Leadership in missions can be deeply rewarding—but it can also be difficult, stretching, and sometimes lonely.

In this episode of Missions Life, Kyle and Heather sit down with Bob McNabb to talk about what it takes to lead well when the road gets hard. Drawing from his experience working with mission leaders, Bob shares why leadership matters, what often keeps people from stepping into leadership, and what new leaders are often surprised to discover once they take on the role.

They also explore the importance of character, competency, courage, resilience, and grit in healthy leadership. Bob identifies key leadership skills that new leaders need to develop and shares practical tools, resources, and lessons that have helped him and others grow.

Whether you are currently leading a missionary team, stepping into leadership for the first time, or wondering if leadership might be part of your future, this conversation offers practical wisdom and encouragement for the journey.

In this episode, we discuss:

✅ Why the role of a leader is so important
✅ What holds people back from becoming team leaders
✅ The unexpected challenges of stepping into leadership
✅ Why character must come before leadership competency
✅ Three key competencies every new leader needs to develop
✅ How leaders can grow in courage, resilience, and grit
✅ Advice for new leaders
✅ How aspiring leaders can prepare now for future opportunities

Leadership is not simply about having a title or position. It is about becoming the kind of person who can faithfully lead others—especially when the road is hard.

Bob McNabb is the Director of Mission Mentorship at Missio Nexus, where he leads the development of networks that strengthen mentor collaboration, learning, and peer support for mission leaders.

He brings decades of global missions experience, including campus ministry leadership, church planting, missions pastoring, and executive roles in mobilization and leadership development.

Bob earned his D.Min. in Leadership and is the author of Spiritual Multiplication in the Real World.

He also hosts The Field Leaders Podcast, creating space for shared learning and insight for field leadership.

Bob lives in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife Susan and their family.

Show notes and links: (in bold)

https://www.kylefarran.com/missionslife/39-leading-when-the-road-is-hard-bob-mcnabb

We want to hear from you!
Have a question, story, or idea for a future episode?
Send us a message at kfarran@abwe.org with the subject “Podcast” or connect with us on Instagram: @kyle.farran
Whether it’s a challenge you’re facing, a topic you’re curious about, or just a quick note to say hi, we’d love to hear it.

Your feedback and ideas help shape the future of Missions Life!

The Rest of God with Mark Buchanan
Rest can be one of the hardest things for missionaries and ministry leaders to embrace. There is always another person to help, another need to meet, another project to finish, or another problem that needs attention. Busyness can even begin to feel like a sign of faithfulness. But when we continually push forward without stopping, eventually something begins to suffer.

In this episode, we talk with author and professor Mark Buchanan about his book The Rest of God and why Sabbath is so important for those serving in ministry and missions. We discuss what Sabbath really means, why God designed us to rest, and what we risk when we refuse to slow down.

Mark shares practical insight into how Sabbath can keep us from becoming brittle and breaking under the pressures of life and ministry. We also talk about some of the internal hurdles that make rest difficult, including guilt, feeling lazy, and struggling to trust that things will still get done when we stop. Mark also addresses the practical challenges of creating space for Sabbath in the middle of demanding ministry schedules and cross cultural life.

In This Episode, We Cover:
✅ What led Mark Buchanan to write The Rest of God
✅ What Sabbath is and how we should think about it today
✅ Why Sabbath matters to God and why it matters to us
✅ The dangers of wearing busyness like a badge of honor
✅ How regular rest can keep us from becoming brittle and burned out
✅ Internal hurdles that keep missionaries and ministry leaders from resting
✅ Practical challenges to building Sabbath into a busy schedule
✅ How to overcome guilt and learn to trust God when we stop working
✅ Principles for sabbaticals and extended seasons of rest in missions

Sabbath is not simply about doing less. It is about learning to trust God, recognizing our limits, and creating space to receive the rest He designed us to need. Developing healthy rhythms of work and rest can help missionaries and ministry leaders remain strong, healthy, and faithful for the long haul.

Mark Buchanan is an author and professor who lives between Calgary, Alberta, and Enderby, British Columbia. He is married to Cheryl, and they have three adult children. His writing and teaching have helped Christians think more deeply about spiritual formation, rest, faithfulness, and what it means to live well in the presence of God.

Show notes and links:

https://www.kylefarran.com/missionslife/38-the-rest-of-god-mark-buchanan

We want to hear from you!
Have a question, story, or idea for a future episode?
Send us a message at kfarran@abwe.org with the subject “Podcast” or connect with us on Instagram: @kyle.farran
Whether it’s a challenge you’re facing, a topic you’re curious about, or just a quick note to say hi, we’d love to hear it.
Your feedback and ideas help shape the future of Missions Life!

The Peace Pursuit with Dr. Janeen Davis

Conflict is one of the hardest parts of missionary life and leadership, but it is also one of the most important areas for growth, healing, and unity. When conflict is ignored, teams suffer. When conflict is handled with humility, clarity, and biblical wisdom, it can become a doorway to deeper trust and stronger ministry.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Janeen Davis about The Peace Pursuit, a practical and biblical process designed to help people move toward one another in the middle of conflict. We discuss why missionaries and missionary leaders need to take conflict seriously, what often holds people back from addressing it, and how cross-cultural ministry adds unique challenges to reconciliation.

Dr. Davis shares her own story of discovering Peace Pursuit, explains how the process works, and gives insight into why this approach can be especially helpful in missions, leadership, and cross-cultural ministry settings. We also talk honestly about what to do when the process does not go well and where people can find tools, training, and resources to help them pursue peace.

In This Episode, We Cover:

✅ Why conflict resolution matters for missionaries and missionary teams

✅ What keeps people from dealing with conflict directly

✅ Unique challenges missionaries face in cross-cultural conflict

✅ Dr. Janeen Davis’s story and how she first encountered Peace Pursuit

✅ An overview of the Peace Pursuit process, roles, and resources

✅ How Peace Pursuit can help in missions, leadership, and team dynamics

✅ What to do when reconciliation efforts do not go well

✅ Encouragement for those currently walking through conflict

Conflict can feel overwhelming, but there is hope. God calls us to pursue peace, and with the right tools, support, and humility, even difficult conversations can become part of His work of restoration.

Dr. Davis is a doctor of psychology, marriage and family therapist, and former missionary who has served in cross-cultural ministry since 2007. She is a specialist in global member care and supervised a Member Care team that supported over 1,000 ministry workers. Through her company, Purpose & Peace Solutions, she delivers counseling and member care services and provides trainings on healthy teaming, biblical conflict resolution, and organizational health. Dr. Davis frequently speaks at conferences and retreats, and is known for her captivating, humorous style and her compelling integration of psychological insight and biblical wisdom in member care and ministry leadership.

We want to hear from you!

Have a question, story, or idea for a future episode?

Send us a message at kfarran@abwe.org with the subject “Podcast” or connect with us on Instagram: @kyle.farran

Whether it’s a challenge you’re facing, a topic you’re curious about, or just a quick note to say hi—we’d love to hear it.

Your feedback and ideas help shape the future of Missions Life!