significant transition unfolding at TEDS, as the historic seminary prepares to merge with Trinity Western University in Canada — a move that reflects broader shifts in the...

In this episode of The Church Around the World, host Dan Ehrman sits down with Dr. Jerry Hwang — Academic Dean and Professor of Old Testament at Regent College and a member of the New Living Translation (NLT) Bible Translation Committee. Dr. Hwang shares how the NLT translation process works, how scholars collaborate, and why translation matters for a global and multilingual church. Together, they explore the challenges of communicating ancient Scripture in clear and accurate modern English, the importance of Old Testament theology, and the role of cross-cultural scholarship in shaping the mission of the church worldwide.

Th...

In this inspiring episode of The Church Around the World, host Dan Ehrman speaks with Andrew Gorski of Evangelical Poland and the Lake EPIC Training Center. Together they explore how God is stirring hearts in Poland—a nation rich in history yet still deeply shaped by its Catholic tradition.

Andrew shares the bold vision behind Evangelical Poland: to see 1% of the nation come to a Protestant faith in Jesus Christ. Listeners will gain a glimpse into the country’s unique cultural and spiritual landscape and hear how local leaders are partnering with international churches and ministries to adva...

In this special episode of The Church Around the World, host Dan Ehrman is joined by co-host Caroline Curry from the Tyndale House Foundation for an in-studio conversation with Dr. Jessy Jaison of Mesa Global, her husband Dr. Jaison Thomas, and nonprofit leader Chris Bos.

Mesa Global equips local church leaders in more than 50 nations, including across Asia—where Oxford-trained Dr. Jessy Jaison leads from India, a nation home to more than 800 seminaries and theological training institutions.

Dr. Jaison offers practical and spiritual insights on uniting leaders for the Gospel, the journey from leading peers to...

From Nairobi to Mombasa to Chicago, Joyce and Tobbias Ngala share their remarkable journey of faith and calling. After planting a thriving network of churches in Mombasa, the Ngala family followed God’s call to serve in the United States. Known for their passion for discipleship, endurance sports, and deep Scripture memorization, Joyce and Tobbias join Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World podcast to discuss ministry, leadership, and what it means to be African missionaries to America.

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Church Connect – Discover trusted ministry resources from leading Christian publishers to equip and strengthen your...

How are Millennials and Gen Z engaging with the Bible today? Dr. John Plake, Chief Innovation Officer at the American Bible Society, joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World podcast to share insights from the State of the Bible 2025 research. Discover trends in Scripture engagement, the history of ABS, and how God is shaping a new generation of ministry leaders. Perfect for pastors, church leaders, and anyone passionate about Bible engagement and discipleship.

How does God move the Bible from words on a page to His Word written on our hearts? Dr. John Plake, Chief...

Mental health professionals are equipping churches to better care for hurting people in their communities. Shaunti Feldhahn and Dr. James Sells join Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to discuss their book When Hurting People Come to Church. Shaunti and Jim share a new vision for churches to engage in discipleship and outreach while becoming places of hope and healing. By empowering church members, congregations can create opportunities for evangelism, discipleship, and growth.

Drawing on surveys of 2,000 church leaders, bestselling author and social researcher Shaunti Feldhahn, together with psychologist and professor Dr. James N. Sells...

The New Living Translation was first published nearly 30 years ago and last updated in 2015. Today, a new generation of scholars is building on the work of the original team to review and refresh the translation. Dr. Lynn Cohick, a New Testament scholar, joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share her experience in the review and revision process to ensure the New Living Translation remains accurate, understandable, and audibly enjoyable. She offers practical insights on keeping a familiar text fresh, recognizing how God works through his Word, helping the church navigate secondary issues, and unpacking the...

“Your (American) churches are dying, ours are growing, but you’re still sending us missionaries. Shouldn’t we be sending missionaries to you?” Nairobi, Kenya Bishop Oscar Muriu proclaimed at Urbana 20 years ago. Today, Pastor Christian Mungai embodies that vision as the Global Movement Pastor at Mariners Church. He joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share his story and the African vision of people-centered, missional Christian life from his book People Are the Wealth.

Pastor Mungai has served as a Kenyan missionary to the United States since 2007. At Mariners Church in Irvine, California, he mobil...

Apologetics is experiencing a resurgence in Western culture—but what does that mean for today’s Church? Dr. Kurt Jaros joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share his personal journey, calling, and insights into cultural trends shaping apologetics ministry today.

Dr. Kurt Jaros is a theologian, apologist, author, podcast host, and teaches at the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism & Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University. Kurt holds advanced degrees in theology and apologetics, earned his doctorate from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, has presented at Evangelical Theological Society, and regularly teaches at apol...

After 25 years in ministry in Seattle, a health crisis led Pastor Jay to an unexpected calling—driving for a ride-share company. But God was still at work. Known by many as the "uberpastor," Jay began sharing Christ in everyday conversations from the driver’s seat.

Now serving as Pastor of Discipleship at Fourth Memorial Church in Spokane, Washington, Jayson continues to drive part-time to engage his community through “Ordinary Evangelism.” He and his wife Julie, along with their seven children, relocated to Spokane in 2020.

Jayson holds a degree in Speech Communications from the University of Washingt...

Huntsville is the name of Texas’s state penitentiary—and the town where Pastor Gary Garrison has faithfully served Second Baptist Church since 1996. In this episode of The Church Around the World, Pastor Gary joins Dan Ehrman to share how stepping back from full-time ministry to run a local gym opened the door for God to work in unexpected ways. Hear how he learned to lead without striving, to serve without people-pleasing, and to find joy in seeing God at work in small-town America.

Gary Garrison holds a degree in Business from Texas A&M and an M.Di...

Dr. Tim Matheny on Church Finance and Health
 
Dr. Tim Matheny, a leading expert in church finance and health diagnostics since the 1980s, joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World. With a doctorate from Fuller Seminary focused on Church Growth Analysis and decades of experience in church bond programs and financial consulting, Dr. Matheny offers both financial and spiritual insights from a lifetime of serving the church. 
In this episode, Tim and Dan reflect on key projects and timeless principles that continue to shape church ministry today. 
Dr. Matheny began his academic journey at...

Travis West is professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Western Theological Seminary, where he is known for incorporating performance, embodiment, and play into the process of learning biblical Hebrew and interpreting biblical stories. Otherwise, he’s searching for wonder off in a field, at a farmers market, watching movies, or hanging out with his wife, Mariah, who is his most consistent source of delight and amazement. He shares real life implications for not only practicing Sabbath one day a week, but insights for how we can reshape our whole lives to reflect God's cadence for living. 
The Sab...

Vaughn Sanders is a co-vocational in Cyber Security and as Lead Pastor at First Baptist Church of Bolingbrook. Pastor Sanders joins in conversation with Dan Ehrman to share how God has led him into co-vocational ministry, the ways he is seeing God lead and provide in church revitalization, and the dynamics of leading a multiethnic church. 
Vaughn shares practical insights for other pastors in co-vocational roles, seeing God persist to grow him in preaching the Bible and equipping him for the work of the ministry, and the joys of seeing God present in all of his work – secular and...

Dr. Naomi Cramer Overton joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World in a powerful conversation sharing insights from her multifaceted career in business and ministry, the journey of developing Every Woman’s Bible, and practical steps church leaders—especially men—can take to better support women in the church. 
After earning degrees from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA, Dr. Overton built a successful career in marketing and organizational development before making a mid-career transition into ministry leadership. She has held executive roles at organizations including The MomCo by MOPS, Compassion International, Denver Seminary, World Vision...

Clint Pressley, President of the Southern Baptist Convention and Senior Pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC, joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share how he is seeing God at work in the local church and from a broader perspective through the SBC. He shares practical leadership insights from coming into leadership in the church where he was raised, to navigating the challenges of multiple positions, tensioning life with family while serving in vocational ministry, and how young ministers can pursue vocational ministry. 
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Joining The Church Around the World from rural south-central Florida, Pastor Mark McCarter of First Baptist Church of Okeechobee talks with host Dan Ehrman about how God is drawing a remarkable portion of their county to church. Mark shares glimpses of rural Florida life—farming, alligators, and all—and offers practical insights for church leaders into how the church is engaging its community and reaching the next generation with the gospel. 

Originally from rural Alabama, McCarter says God uniquely prepared him to serve in a small-town – though there’s only about 5,000 residents, Okeechobee is the largest town he’s live...

Isaac Challo 
Isaac Challo is a husband, father, pastor, Bible and theology teacher, preacher, and pre-marriage and marriage counselor based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share how he sees God at work in his ministry. Challo offers practical insights on using marriage counseling as a tool for evangelism and discipleship while introducing a Western audience to the culture and church in Tanzania. 
Previously a church planter and evangelist in rural Tanzania, Challo studied as a Billy Graham scholar at Wheaton College before relocating with his family to...

Salvador “Chava” Padilla is a leader at Iglesia Biblica de Irapuato, a Protestant church near Guanajuato, Mexico. On The Church Around the World with Dan Ehrman, Chava shares how God is moving in their congregation as second- and third-generation Christian families worship together for the first time. He offers practical insights on topics ranging from culture and politics and the struggles of working full-time through college to life in one of the world’s most violent cities and how the American Church can pray for and learn from the Mexican Church. 
Chava and his wife, Jeseli Padilla, both graduat...

Pastor Eric Vogel, the Next Gen Pastor at Faithbrook Church in Dayton, Minnesota, joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share how God is working in young people. He discusses his journey from a teaching career to ministry, his passion for sharing the hope of the Gospel with students, and how to engage a generation with little cultural awareness of the Bible. Gain practical insights on navigating cultural complexities, balancing youth sports, and witnessing God’s work in young lives. 
Eric grew up in the Chicago suburbs in a Christian family and attended a great chu...

 Rev. Dr. Pastor Clay Smith joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share practical insights on how God sustained them during a season of uncertainty after taking over for a founding pastor at the end of 2019, the tensions between academic study and practical ministry, finding joy in the call of ministry, loving his wife and family as well as the church, the artistry and imperfection of working with people, and how they are seeing God at work at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. 
Terrica and Clay Smith have three daughters and a Boykin Spaniel named Watson. Wi...

Pastor Jeeva Pakerla was born into a family with a multi-generational commitment to serving the church in India. He is the President of The Bible Mission in Narsapur, the founder of the Maranatha Movement, and leads Jereu Music Ministry. In conversation on The Church Around the World, he shares practical insights for following God's leading and focusing on evangelism and discipleship ministries. After earning an M.S. in Management Information Systems at Eastern Michigan University, he pursued a successful career in business. However, he felt God’s call to return to India and dedicate himself to full-time ministry, focusing on...

Dr. Greg Pritchard joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share insights from his decades of experience with the European Leadership Forum, which partners to renew and resource the biblical church and evangelize Europe. Practical insights include discerning God’s call to leave corporate America, developing young ministry leaders, unpacking essential apologetics, and lessons the American church can learn from the European church. 
Greg Pritchard earned his Ph.D. in Religion in Personality and Society from Northwestern University and has taught courses at institutions across America, Europe, and Asia. Formerly the COO of a Chicago inv...

Rev. Dr. Jon Kelly joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to discuss practical insights on leading a multiethnic church, navigating cultural differences, and casting a vision for global missions within an urban Chicago context. 
Jon’s story is one of profound transformation. Growing up, he cycled in and out of juvenile detention and, at 19, received a prison sentence for his involvement in a shooting that tragically claimed a young man’s life. While in prison, Jon began reading the New Testament and gave his life to Christ in his cell. Initially expecting to spend his life...

Bruce Strom, CEO and Founder of Administer Justice shares their origin story and the vision churches to open 1,000 Gospel Justice Centers.
There is a significant civil justice gap in America. Over 40 million low-income individuals are unable to access basic legal advice.  Administer Justice partners with churches to address this need by establishing Gospel Justice Centers, which provide legal assistance rooted in compassion and faith. Bruce Strom, CEO and Founder of Administer Justice, joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share his journey and how he is witnessing God work through local churches to "Judge fairly, a...

Juan Riesco, Chicago City Director at Love Life USA, shares how the church can care for women with unplanned pregnancies.

Juan Riesco brings passion, love, and a unique perspective to every endeavor. As the City Director at Love Life USA, he is mobilizing hundreds of churches and thousands of Protestants to engage in pro-life efforts, an area traditionally led by the Roman Catholic Church in places like Chicago. He is also a leader in evangelistic street preaching, reviving a time-honored method that had fallen out of favor due to associations with negative actors and superficial tactics. From...

Pastor Adam Wilson shares insights on engaging rural communities with the Gospel.
Pastor Adam Wilson serves at Indian Creek Christian Church in Cynthiana, Kentucky, and joins Dan Ehrman on "The Church Around the World" to share practical insights for Christians looking to engage rural communities with the Gospel. They discuss the unique challenges of pastoring in a small town, the dynamics of rural America, and how he is witnessing God’s impact on people through the church.
Adam leads a 220-year-old church in a small town located about 30 miles outside of Lexington. Indian Creek Christian Church is st...

 Rev. Dr. Amy Peeler joins Dan Ehrman on The Church Around the World to share practical insights for Christians on how to engage in respectful disagreements regarding gender roles in ministry without breaking fellowship. They discuss navigating faith as both a Baptist and an Anglican, as well as how Dr. Peeler perceives God's work in both the Academy and the local church. Dr. Peeler is the Kenneth T. Wessner Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and Associate Rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. She is the author of several books and has a particular expertise in the boo...

Dr. Jonathan Kline, senior editor at Hendrickson Publishers, joins Dan Ehrman on the Church Around the World podcast to share about his leadership in developing a new category of Bible resources through a series called The Preacher’s Companion. In this series, Jonathan examines the Greek or Hebrew of certain biblical passages with a variety of lexical and grammatical tools. Each passage is accompanied by a brief commentary bridging the gap between the meaning of the original text and how it may be preached today. This series fills a critical gap for pastors who aren’t scholars of ancient lang...

Ian Simkins, lead pastor of teaching at The Bridge Church in the Nashville area joins Dan Ehrman on the Church Around the World podcast today. He shares insights about the unique leadership structure at The Bridge (where he shares duties with lead pastor of strategy, Craig McKown) and his trajectory from heading up a fledgling community church on the brink of closing to holding lead teaching roles at larger churches. He also talks about his influential Instagram account where he weaves art and poetry with biblical insights and the everyday challenges of raising a young family with his wife...