The 20-Year-Old Who Moved To the Middle East and Never Came Back | Micah Studer | EP 018

The 20-Year-Old Who Moved To the Middle East and Never Came Back | Micah Studer | EP 018

Micah Studer joined "How Change Happens" to discuss his two-decade journey as a missionary in some of the most challenging regions of the world. Micah opens up about the "product of his environment" that led him to leave the Northwest at 20, the unexpected turn toward refugee ministry during the Arab Spring, and the humbling moments that reshaped his entire outlook on faith. This episode is a masterclass in "lifestyle missions," where honesty, ethics, and meeting practical needs serve as the loudest testimonies of all. In This Episode: ▫️The Power of Discipleship: How a small church youth group produced 10 long-term missionaries by simply making the Great Commission a normal part of their vernacular. ▫️Witnessing Through Conduct: Why research shows that observing a believer's life is often a more powerful catalyst for conversion than seeing signs or wonders. ▫️The Shift in Philosophy: Moving from a "power of God, let's go" mindset to a discerning heart that looks for where God has already softened a "hard heart". ▫️Seeing and Meeting Needs: The radical simplicity of Micah's life motto: identifying a local need—whether it's a washing machine for a widow or starting an anti-trafficking ministry—and simply saying "yes". 📚 Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS: www.logos.com/thesend 🌐 Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026: www.thesend.org/conference ⛪️ Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church: www.thesend.org/pastors 🔥Follow Micah Studer on Instagram: www.instagram.com/micahstroodle/ 📲 Follow The Send on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesend 🔗 Stay updated: www.thesend.org SyncID - MB01ZBIKG8M9LUM

My "Shoe Moment" in Malaysia that totally changed my life | Justin Yuen | EP 017

At 13 years old, Justin Yuen stood in his living room in Malaysia, holding a pair of shoes over his head and promising God he would go anywhere. Then, he forgot. For five years, Justin chased a "conventional" life of status and academics while his spiritual life went dry—unaware that his mother was behind the scenes, journaling and praying for his return. In this episode, Justin reveals the raw, "savage" moment God confronted his pride, the full-circle encounter with the man who first inspired his faith, and what it’s actually like to lead a team while sick and "dying" in a kitchen in the middle of Georgia. This is a story about the relentless faithfulness of a God who refuses to let a "lost cause" go. In This Episode: ▫️The Trap of Secondhand Faith: Justin admits to "memorizing YouTube sermons" to preach to others while having no personal substance or relationship with God himself. ▫️Character vs. Ability: Despite having a public "calling," Justin reflects on why God kept him out of the spotlight during his early missions work, noting that his pride would have "crushed" him if he had been thrusted onto a stage too early. ▫️The Power of Cultural Identity: After years of neglecting his Malaysian heritage to fit into British culture, Justin experienced a profound "heartbreak" and restoration of his identity, realizing God didn't make a mistake in his heritage ▫️Obedience in the "Dirt": Justin shares the reality of the mission field in Georgia, where he felt like quitting due to sickness and logistical failure, only to be sustained by a daily "sign" of birds that reminded him of God's provision. 📚 Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS: www.logos.com/thesend 🌐 Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026: www.thesend.org/conference ⛪️ Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church: www.thesend.org/pastors 🔥Follow Fire & Fragrance on Instagram: www.instagram.com/firefragrance/ 📲 Follow The Send on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesend 🔗 Stay updated: www.thesend.org SyncID - MB01ZBIKG8M9LUM

I Grew Up Thinking I Had To Be Quiet: Finding Your Voice | Eniola Abioye | EP 016

We sit down with Eniola, a musician and missionary whose work with Black Voices is mobilizing a new generation of leaders. Eniola breaks down her unique framework for a life of impact—lifestyle, skillset, community, and focus. She shares how her Nigerian heritage and Atlanta upbringing shaped her sound and why she believes the "lace-up-your-boots" mentality is the only way to move from talking about change to actually living it. We explore the discipline behind the art, from the rules of screenwriting to the "recipe" for spiritual impact. In This Episode: ▫️Authenticity is a Fight: Why Eniola looks to artists like Tupac and Lauryn Hill to understand the power of being fundamentally who you are. ▫️Skill vs. Subjectivity: Why a missionary artist must commit to their craft with the same precision a surgeon applies to medicine. ▫️Anthems for the Silent: How the song "I Will Follow Jesus" was written to give a voice to young Black leaders who have felt silenced by culture. ▫️Simple Obedience: Why the most complicated problems are often solved by the simplest acts of "yes" to God. 📚 Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS: www.logos.com/thesend 🌐 Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026: www.thesend.org/conference ⛪️ Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church: www.thesend.org/pastors 🔥Follow Eniola on Instagram: www.instagram.com/eniola.anna/ 📲 Follow The Send on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesend 🔗 Stay updated: www.thesend.org SyncID - MB01ZBIKG8M9LUM

We Bought The Drug House Across The Street: A Story Of Radical Redemption | Melissa Jensen | EP 015

Melissa Jensen shares her journey from dreaming of international missions to finding a radical calling in her own neighborhood in Kona, Hawaii. What started as a simple moment washing dishes transformed into a movement of "Love Feasts," foster care, and community redemption. Melissa discusses the heavy reality of foster care, the challenge of loving birth parents, and why she believes the solution to community brokenness starts with the person right across the street. In This Episode: ▫️The Shift to Local: Why Melissa surrendered her "nations" dream to adopt her local neighborhood. ▫️"Love Feasts": How gathering people around food and extravagant love opened doors to the most broken neighborhoods. ▫️Beyond Childcare: The realization that fostering children is as much about "adopting" and championing their birth parents. ▫️Redeeming Property: The miraculous story of acquiring a former drug house across the street to turn it into a home for pregnant and postpartum mothers. 📚 Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS: www.logos.com/thesend 🌐 Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026: www.thesend.org/conference ⛪️ Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church: www.thesend.org/pastors 🔥Follow Melissa Jensen on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mel_jensen/ 📲 Follow The Send on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesend 🔗 Stay updated: www.thesend.org

If You Aren't Called To Youth Ministry, You Should Quit Immediately | Ben Graves | EP 014

Ben Graves didn’t just inherit a legacy; he had to find his own voice in the shadow of giants. As a third-generation pastor with a family history involving deep sacrifice in the jungles of Panama, Ben understands that true leadership isn't about status—it’s about your "yes." In this raw conversation, Ben breaks down the framework he used to scale a youth ministry from zero leaders to 700 students in a parking lot during the height of a global pandemic. We dive into the "whiteboard strategy" he used to recruit a team of 50 before he even had a single volunteer, the psychological "lids" that stop most leaders from ever growing, and the controversial reason why he believes most people in ministry should actually quit. In This Episode: ▫️The "Call or Quit" Mandate: If you are leading out of anything other than a direct calling, you are potentially harming the very people you are trying to reach. Passion in a generation isn't missing; it is often just waiting for a leader who is actually led. ▫️Recruit to Vision, Not Tasks: Ben grew his team by sliding job descriptions across coffee shop tables for positions that didn't exist yet. Don't ask people to "help out"; invite them to build an organization that can hold the future you see on your whiteboard. ▫️The "Lid" Theory of Growth: If a ministry or organization isn't growing, it isn't God's fault—it’s a leadership problem. Leaders must identify the "buckets" they’ve placed over their own progress, whether those are personal failures, hidden sins, or a refusal to dream beyond their current numbers. ▫️The Power of the First "Yes": Radical impact starts with a simple step of obedience, often without knowing the full plan. Ben’s journey from a small chapel in Washington to a movement in San Diego was paved by saying "yes" to God before the "how" was ever clear. ▫️Legacy as a Launchpad, Not a Crutch: Growing up in a ministry home provided a foundation, but every generation must experience their own "prophetic download" to truly own their mission. Your heritage can inform your work, but your conviction must be your own. 📚 Sign up for a 60-day Free Trial with LOGOS: www.logos.com/thesend 🌐 Sign Up for The Send Conference 2026: www.thesend.org/conference ⛪️ Pastors & Church Leaders - Sign Up for The Activated Church: www.thesend.org/pastors 🔥Follow Ben Graves on Instagram: www.instagram.com/benagraves/ 📲 Follow The Send on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesend 🔗 Stay updated: www.thesend.org