The Go and Send Podcast

S3E4: From Selling Shampoo to Multiplying Churches | Michael Gutierrez

In this episode of The Go and Send Podcast, Cody and Mike sit down with Michael Gutierrez, VP of Finance at Multiplication Network. Michael's journey took him from a Catholic upbringing he walked away from, through a successful 16-year online business he built from scratch after 9/11, to a slow reconnection with Christ through his wife Jane — and eventually a call to leave it all behind for full-time ministry. It’s a remarkable story about surrender to God’s plans.  Michael shares how Multiplication Network is training national church planters across 70 countries — and why partnering with leaders already inside their cultures is one of the most effective and cost-efficient strategies in global missions today. He also shares the powerful story of woman whose miraculous healing, family rejection, and unwavering faith had a huge impact on her family. If you're asking the Lord what He wants from your career, your finances, or your future, Michael's story is a compelling reminder to hold your plans with an open hand. Contact us at goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org [goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org] Resources & Links: * Multiplication Network: https://www.multiplicationnetwork.org [https://www.multiplicationnetwork.org] * Christian Leadership Alliance: https://www.christianleadershipalliance.org [https://www.christianleadershipalliance.org] * Missio Nexus: https://www.missionexus.org [https://www.missionexus.org]   00:00 -- Introduction 00:39 -- Why National Leaders Are So Effective in Missions 02:12 -- The Advantages of Supporting National Church Planters 05:03 -- How Western Christians Can Best Come Alongside National Leaders 07:03 -- Michael's Background: Growing Up Catholic and Falling Away from Faith 08:57 -- Getting His Pilot's License at 16 and Changing Majors 09:34 -- Finding Finance and His First Jobs Out of College 10:54 -- After 9/11: Starting a Hair and Beauty Business from Scratch 11:54 -- Meeting Jane and a Slow Reconnection With Christ 13:44 -- Finding Faith Church and Going Through The Journey 16:01 -- Meeting John Wagenveld and Discovering Multiplication Network 17:33 -- Helping Multiplication Network as a Volunteer 19:39 -- God Closes the E-Commerce Door and Opens Another 22:27 -- Accepting the Fundraising Role and Understanding Ministry Development 24:12 -- Growing His Territory From $100K to $700K 26:03 -- The Website Crash That Changed Everything: John 15 and Pruning 31:28 -- Releasing the Business and Committing Full-Time to Multiplication Network 33:40 -- What Is Multiplication Network? 35:12 -- The 12-Module Church Planting Curriculum 36:46 -- Verifiable Ministries: Tracking Real Results 38:20 -- How the Hub System Works Across 70+ Countries 40:01 -- Different Denominations Praying for Each Other 40:46 -- The Story of Hadijah: Healing, Family Rejection, and Unwavering Faith 49:24 -- Her Entire Household Comes to Christ 50:37 -- Pastor Ronald's Church Between Two Mosques in Uganda 52:58 -- How the Solar Ministry Toolkit Became a Mobile Classroom 55:37 -- 23 Workshops and 300 Church Planter Profiles in Zimbabwe 56:41 -- Multiplication Network's 2030 Vision: 20,000 Church Planters in Training 58:34 -- The Cost Per Church Plant Is Now $415 01:00:00 -- A Global Staff Conference in Zanzibar 01:02:37 -- The Figure Eight: Stronger Churches and More Churches 01:06:21 -- Encouragement for Anyone Asking Lord, What Do You Have for Me? 01:07:56 -- Stepping In to Help His CFO Tim Through Brain Cancer 01:09:41 -- Carrying On Tim's Legacy as VP of Finance 01:14:15 -- How to Get Connected With Multiplication Network 01:18:12 -- Installing the Solar Ministry Toolkit With the Waorani Tribe in Ecuador 01:20:25 -- Dayuma's Great-Great-Grandson: A Story Decades in the Making 01:21:15 -- Closing   To learn more about SonSet Solutions, go to our website or follow us on social media @SonSetSolutions. Website: https://www.sonsetsolutions.org [https://www.sonsetsolutions.org]

S3E3: Getting God's Word to Those Who've Never Heard It | Naomi Frizzell

In this episode of The Go and Send Podcast, Cody and Mike sit down with Naomi Frizzell, President and CEO of Audio Scripture Ministries. Naomi's journey took her from dreaming of being a foreign correspondent for CBS News, to leading communications for the Lausanne Movement and Our Daily Bread Ministries, to now overseeing a global ministry that records and distributes God's Word in the heart languages of the least reached people on earth. Along the way, she lost her voice for six months following a ministry trip — and what God taught her in that silence became one of the most defining seasons of her life. This conversation is full of remarkable stories that will challenge your faith and expand your vision for global missions. Naomi shares how Audio Scripture Ministries is reaching unreached people groups, nomadic communities, and prisoners across Africa and beyond — placing God's Word in the hands of people who have never heard the gospel in their own language. If you care about the Great Commission, Bible translation, heart language ministry, or simply want to hear how God moves in impossible places, this episode is for you. Contact us at goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org [goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org] Resources & Links: * Audio Scripture Ministries: https://www.audioscripture.org [https://www.audioscripture.org] * Lead with Prayer by Peter Greer * Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards & Brandon J. O'Brien * 110 Cities: https://www.110cities.com [https://www.110cities.com] * Open Doors World Watch List: https://www.opendoorsusa.org [https://www.opendoorsusa.org] * Joshua Project: https://joshuaproject.net [https://joshuaproject.net]   00:00 -- Introduction 00:41 -- How Naomi Follows the Lord's Leading: It Starts With Prayer 01:29 -- Consistency in Prayer Changes Your Heart 03:07 -- Growing Up in a Faith-Filled Family 04:18 -- Curiosity About the World: Ships, Flags, and a Love of Geography 05:32 -- Missions Conferences and Missionary Biographies 06:33 -- Dreaming of Being a Foreign Correspondent for CBS News 07:41 -- God Redirected Her to Tell an Even Better Story 09:01 -- Leaving Olivet Nazarene for a Radio Job in Michigan 10:54 -- KTIS Minneapolis and Meeting the Head of the Lausanne Movement 11:46 -- The Mission America Coalition: The Whole Church, the Whole Gospel 12:28 -- Learning Communications, Messaging, and Early Web in 1994 14:07 -- What Is the Lausanne Movement? 14:49 -- Joining Lausanne as Head of Communications 15:03 -- Cape Town 2010 and 200 Volunteers From 20 Countries 17:52 -- Leading Through Change: The Importance of Relationships and Trust 19:11 -- Cross-Cultural Communication: Listen Before You Speak 21:19 -- Moving to Our Daily Bread Ministries as VP of Global Media 23:30 -- Vision Synergy and a Season That Was About to Change Everything 25:23 -- A Ministry Trip to Jakarta — and Losing Her Voice for Six Months 27:00 -- What God Taught Her Through Silence: Exodus 14:14 29:16 -- Surgery, Surrender, and Finding Audio Scripture Ministries 31:13 -- What Is Audio Scripture Ministries? 32:24 -- "Now I Can Believe — God Speaks My Language" 33:18 -- The Bloody Audio Bible and the Terrorist Who Came to Faith 37:22 -- Pastor Simon in East Africa: Faithful Through War and Attack 39:51 -- Pastor David and Helen: Reaching Nomadic People Whose Church Is Their Camels 42:08 -- Getting God's Word Into Prisons — and a Hostile Warden Who Disappeared 44:01 -- Gospel Momentum 2030: ASM's Vision for the Least Reached 46:29 -- Spiritual Warfare: Recognizing the Battle Behind the Barriers 51:06 -- Why the West Doesn't See Spiritual Opposition as Clearly 54:20 -- Don't Pray for the Persecution to Be Removed — Pray to Be Made Strong 58:24 -- Encouragement for Anyone Considering Missions: What's in Your Hand? 01:00:07 -- Recommended Resources 01:02:36 -- Closing and How to Connect With Audio Scripture Ministries   To learn more about SonSet Solutions, go to our website or follow us on social media @SonSetSolutions. Website: https://www.sonsetsolutions.org [https://www.sonsetsolutions.org]

S3E2: Creative Access: Using Your Skills to Go Where Others Can't | Michael Dubisz

In this episode of The Go and Send Podcast, Cody and Mike sit down with Michael Dubisz, an electrical engineer and recent addition to the SonSet Solutions team. Michael spent five years teaching high school math, physics, and programming at a Christian school in a restricted-access country in South Asia — using his skills as an educator to gain entry into a place where traditional missionaries simply cannot go. He shares what it's really like to live and serve in a closed country and the quiet fruit of God transforming the lives of those around him by his faithful witness. This conversation digs into the concept of Creative Access Ministry — using professional skills like engineering, teaching, or business to open doors in unreached places — and honestly examines both its strengths and its challenges. If you've ever wondered whether your career could take you somewhere the gospel hasn't yet reached, Michael's story is a compelling answer. Contact us at goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org [goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org] Resources & Links: * Joshua Project: https://joshuaproject.net [https://joshuaproject.net] * Hearing God by Dallas Willard * When Helping Hurts by Brian Fickert & Steve Corbett * Radical by David Platt * Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper * Teach Beyond: https://www.teachbeyond.org [https://www.teachbeyond.org]   00:00 -- Introduction 00:39 -- What Is Creative Access Ministry? 02:06 -- Using Professional Skills to Enter Closed Countries 03:52 -- How Engineers Fit Into This Model 05:31 -- It's Not About Hiding Your Faith 06:33 -- Michael's Family Legacy in Missions 08:17 -- Growing Up Around Missions Without a Specific Calling 09:03 -- Studying Engineering and Taking Faith More Seriously 09:34 -- An Intro to Global Studies Class That Changed Everything 10:24 -- A Short-Term Trip to China: Business as Mission in Action 12:43 -- Impressions of Business as Mission Coming Away From China 14:21 -- Junior Year: Convicted by Global Physical and Spiritual Needs 16:22 -- Seeking Mentors and Interning at SonSet Solutions 18:12 -- The Design Outreach Presentation That Left a Mark 20:19 -- Human-Centered Design and How SonSet Approaches Engineering 21:39 -- Choosing Between SonSet and Teach Beyond After Graduation 23:41 -- Arriving in South Asia in August 2020 — During COVID 25:02 -- What It Feels Like to Start Over in a New Culture 26:03 -- Teaching Students From Families of Other Faiths 27:38 -- A Student Who Came to Faith 30:02 -- Seeds Planted That You May Never See Grow 31:17 -- What Living Among Practicing Muslims Taught Him About the Gospel 33:34 -- The Weight of Asking Someone to Follow Jesus 35:44 -- Government Paperwork and Being Stranded for Eight Months 37:06 -- Even If He Doesn't: Trusting God Through Unanswered Prayer 40:51 -- Finally Returning and Teaching In Person 41:15 -- Sensing the Lord's Leading Toward the Next Chapter 42:36 -- The Vision: Teaching Engineering Overseas as a Platform for Ministry 43:25 -- Joining SonSet and Raising Full Support in Four Months 45:02 -- What Made Support Raising Go So Quickly 48:06 -- Working on the Power Solutions Team at SonSet 49:59 -- The Strengths of Creative Access Ministry 52:03 -- The Challenges: Balancing Vocation and Ministry 54:46 -- The Dream: Teaching Engineering in a Closed Country Someday 55:50 -- Encouragement for Anyone Considering Global Missions 59:05 -- Recommended Resources 01:01:25 -- Closing   To learn more about SonSet Solutions, go to our website or follow us on social media @SonSetSolutions. Website: https://www.sonsetsolutions.org [https://www.sonsetsolutions.org]

S3E1: The Man Who Wouldn't Turn Back | The Story of John Allen Chau

In this episode of The Go and Send Podcast, Cody and Mike dive into the remarkable and controversial story of John Allen Chau — a young missionary who attempted to bring the gospel to the Sentinelese people, one of the world's last uncontacted tribes living on North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal. From his adventurous upbringing in the Pacific Northwest to nine years of intense, methodical preparation, John's story is one of radical obedience, deep faith, and unyielding courage in the face of real danger. This conversation goes beyond the headlines to honestly wrestle with the hard questions John's story raises: Was it right to risk his life for the gospel? Does God's call override human law? How should Christians think about uncontacted peoples today? If you've ever wondered what it really means to take up your cross and follow Christ, this episode will challenge and convict you. Contact us at goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org [goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org] Resources & Links: * John Allen Chau's Journal (available online — 12–13 pages) * National Geographic Documentary on John Allen Chau: https://films.nationalgeographic.com/the-mission [https://films.nationalgeographic.com/the-mission] * Joshua Project — Unreached People Groups: https://joshuaproject.net [https://joshuaproject.net]   00:00 -- Introduction 00:51 -- Growing Up in the Pacific Northwest 01:46 -- A Kid Who Loved Adventure and the Outdoors 02:33 -- His Heart Beat for Eternity, Not Just Adventure 03:05 -- Oral Roberts University and the Call to Missions 03:43 -- A Mission Trip to Mexico at 18 Changes Everything 03:57 -- Discovering the Sentinelese People and North Sentinel Island 05:09 -- Nine Years of Methodical, Intense Preparation 05:54 -- Medical Training, LASIK Surgery, and Eliminating Field Dependencies 06:57 -- His Leaders Describe Him: Driven and Winsome 08:06 -- Boot Camp: Theology, Risk Assessment, and Role Play 08:42 -- Short-Term Trips and Scouting the Andaman Islands 10:13 -- God Confirming the Call Through Local Christians 11:31 -- Counting the Cost: He Knew the Dangers 12:22 -- His Theology Fueled His Courage 13:44 -- Hiring Fishermen and Approaching the Island at Night 14:55 -- Landing on the Island: The Kayak, Gifts, and the Waterproof Bible 16:12 -- Wading Into the Shallows and Trying to Speak Their Language 17:06 -- Face to Face: Two Men and a Boy with a Bow and Arrow 17:55 -- The Arrow Strikes His Bible 18:33 -- Back on the Boat: Shaken but Undeterred 21:22 -- The Final Approach 22:56 -- His Final Words and His Family's Response 23:53 -- Was John Right to Risk His Life for the Gospel? 26:40 -- Was It Right to Break Indian Law to Preach? 30:00 -- The Gospel, Culture Change, and the Unreached 35:44 -- The Risk of Disease and Uncontacted Peoples 40:10 -- 7,124 Unreached People Groups and 3.5 Billion People 44:51 -- The Blood of the Martyrs Is the Seed of the Church 47:53 -- Closing: Matthew 9 and the Prayer for More Workers   To learn more about SonSet Solutions, go to our website or follow us on social media @SonSetSolutions. Website: https://www.sonsetsolutions.org [https://www.sonsetsolutions.org]

S2E8: Serving Missionary Kids Through Every Season | Steve Swope

In this episode of the Go and Send Podcast, Steve Swope shares his journey from youth ministry in Michigan to serving missionary families in Bolivia and now supporting missionary kids (MKs) through Ethnos 360's MK Care Program. Steve and his wife, Becky, have dedicated decades to caring for missionary children, helping them navigate the unique challenges of growing up across cultures.   Steve opens up about his path to missions—from growing up in a missions-minded church to attending the Urbana Missions Conference as a newlywed. He walks through 15 years of teaching and leading at Christian schools in Bolivia, the joys and heartaches of serving overseas, and the difficult transition when their school closed due to political instability. Now back in the U.S., Steve and Becky minister to MKs through retreats, debriefing, hospitality, and their podcast Base Camp.   This conversation offers valuable insight into the often-overlooked ministry of caring for missionary kids, the realities of raising a family overseas, and practical ways churches can support MKs and their families.    Contact us at goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org [goandsend@sonsetsolutions.org]   Resources & Links: * Ethnos 360: https://ethnos360.org/ [https://ethnos360.org/] * BaseCamp podcast  * Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense by Paul David Tripp * Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds by David Pollock & Ruth Van Reken * Pieces of Purple by Michelle Phoenix * I Have to Be Perfect by Tim Sanford   00:00 – Intro: Meet Steve Swope and MK Care 00:46 – What Is Missionary Kid Care? 02:17 – Why MK Care Is Essential 05:11 – Common Challenges Missionary Kids Face 06:44 – MKs and Making Their Faith Their Own 07:03 – Steve's Upbringing and Early Missions Influences 09:31 – College at Moody Bible Institute 11:03 – Becoming a Youth Pastor 12:02 – Meeting Becky, a Missionary Kid from Bolivia 13:07 – Discovering Pops and Aunt Bart's MK Hospitality Ministry 15:20 – The Urbana Missions Conference That Changed Everything 17:12 – Answering the Call to Bolivia 18:05 – Moving to Bolivia as Associate Missionaries (1989) 21:42 – Confirmation and Affirmation in Ministry 24:24 – The Role of Community in Discovering God's Will 25:08 – Trusting God with Your Desires (Psalm 37) 27:02 – Returning for Teacher Certification and Missions Training 30:00 – Back to Bolivia: Junior High Dorm Parents 32:03 – Four Years of Pre-Field Training 33:13 – The Challenges of Raising Support 36:19 – God's Unexpected Provision 37:17 – Arriving in Bolivia: Culture Shock and Adjustment 40:30 – Daily Life on the Mission Field 41:13 – Teaching at a Christian Boarding School in the Mountains 43:41 – Heartbreak and Loss: Three Deaths in Three Years 46:51 – Homesickness and Missing Family 47:26 – Political Instability and Rising Crime 48:37 – The Painful Closure of Their School 50:18 – Transition to Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center 52:34 – Looking Back: Relationships and God's Faithfulness 55:10 – Raising Third Culture Kids: What Parents Should Know 58:27 – Returning to the U.S. and Joining MK Care 01:01:10 – The Struggle of Identity and Rest 01:05:15 – How Churches Can Support Missionary Kids 01:09:04 – Steve's Parkinson's Diagnosis and God's Grace 01:14:05 – Encouragement for Those Considering Missions 01:16:22 – Recommended Books on MKs and Third Culture Kids 01:18:04 – Closing Thanks and Farewell   To learn more about SonSet Solutions, go to our website or follow us on social media @SonSetSolutions. Website: https://www.sonsetsolutions.org [https://www.sonsetsolutions.org]