Episode 87: Heather's SE Asia Report: Snake, Sewing Machines, and a Church in a Slum

Episode 96: Business Skills For Gospel Impact In The 10/40 Window PT2

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2179826/fan_mail/new] Church in a living room. Pastors with no building, no staff, and often no safe way to gather publicly. Now add one more question that changes everything: how do you shepherd people and provide for your family at the same time? That tension is exactly why we sat down with Mike for part two of our conversation on Business as Missions (BAM) and the work unfolding in India. We talk through what BAM really means on the ground: not a side hustle, not a shortcut, and not “business instead of ministry,” but a sustainable strategy that strengthens local house churches and supports gospel multiplication. Mike explains why India became our early footprint for BAM, what house church growth looks like in Hindu and Muslim contexts, and why believers in some regions must meet carefully in small groups. You will hear how entire families often come to faith together, and how that sparks rapid discipleship and new churches that start in ordinary homes. Mike also breaks down the actual training he teaches: discernment around calling, honest assessment of skills, market research, SWOT analysis, and a simple Business Model Canvas that helps pastors plan operations, budgeting, and basic financial tracking like a monthly profit and loss statement. Along the way, we share real stories from the field, including a barber preparing to launch with integrity and a small transport business that grew through smarter services. If you have business experience, leadership background, or practical skills you think are “just normal,” this conversation will challenge that assumption. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves missions and entrepreneurship, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What skill set do you think God could use to bless someone halfway across the world? Visit our website at www.fbcboerne.org for more stories, information, and service times.

Episode 95: Business Skills For Gospel Impact In The 10/40 Window PT1

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2179826/fan_mail/new] A comfortable life can quietly convince you that your biggest impact is behind you, until God interrupts the story. Brittany sits down with Mike K., a long-time member of FBC and a lifelong entrepreneur, to trace how a decades-long business journey becomes preparation for Christian missions work among unreached people groups in the 10/40 Window. We talk honestly about why India sits at the center of so many global missions conversations, what “unreached” really means, and how a church can care about local needs while still stepping into places where fewer than 1% have heard the gospel. Mike shares how a first trip to Uganda reshaped his view of sustainable missions, then how repeated trips to India introduced him to a real church multiplication movement and to house church leaders who need both deeper Bible training and practical ways to provide for their families. A big theme is Business as Mission (BAM), sometimes called B4T or business for multiplication. We dig into the integrity question: how do you serve in closed countries without deception, without harming the name of Christ, and without building dependency on Western funding? Mike explains the hands-on approach he’s using, including Business Model Canvas work, SWOT analysis, and a “train the trainers” plan so local believers can multiply the impact long after a team flies home. One story, a 23-year-old new believer making about $2 a day while caring for his mom and sisters, puts everything into focus. If you’ve ever wondered whether your skills still matter to God’s mission, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people find it, then reach out and tell us: what skill set could you bring to serve the nations? Visit our website at www.fbcboerne.org for more stories, information, and service times.

Episode 94: Ashleigh Grace House Interview: God used Rock Bottom to Build a Calling!

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2179826/fan_mail/new] Rock bottom is not the end of a story, but it can be the first honest page. We talk with Ashley Thomas, whose path runs through years of addiction, incarceration, and the crushing loss of trust, then into a surprising place of peace: late nights in prison reading a Bible and finally surrendering everything to Jesus. What follows is not a quick fix. It is a slow, steady rebuilding of a life, a faith, and a new identity that is no longer defined by the worst moments. Ashley shares how Grace House, a faith-based transition home for women coming out of incarceration in San Antonio, became a critical bridge between prison and a stable future. We dig into why a nine-month reentry program matters, how healing takes time, and how discipleship and structure can protect women from returning to the same people, places, and patterns. We also talk about the deeper work underneath recovery: releasing shame, learning who God says you are, and letting grace shape your next steps. From there, the conversation moves inside the Kendall County Jail through Christian Journey Courses (CJC), a five-week faith-based life skills and behaviour transformation course. Ashley explains why teaching boundaries, conflict resolution, anger management, healthy relationships, money management, and dealing with guilt hits differently when it comes from someone who has actually lived it. One moment in a Texas prison captures the heart of prison ministry: choosing compassion over judgment and speaking forgiveness where shame has been loud for years. If you’re looking for stories about addiction recovery, prison ministry, Christian reentry support, and forgiveness that truly frees, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review to help more people find these testimonies. Visit our website at www.fbcboerne.org for more stories, information, and service times.

Episode 93: Teresa, Dallas, & Christie Mexico Interview: What Happens When Your Family Says Yes

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2179826/fan_mail/new] Your kids will remember a mission trip long after they forget a tournament score and we’ve seen it firsthand. Brittany sits down with three FBC moms (and one of our trip leaders), Teresa, Dallas, and Christie, to share what happened when our families served together on a family mission trip to the Yucatan near Cancun, Mexico. We talk about the honest stuff parents worry about: safety, sickness, language barriers, time off work, and the big question of how a family can afford a trip like this.  Along the way, we tell stories that stuck with us, from a scary day in a hotel with a sick child to the unexpected joy of watching kids make friends across a language gap. We also zoom out to the deeper why: giving our children a bigger perspective, learning to see another culture with respect, and realizing God is not “just here” in our town or our church. Christie shares how worship with believers in another country feels like a glimpse of Revelation 7:9, and why that experience can anchor a child’s faith for life.  We also get practical about fundraising, support letters, church scholarships, and “God’s economy,” plus year round mission partnerships like Christmas gifts for students and teachers, sponsorships for education, and providing nutritious lunches so kids can learn well. If you’ve been on the fence about Christian missions as a family, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a parent friend, and leave a review to help more families find the courage to say yes. Visit our website at www.fbcboerne.org for more stories, information, and service times.

Episode 92: Shauna & Claire Mexico Interview: Pizza, Puppies, And A Jungle Dirt Road

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2179826/fan_mail/new] A dirt road through the “jungle,” a church plant filled with new faces, and an 11-year-old discovering she can communicate love without fluent Spanish. We’re sitting down with Shauna Verrett and her daughter Claire to tell the real story of our family mission trip to Mexico in the Cancun area, where First Baptist Church partners to serve communities beyond the tourist version most people picture. If you’ve ever wondered whether missions is only for seasoned travelers, this conversation gently challenges that assumption. We talk through the first-day rush of inviting neighbors to an afternoon gathering, the awkwardness of a language barrier, and the surprising way kids lead the way through play, laughter, and bold invitations. Shauna shares the values she repeats at home, faith, kindness, and love, and how those simple words hold up when plans change and you can’t rely on translation apps. Claire reflects on the joy of connecting with other kids through jump rope, games, and creativity, and why she now wants to go again. Then we move into the heart of the trip: serving at Kingdom Academy by painting walls and supporting Vacation Bible School, plus home visits where families open their doors, share meals, receive practical gifts, and invite prayer into very real struggles. You’ll hear why coming back home can feel hard, how missions can slow your pace in the best way, and what next steps look like if you’re curious about joining a future trip. If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more families can find these stories. Visit our website at www.fbcboerne.org for more stories, information, and service times.