Podcast
The Coworkers Podcast
Hosted by Jesse, Shanee · EN
Do you want to grow in teaming with others to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you want to help others embrace their unique roles in the work? God wants to use all believers in powerful and diverse ways in His mission.
In this podcast, we dig into the Bible, hear from fruitful coworkers around the world, and share practical tools from our almost 20 years of missions experience. Join us on The Coworkers Podcast... Where Every Believer is a Coworker in God's mission.
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Episodes
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Summer Spotlight: What is a Missionary Calling and Do I Have One?
6d ago00:20:41Tap to summarizeMany times believers will say, "All Christians are missionaries," probably in an effort to encourage believers to preach the gospel to the lost. While all believers are evangelists and disciple-makers, all believers are not missionaries. The Bible teaches that some believers are set apart by God to be sent out to take the gospel to the unreached (aka missionaries). In this episode, we look at 3 passages in the New Testament that refer to the missionary calling: Acts 13:1-3, Romans 1:1-15, and Galatians 1:15-17. Read Acts 13:1-3: Who called Saul and Barnabas? What were they called to do? What was the church’s role in Saul and Barnabas’ sending? What had Saul and Barnabas been doing prior to their calling (Acts 11:19-30)? Read Rom. 1:1-15: How does Paul describe his calling? (v. 1, 5) Why did Paul want to go to Rome? (v. 15) How does Paul describe his desire to do the ministry? (under obligation-v. 15, and eager to do it- 15). Read Gal. 1:15-17: How does Paul describe his calling? What was he called to do? From this study, four foundational truths about the missionary calling emerge: 1. The missionary calling comes from an encounter with God and His heart for the nations. 2. The missionary calling comes through faithful engagement in God’s work where we are. 3. The missionary calling produces a godly ambition to be a part of God’s mission among the nations. 4. The missionary calling includes affirmation by God’s people. Download the full biblical study, along with helpful resources, from the website.
Transcribe →Summer Spotlight: New Testament Norms Part 4: Prayer
2w ago00:21:28Tap to summarizeOur 4th and final NT norm is the centrality of prayer in the life of the early church. Listen in as we share 4 "P" observations on prayer - It was a Priority; It Preceded the filling and work of the Spirit; It was the church's response to Persecution; and it was Personal and Persistent. 4 P’s: 1-Priority. Begins the book of Acts—“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers" (1:14). In Ch. 2, the church was praying when the Holy Spirit filled them. Acts 2:42- he church was devoted to prayer. It was one of the first things that marked them out—alongside the apostle’s teaching, breaking the bread, and fellowship. Acts 6: We see the priority of prayer even more strikingly when the apostles single out prayer alongside of the ministry of the Word as their primary responsibility. “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” “I stand here to confess frankly that from my inmost heart I attribute the large prosperity which God has given to this Church vastly more to the prayers of the people than to anything that God may have given to me. I know it is so.” - Charles Spurgeon 2-Precedes the filling and work of the Spirit. Acts 2 begins with the believers all together in one place, praying. And we know what happened next—the sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind, filling the house where they were. Acts 4- The believers are gathered together praying in the midst of persecution—praying specifically for boldness. “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness" (4:31). Acts 13- The prophets and teachers of the church in Antioch were gathered and they were worshipping the Lord and fasting. Just then the Holy Spirit calls out Barnabas and Saul. And after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. These are pretty pivotal moments in the history of the gospel—especially in Chapters 2 and 13. And we see that God’s people had been devoting themselves to prayer in the time leading up to these great events—these experiences of the Spirit’s work. Prayer had paved the way for these people to respond when the Spirit showed up. 3-Persecution- Prayer was the church's consistent response to persecution. Acts 4- Peter and John have just been threatened by the high-priestly council. "When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord. . .” (4:23-24). Their immediate reaction to the threat of violence from the ruling authorities was to pray. And hear what they prayed: “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 12- Peter is in prison and miraculously rescued by an angel of the Lord. When he is rescued, it says “he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.” Again, the response of the church to the persecution of her people is to pray. Acts 16- Paul and Silas in prison. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” In the midst of persecution, we find these two workers praying and singing hymns. Prayer is what we do when we are persecuted. It is the response of God’s church to the threats and persecutions. In each of these moments, God miraculously answered. 4-Personal and Persistent. In Acts, we don’t get much details about the personal prayer lives of the apostles. Many references are to the church praying corporately. However in Paul’s epistles, we find Paul talking about his own prayer life all over the place – way too many to reference, will just name a few- Eph. 1:16- "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…" and we see his personal prayer for the Ephesian believers. Eph. 3:14-19. Paul's prayers were important enough for him to write out for them and for us. A few examples from 1st Thessalonians: 1 Thess. 1:2- "We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers." 1 Thess. 5:17- "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thess. 5:25- "Brothers, pray for us." Paul was not voicing prayers for believers every moment of every day. He was sometimes preaching the gospel; he was sometimes sleeping; he was sometimes eating or traveling. But he had such a habit of prayer that he described it as day and night, constant. Eph. 6:10-20- Paul teaches us that we are in a spiritual battle and prayer is an essential weapon. Paul commands us to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. The Word, The Spirit, and constant prayer. As we’ve found these 4 NT norms, we have seen in a new way for us how intertwined they are. The Word bears fruit by the power of the Spirit. The Spirit honors and responds to the preaching of the Word and obedience to the Word and prayer. Prayer is what invites the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, and there is no real prayer without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Prayer was seen as part of the work of the church. It was at the center of their ministry. We have a saying among our teams here that prayer is the greater work. We believe that because we ultimately believe that this work we’re doing is His work. It doesn’t move forward unless He moves and the Spirit grants repentance and life. Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the growth.” Prayer is an admission of our helplessness and a plea for God to do what only He can do. That’s why we see the early church devoting themselves to it. Prayer was necessary to them—it was just a part of their lives, and of their gathering together. If you are listening and feel like you’re a terrible pray-er, don’t give into discouragement or paralysis or accusations --- just start! Read a good book on prayer. Make sure you’re spending daily time with God alone in the Word and in prayer. Use your drive or shower to pray. Post a prayer list by your bathroom mirror and pray as you brush your teeth. Set a timer for a certain time each day. 12:12, 3:10. And ask God for help! This concludes our series on NT norms – daily ministry, the Word, the Spirit, and prayer.
Transcribe →Summer Spotlight: New Testament Norms Part 3: The Word
3w ago00:22:47Tap to summarizeWe continue our series on norms in the early church with "The Word." The Word (or a synonym for the Word) is mentioned at least once in every chapter in Acts 1-20. The Word was increasing; the Word was preached boldly, broadly, and consistently; preaching the Word was the main work of sent-out-ones. Whatever we are doing, let's saturate it with the Word. Three Themes on the Word in Acts: The Word of God increased and multiplied – in and out of Jerusalem, Samaria, Ephesus, and surrounding regions. The Word is powerful and has a power of its own, almost like the HS. Examples: Acts 6:7: And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem . . . (Jerusalem) Acts 12:24: But the word of God increased and multiplied. (Samaria and beyond) Acts 19:20: So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. (Ephesus) This should encourage us and build up our faith in the inherent power of the Word, apart from our own abilities! The Word went out broadly and boldly, publicly, and consistently. Many examples of public, bold proclamation (4:13, 29, 31; 9:27, 28; 13:46; 14:3; 18:26; 19:8; 26:26; 28:31). Paul and his teammates (missionaries) had an extremely high level of commitment to preaching and explaining the Word. This is what Paul did in every place, day after day, for hours, in different contexts. It's very clear in Acts 13-20 – preaching the Word was the work that Paul did. He was persuading and proving that Christ was Lord. He explained the Word with the goal of people responding. 3 Suggestions for application: Make sure everything we do is saturated with the Word. Always make the Word of God your main content! Not your own experience. Yes, you need to connect with your audience and teach in a way that they understand, but you don’t have to be super creative. Get them connected to God’s Word. Tools: We have tools now that put God’s Word into people’s hands more easily than at any other time in history. Do a heart check. Paul’s heart was very involved. Is my goal to just share the gospel so I can feel like I’m doing my job? Or is my heart’s desire to see people believe? To convince them to completely change their minds? Am I content to just walk away after a 3-minute conversation? When I have the opportunity, am I willing to share with a nonbeliever daily? Or for a complete hour? How do we get the gospel out more? We must always be asking this question. This is not only or even mainly a pulpit ministry. How do we get the gospel out boldly, broadly, publicly, and consistently? How many people in my city are hearing the gospel today? How often am I preaching the Word? What opportunities are right in front of me? Spirit-filling results in bold proclamation. If you want Spirit-filling, then put yourself in positions of preaching the Word, and the Holy Spirit will be more likely to show up! Book referenced in this episode: Paul's Understanding of the Church's Mission by Robert L. Plummer. Connect with us: The Coworkers Podcast website Instagram: thecoworkerspodcast Email: coworkersstudy@gmail.com
Transcribe →Summer Spotlight: New Testament Norms Part 2: Spirit-Filled
4w ago00:20:01Tap to summarizeListen in as we continue our series on norms in the early church according to the book of Acts. The filling of the Holy Spirit is a prominent theme in the early church and the advance of the gospel. In this episode, we share insights from Acts into how to be filled with the Spirit. Spirit-filling is mentioned at least 10 times in Acts. These instances fall into two categories: - A general character trait about a person. Examples: The 7 chosen to serve (Acts 6:3-5); Stephen (Acts 6:8); Barnabas (Acts 11:23-24). - A special filling at a specific moment in time that resulted in special power – often boldness in gospel proclamation. Examples: *Acts 2- Believers spoke in tongues, testifying to mighty acts of God; 3000 saved.*Acts 4:8-12- Peter, filled with the Spirit, preaches with boldness. *Acts 4:29-31- All believers praying for boldness and signs and wonders; place shaken and they were all filled with Spirit and continued to speak the word with boldness. *Acts 7:55- Stephen, full of Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God. *Acts 13:9- Paul and Barnabas on Cyprus during the first missionary journey, proclaiming the word of God, and this magician/false prophet was opposing them and trying to keep the proconsul from believing. Paul made Elymas blind, resulting in the proconsul believing when he saw what occurred. *Acts 13:52- Disciples filled with joy and Holy Spirit. -Eph. 5:18 – “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” Books Referenced: The Ministry of Intercession by Andrew Murray.The Baptism and Gifts of the Spirit by D. Martin Lloyd-Jones. Connect with us: The Coworkers Podcast website Instagram: thecoworkerspodcast Email: coworkersstudy@gmail.com
Transcribe →Summer Spotlight: New Testament Norms Part 1: "Daily"
Jul 600:19:38Tap to summarizeToday, we are sharing a new lesson God has been teaching us about living in light of the Great Commission as God’s people. God has increased our desire to really LIVE in light of eternity and to be willing to change maybe old habits and comfortable routines to line up with what we see in the New Testament. So, we are looking at the Scriptures and asking the question- what was normal life like for the early church? What characterized their lives? In this episode, we highlight one important theme that we have found. Listen to these 9 Scriptures and see what theme emerges: 9 examples in the book of Acts: Acts 2:46: “day by day, attending the temple and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.” Acts 2:47: “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 5:42: “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” Acts 6:1: “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.” Acts 16:5: “So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.” Acts 17:11: “…they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:17: “So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.” Acts 19:9: “…he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrranus.” Acts 20:31: “Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.” In the New Testament church, there was: Daily outreach (proclamation, reasoning with others) Daily time in the Word (teaching, examining) Daily fellowship (breaking bread in homes) Daily ministry (distribution for the widows) Daily increase A few ideas for your own action steps: 1- Every morning surrender your day to God and ask for opportunities to share the gospel and serve and encourage others. 2- Pray for the lost daily. Our team in our city prays for the lost in our city every day at 12:12 pm – if you want to join us, please email us. 3- If you’re not already reading the Word daily, there are plenty of great daily reading plans online, or you can use the YouVersion app. 4- How often are you getting real Christian fellowship? Not just tuning into an online church service, but having real conversations about God and how you're doing. 5- Use your online presence to share biblical encouragement! Think about the people who follow you and how you can use that platform to speak about Christ and give people hope. Find the full study on our webpage. Connect with us: The Coworkers Podcast website Instagram: thecoworkerspodcast Email: coworkersstudy@gmail.com
Transcribe →Summer Spotlight: What to Do When You Want an Escape (According to Psalms)
Jun 2900:25:17Tap to summarizeI (Shanee) am sharing one of my biggest lessons from studying the Psalms in 2021- God is our refuge and wants us to run to Him with our guilt, shame, fear, and every negative emotion and need, so that He can minister to us with His steadfast love. We should not try to shut down our emotions or shame ourselves for being needy; instead we should take them to God, confident that His response is ALWAYS steadfast love and faithfulness for His children. He's always saying, "Come closer!" Scriptures on God as our refuge: -Ps. 18:30- “He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.” -Ps. 31:7, 10- “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance… Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.” -Ps. 37:39-40- “The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, b/c they take refuge in him.” -Ps. 46:1-2- “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” -Ps. 61- “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!” Ps. 62- “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken…Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” -Ps. 91- He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shade of the almighty. I will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress…B/c He holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, b/c he knows my name…I will rescue him and honor him.” -Ps. 119:114- “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.” Scriptures on God's steadfast love: -Ps. 5:7- “But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.” -Ps. 5:12- “For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.” -Ps. 17:7- “Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.” -Ps. 18:19- “He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; He rescued me, b/c He delighted in me.” -Ps. 25:10, 13-14- “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies… His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” -Ps. 26:3, 8- “For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness…O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.” -Ps. 31:16, 19, 21- “Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love…Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you… Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.” -Ps. 33:18-22- “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love." -Ps. 36:7-10- “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” -Ps. 40:11- “As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!" -Ps. 63:3- “B/c your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” -Ps. 86- “Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you…" -Ps. 90:14- “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” -Ps. 94- “When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.” -Ps. 103- “Bless the Lord, O my soul…and forget not all his benefits… who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s…The steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him.” -Ps. 107:8-9, 40- “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things…Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” -Ps. 119:76- “Let your steadfast love comfort me, according to your promise to your servant.” -Ps. 136- “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for his steadfast love endures forever…” (repeats, “for his steadfast love endures forever” 26X). Connect with Us: The Coworkers Podcast website Email: coworkersstudy@gmail.com
Transcribe →Summer Spotlight: Singleness: An Opportunity, Not a Liability (with Samantha and Julie)
Jun 2200:38:04Tap to summarizeListen in as missionary leaders Samantha G and Julie P share from their 10+ years of field experience on how singles can serve, lead, and thrive on the field, and how married teammates and leaders can foster that.
Transcribe →Summer Spotlight: Celebrating Thousands of Maturing Disciples with Glenn and Rhonda
Jun 1500:39:20Tap to summarizeOver the last several years, God has been saving thousands of people in one state in South Asia - all glory to God! Glenn and Rhonda have led out in this work, and have some helpful keys that contributed to this growth. Two keys in particular are easy access to the Scriptures (in audio form on SD cards) and extraordinary prayer. Also listen in to hear how simple tracking methods are not primarily used to "count churches," but in order to provide a road map for believers, and a symbol of their significance in God's Kingdom. Ordinary believers are empowered to know God's Word well, mature in their faith (including practice and theology), and lead many others to faith in Jesus Christ. Praise God for how HE is working to seek and save the lost. Glenn and Rhonda have some excellent resources to share (in English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujrati, and Nepali). For access to their Ek Rasta materials (story set from Creation to New Creation), and to learn more about their reporting technique using simple church circles, visit their website: https://southasiansands.wixsite.com/ekrasta 10-minute video of Rhonda explaining the simple church mapping tool: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IFnYlwYiO3UPxY3s92brEN5leejdNYm_/view?usp=drivesdk Free Ek Rasta app downloads for your Apple or android devices:https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ek-rasta/id1517191653 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.rajasthan.ekrasta.multi Connect with us: The Coworkers Podcast website Email: coworkersstudy@gmail.com
Transcribe →Summer Spotlight: Lori Frances on Why We Need to Develop Female Leaders
Jun 800:36:42Tap to summarizeLori was formerly the Director of Sending at Summit Church RDU, overseeing local and international missions, and is a gifted leader and passionate about reaching the lost. She has 14 years of corporate world business experience, and 4 years of missions experience in North Africa. Listen in as we discuss how the church and mission teams need to do a better job of developing female leaders and caring for single women on our teams. Listen in as Lori shares: -Examples of how the church is overlooking women in leadership development, often simply due to tradition. -Biblical truths relevant to developing women -Practical tips for giving women a seat at the table -What we miss out on by not including women -How to care for and empower single women To hear Lori share more on singleness, listen to Pastor JD interview her: https://summitchurch.com/message/gods-plan-in-singleness Connect with us! Email feedback to us! Send us some topics you would like to hear us talk about. The Coworkers Podcast website Instagram: thecoworkerspodcast Email: coworkersstudy@gmail.com-
Transcribe →True Confessions of Missionaries Who Act Like the Israelites
May 2500:38:52Tap to summarizeWe just completed our first year in Spain, a year full of changes, and have noticed many similarities we share with the Israelites when they were traveling into the Promised Land: They were prone to fear instead of faith; they were self-centered and unthankful; they struggled to trust God with all the changes in their lives. And we are the same! Listen in as we confess some sin and struggles during our last year of transition, and rejoice in Jesus, who never sinned and died for our sin, and empowers us to live in a way that honors Him.
Transcribe →