How would the global church change if Christians learned each other’s traditions through friendship rather than the internet?

In this episode of God on the Move, Anton Ponomarev and Calum Samuelson share how the Lausanne Orthodox Initiative (LOI) brings evangelicals and Orthodox Christians together to listen, build trust, and collaborate in God’s mission without trying to convert each other. They recount LOI’s origins around 2010, early consultations that surfaced stereotypes, and practical partnerships such as trauma-healing support for Coptic communities in Egypt and relationship-building among leaders in North Macedonia. They discuss challenges like disembodied online information, consumer-driven faith, vocal new converts, and fragmentation within Orthodoxy, emphasizing rootedness in one’s tradition, prayer together, shared commitments from the Nicene Creed, and a vision of unity shaped by John 17 and love in John 13.

📚 Links from the Interview

• Lausanne-Orthodox Initiative
• Faith2Share
• Calum's Work with OCMS
• Podcast 89: From Ethiopia to the World: Student Ministry’s Role in Growing Global Missions
• Podcast 07: Exploring Orthodox Missions Growth in Albania

🧑‍💻 About Anton

Born and raised in Russia, Anton Ponomarev has been working in the UK and globally since 2003 in a variety of mission roles. Currently, Anton is serving with the Faith2Share network with particular focus on network membership engagement, leadership development and research and support of emerging mission movements. His passion for ecumenical and mission work also brought him to being on the board of Lausanne-Orthodox Initiative, bringing together evangelical and Orthodox leaders in the areas of mutual understanding, dialogue and mission. Critical skill: loves growing tomatoes!

🧑‍💻 About CalumCalum A. Samuelson is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Sankt Ignatios College (Stockholm School of Eastern Christian Studies) and a Research Associate at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS). He earned his PhD in Orthodox Studies for research on theosis in the Ethiopian and Eritrean Täwaḥǝdo tradition from the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies (IOCS) in Cambridge, UK. In addition to his ongoing focus on various aspects of Täwaḥǝdo Christianity, he has broad interests in biblical, historical, and practical theology—all of which he has taught at universities on three different continents. As an ordained minister in the Methodist tradition and a board member of the Lausanne-Orthodox Initiative (LOI), he makes regular efforts to communicate his research for the benefit of the global Church.

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What if the numerically greatest untapped force for global mission is already sitting in the pews?

In this episode of God on the Move, Jennifer Abigail Lawson-Wallace and Beulah Joyce Ashindu Muga share how Women in Tune—birthed through years of prayer, a vision of Christ’s return, and a mandate to restore and disciple women—has mobilized “ordinary women” across Africa to discover their identity and inheritance in Christ and step into worship, prayer, evangelism, discipleship, and leadership. They describe trainings like Free to Serve, prayer-walking initiatives, translations and literacy support, and testimonies of transformed families, growing churches, community change, and ministry breakthroughs in places like Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon, and Ethiopia, while also addressing resistance rooted in culture and church structures and calling the global church to fresh empowerment by the Holy Spirit.

📚 Links from the Interview

• Women in Tune
• Women in Ministry
• Cedar House Christian International

🧑‍💻 About Jennifer

Apostle Jennifer Abigail Lawson-Wallace (JALW) is Founder and CEO of Women In Tune International, and co-founder of Cedars House Christian (International) with her husband, Rev Cobby E. Wallace. She is also the Executive Director of Women in Ministry Network (WiMN), a strategic initiative dedicated to fostering integrity and confidence within women’s ministry. Called to the five-fold ministry, JALW’s greatest desire is to see the Church strengthened and united under the power of the Holy Spirit and manifesting God’s Kingdom glory and power. Therefore, she disciples, teaches and equips leaders and believers to rise up, and influence and impact their communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She teaches the word of God with knowledge, clarity, simplicity, credibility and power, producing much fruit wherever she ministers. She works extensively in Africa, the UK and in the global community, preaching the gospel and discipling, training, equipping and empowering women to fulfil Christ’s Kingdom mission on earth.

JALW has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and the Study of Religions. She is the author of the books “Free To Serve: God’s Liberated Woman,” “Designed For Purpose,” “Sons Of God, Our Ultimate Identity As Women In Christ,” “Women Who Met Jesus”, “The Uniqueness Of A Woman,” “Intercession That Moves The Hand Of God”, and “The Whole Armour of God” She also developed the Training The Trainer Programme, a Christian leadership development and accreditation programme for women who serve in their communities. She has also authored many discipleship and training manuals which are being used to disciple and train the Body of Christ in the nations.

Apostle Jennifer Abigail Lawson-Wallace is affiliated with Churches In Communities International.

🧑‍💻 About Beulah Joyce

Apostle Beulah Joyce Ashindu Muga is a Christian leader and leadership coach passionate about raising women to influence their communities and nations for Christ. She has served as the Country Director of Women In Tune Kenya for over a decade, leading teams across 10 counties, and also serves on the Women In Tune International Council.

Professionally, Joyce is a seasoned Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant with extensive experience supporting international organizations across Africa and globally. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Aviation Management and is an ICF-certified Leadership and Team Coach.

Through both ministry and the marketplace, she is committed to developing leaders, discipling believers, and empowering women to fulfil their God-given purpose and advance God's Kingdom.

🔗 Join the God on the Move Community on the Lausanne Action Hub and be part of the conversation, see exclusive content and share your own testimony.

What if the very thing that once made you feel ashamed is the same place God wants to birth boldness—and a mission that reaches the nations?

In this episode of God on the Move Biruktawit Tsegaye shares how her father’s dramatic transformation and fearless street evangelism shaped her own calling, how God turned her shame into confidence, and how she moved from engineering into campus ministry with EvaSUE despite family rejection and real spiritual opposition. Biruk describes Ethiopia’s complex Christian landscape, ongoing persecution in some regions, and the presence of unreached peoples, while highlighting how God is at work within Orthodox and even Muslim communities. She also shares Living Bridge Global’s vision of how global migration can become a mission force through mobilizing international students and professionals. Biruk shares stories of evangelism fruit in Ethiopia, Thailand, Spain, and the Netherlands, alongside her anticipation for Lausanne’s Younger Leaders Gathering.

📚 Links from the Interview

• EvaSUE
• Ambaricho International Prayer and Mission Movement
• Africa to the Rest
• Lausanne Orthodox Initiative

🧑‍💻 About Biruk

Biruktawit Tsegaye was born and raised in Assela, a town in central Ethiopia. Her parents were nominal Ethiopian Orthodox believers. However, Biruk’s father’s transformation into a born-again believer became the catalyst for her own conversion and a significant inspiration for her life in ministry.

Biruk served as a youth leader in her home church, and during her five years at university, she was part of the leadership team of the campus fellowship. After graduating from one of Ethiopia's well-known universities with a degree in Hydraulic Engineering, she joined EvaSUE (Evangelical Students and Graduates Union of Ethiopia) as a full-time staff member.

Upon joining EvaSUE, Biruk underwent 45 days of intensive training in Campus Mission Mobilization (CMM) during the summer. This program, introduced by Horn of Africa—one of EvaSUE's partners—included courses such as Kairos and NVISION. She worked as a mission mobilizer and coordinator in three different universities, organizing short-term missions with students to reach unreached people groups in Ethiopia. Additionally, she coordinated mission training sessions and conferences.

Succinctly, Biruk joined AIPM (Ambaricho International Prayer and Missions Movement), an indigenous organization. During her time with AIPM, she spent eight months in Thailand focusing on mission mobilization and outreach programs alongside an international team composed of individuals from Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, the Philippines, Mali, Kenya, and Thailand. This experience was eye-opening and enriching, deepening her understanding of global missions and teamwork.

Currently, Biruk is in the process of establishing a ministry called Living Bridge Global, where she serves as both director and board member.

🔗 Join the God on the Move Community on the Lausanne Action Hub and be part of the conversation, see exclusive content and share your own testimony.