Does your pastor adequately prioritize missions at your church?

In this episode of The Missions Podcast, Alex interviews Matthew Ellison and Denny Spitters from 1615 Missions Coaching about their new book, The Sending Shepherd: Leading Churches to Disciple All Nations. Drawing from a Barna study, the conversation centers on the vital role of church leadership in global missions. They argue that effective mobilization starts with senior pastors embracing a “sending shepherd” mindset—reintegrating God’s global purpose into preaching, discipleship, and church culture rather than treating missions as an optional program.

They encourage pastors to see missions not as one ministry among many, but as the core narrative of Scripture shaping every believer’s role in God’s redemptive story. The discussion closes with success stories of integrating missions into the church, practical encouragement for pastors, and a reminder that mobilizing for the Great Commission is both essential for the world and for the church’s spiritual health.

Key Topics

Findings from the Barna “U.S. Pastors and Missions Survey”
The problem of “when everything is missions, nothing is missions”
Leadership’s critical role in shaping global vision (Antioch model from Acts 13)
The difference between marginalizing missions and integrating it into the church’s DNA
Importance of defining and distinguishing evangelism, outreach, and missions

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Need to Know Data on Church Missions Engagement With Matthew Ellison and Denny Spitters