The State of Missions | Ted Esler

Ted Esler, President of Missio Nexus, joins me to dive deep into the current state of Christian missions. He explores the history, challenges, and future of global missions, from the legacy of William Carey to the impact of globalization and cultural shifts. Ted discusses the role of unreached people groups, the influence of American imperialism, and the evolving dynamics of missionary work, including the significant contributions of women. Discover how missions are adapting in a rapidly changing world and what it means for the global church. Note: There are 134,000 US missionaries, not 340,000 as stated in the podcast. Esler accidentally gave the global rather than US total.CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction00:29 Defining Missions: Evangelism, Discipleship, and Church Planting01:30 The History of the Modern Missions Movement03:07 The Origins of Missio Nexus04:00 Missionary Funding and Global Perspectives06:49 Paradigms Shaping Modern Missions08:22 The Tension Between Evangelism and Development Work11:24 The Decline of Mainline Denominations in Missions12:36 Missions and the Question of Imperialism17:35 Missions in the Age of Globalization23:24 The Impact of DEI and Christian Nationalism on Missions26:22 Women in Missions: A Historical Constant28:31 The Future of Missions: Trends and Predictions33:01 Closing ThoughtsTED ESLER LINKS:🌐 Missio Nexus: https://missionexus.org/CONNECT & FOLLOW AARON RENN:🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aaron_renn🌐 Newsletter - In-depth cultural analysis: https://www.aaronrenn.com/