This week, we sit down with Dr. Elie Haddad, President of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon. Elie is a theological giant — both figuratively and literally (he’s super tall!) — and a pioneering leader whose influence reaches far beyond the seminary walls.

In this conversation, Elie shares:

• How he’s reimagined theological education in times of crisis and change
• Why polycentric mission is essential for the future of the global church
• The innovative systems he’s implemented to empower leaders across the Arab world
• What it looks like to walk through succession with humility, wisdom, and hope

Elie’s vision, grounded in faith and sharpened through years of leadership, offers encouragement and challenge for anyone passionate about missions, ministry, and the future of theological training.

Website - Arab Baptist Theological Seminary

Blog Post - Passing the Baton: Theological Reflections on Leadership Succession

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

What do Peru, Panama, Portugal, and Paul have in common? They’re all part of the story of Rev. Luciano Pereira da Silva. 🇧🇷➡️🇵🇪➡️🇵🇦➡️🇵🇹

Originally from Brazil, Luciano has poured out his life across the globe - serving in Peru, now shepherding in Panama, and always carrying a deep love for Portugal. If it starts with a “P,” chances are Luciano has a story there!

But more than geography, Luciano has a heart like the Apostle Paul. He’s a church planter, pastor, Conference Superintendent for the Global Methodist Church in Panama, and a member of the GMC Commission on Kingdom Advancement. His vision? To see the Church multiply, disciples grow, and God’s Kingdom advance to the ends of the earth.

In this episode, Luciano shares his journey, his passion for planting churches, and how the Spirit is moving in Latin America and beyond. You’ll leave inspired by his joy, his faith, and his global heartbeat for the Gospel.

WATCH this Plainspoken Podcast Interview.

READ Luciano's new book, Rescued from Darkness: Helping Others Find Deliverance in Christ

VIEW the GMC Panama Website.

VIEW video from annual conference.

🎧 Listen now and discover why Luciano is called a “modern Paul” with an apostolic fire.

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

What happens when the Gospel meets the airwaves across the Middle East and North Africa? You get SAT-7! And you get people like Ray Heinen making it happen.

Originally from Egypt, Ray has spent decades living and serving across the Arab world before landing in the U.S. with his wife, Sue. Today, as Senior Director of Ministry Partnerships at SAT-7, he’s helping the Church beam hope, truth, and the love of Christ into millions of homes in places many of us will never go.

In this episode, Ray shares his personal journey, the heart behind SAT-7, and powerful stories of how God is using satellite TV and digital platforms to reach the unreachable. It’s a reminder that the Gospel knows no borders — only opportunities.

Listen now and discover:

• How SAT-7 broadcasts the Good News in the heart languages of the Middle East and North Africa.
• Why media ministry can open doors in closed countries.
• Ray’s passion for equipping the Church to tell its story with boldness.
• And don't forget his favorite phrase: "Theology through technology!"

Learn more about SAT-7 at http://sat7usa.org.

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

We’ve been waiting for this one! Ashley’s favorite Colombian, Juan Bravo of Conectar Global, joins The Broken Banquet for a conversation that’s as rich and bold as a fresh cup of Colombian coffee.

Juan is passionate about connecting people across cultures for the sake of the Gospel —and he’s got the stories to prove it. From digital evangelism in Latin America to finding creative ways to make disciples in a hyper-connected world, Juan reminds us that mission is not about crossing oceans. It’s about crossing the street, the screen, and sometimes… our own comfort zones.

Pull up a chair, grab a cup, and get ready to be inspired, encouraged, and maybe even challenged to think differently about what it means to live missionally — wherever you are.

Learn more about Conectar Global: https://conectarglobal.org/en/

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

We recorded this conversation nearly a year ago, back in the fall of 2024, just as Ashley was settling into life at The Woodlands Methodist Church. And guess what? Tianna Johnston of Every Village was our very first guest of the season!

Now, finally, you get to hear all the giggles, all the stories, and (more importantly) you get to know this precious soul. Tianna is kind, witty, a phenomenal storyteller, and the kind of person who just makes life better.

We know you’re going to love her as much as we do!

Get to Know Every Village

Every Village partners with the people of South Sudan to bring sustainable access to safe water, thriving churches, and the gospel by radio. We love what they say on their website:

When South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011 to become the world’s newest country, it was left as one of the least developed nations in the world…

Here are just a few of the heartbreaking realities South Sudan faced in 2011:

• A country the size of Texas with less than 100 miles of paved road
• Fewer than a third of the population with access to safe water
• Fewer than 100 doctors and only 15 hospitals for over 10 million people
• The world’s highest maternal mortality rate
• A girl was 3x more likely to die in childbirth than to graduate from 6th grade
• 75% of adults were unable to read or write
• 42% of the population was under age 15
• Ranked as the least developed country in the world (Human Development Index)

But Every Village sees hope. The South Sudanese people are strong and full of vision. They dream of building a nation for Christ, and Every Village is walking with them, committed to helping rebuild from the ground up.

🎧 Learn more about Every Village by listening to their podcast: Why South Sudan? – Every Village

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

This week on The Broken Banquet, we're thrilled to welcome Peter Pereira. He and his wife, Esther, are the passionate founders of Global Hope Partners, an extraordinary ministry sharing the love of God with the 1.79 billion unreached people of South Asia.

Through their leadership, Global Hope Partners is transforming lives and communities by meeting both physical and spiritual needs across three powerful focus areas:

Humanitarian Aid – Think medical camps, fresh soy milk, warm blankets, clean water wells, and life-sustaining feeding programs.

Community Development – From vocational training to women’s empowerment seminars, leadership coaching to Bible classes, GHP is equipping individuals to thrive.

Education – With primary schools and care homes for children, Global Hope Partners is planting seeds of hope that grow for generations.

Peter and Esther don’t just talk about the Gospel; they live it out in culturally relevant, deeply relational, and powerfully effective ways.

Join us for this inspiring conversation and hear what happens when hope shows up with open hands, listening ears, and the heart of Christ.

👉 Grab your headphones. Get ready to be moved. And maybe even ask yourself, “What does love look like in action?”

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

Refat is AAAAMAZING. Originally from Egypt, Refat is now the Pastor of Arabic Baptist Church in Houston, TX. He and Ashley are traveling to the Middle East soon, and we can’t wait for even more stories!

Find out more of Arabic Baptist Church of Houston: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BrowJkNg9/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

Darrell Whiteman: Crossing Cultures with the Gospel

📚 It’s the best missions book EVER. And today, you meet the man behind it.

Dr. Darrell Whiteman is not just a missiologist. He’s a master storyteller, a cultural bridge-builder, and quite possibly the wisest voice in cross-cultural ministry today. With humor, humility, and hard-earned wisdom, Darrell invites us into a world where anthropology and the Gospel collide—and where listening often speaks louder than preaching.

Darrell has spent his life helping people bring the Gospel into the deepest part of a culture’s worldview—without losing the power of the message or the beauty of the people. He’s taught in 78 countries, trained thousands of missionaries and church leaders, and written the book that’s become essential reading for anyone serious about global missions:

📖 Crossing Cultures with the Gospel — a 2025 Christianity Today Book Award Finalist, Outreach Resource of the Year, and an instant classic.

In this episode, Darrell shares stories from Papua New Guinea, seminary halls, and village gatherings that will make you laugh, weep, and rethink what it means to really follow Jesus across cultures.

💡 Whether you're a short-term missionary, a pastor, or simply curious about global faith conversations—this is the episode that will change the way you see the world (and maybe your neighbor).

🎥 Don’t miss: Darrell Whiteman’s “My Journey in Mission” talk at Notre Dame → Watch on Vimeo

Resources & Links:

• 📘 Crossing Cultures with the Gospel
• 🌍 Global Development, Inc. – Bringing incarnational training to the frontlines of mission
• 🏆 2025 Book Awards: Christianity Today, Outreach, Southwestern Journal of Theology
• Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 9:22 – “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com