Ep. 24 / The Global Shift in Christian Mission ► William D. Taylor

04/03/25 • 42 min

What does Christian mission look like in today's rapidly changing world? Bill Taylor draws from 60 years of cross-cultural ministry experience to paint a compelling picture of global transformation.
The numbers tell a remarkable story: evangelicals have grown from 90 million in 1960 to over 600 million today. As the former director of the World Evangelical Alliance's Missions Commission, Taylor witnessed this expansion firsthand while helping shape its direction. He vividly recalls how Jim Elliott's martyrdom and famous words—"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose"—sparked his lifelong calling.
Taylor challenges outdated colonial missionary paradigms, describing today's reality as "from everywhere to everywhere." Filipino believers ministering in the UAE, African congregations planting churches in Europe, and Latin American missionaries serving worldwide illustrate this dramatic shift. This changing landscape demands Western Christians reassess their role while maintaining meaningful engagement.
With prophetic insight, Taylor addresses the false dichotomy between humanitarian work and gospel proclamation. Looking to Jesus's ministry, he demonstrates how compassion, justice, proclamation, community-building, and even persecution form an integrated whole. He worries that social media and ideological currents are undermining Christ's uniqueness among younger generations globally.
Taylor's leadership philosophy, detailed in his book "Leading from Below," offers a counterpoint to climb-the-ladder approaches. Through experiences spanning the pre-digital age to today's smartphone-saturated world, he advocates following Jesus's servant path rather than pursuing prominence. For mission-minded believers, he emphasizes the essential role of deepened spirituality to sustain long-term commitment through inevitable challenges.
What will mission look like in the decades ahead? Join this conversation to discover how your story might connect with God's global mission movement.

Learn more with Bill Taylor through his website and Facebook.

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Learn more with Bill Taylor through his website and Facebook.

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Ep. 23 / The Unexpected Resurgence of Belief in God ► Justin Brierley

What if everything you thought you knew about religion's decline in the West was wrong? Justin Brierley, award-winning broadcaster and author of "The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God," reveals the remarkable cultural shift happening beneath our noses.
After fifteen years hosting conversations between atheists and Christians, Brierley noticed something unexpected. The New Atheism movement that dominated cultural discourse in the 2000s has rapidly faded, with many of its former champions now focusing on culture war issues rather than critiquing religion. Meanwhile, secular intellectuals like Jordan Peterson and historian Tom Holland have begun publicly appreciating Christianity's cultural contributions, even as they personally struggle with belief.
Most surprisingly, younger generations—particularly Gen Z—are showing unprecedented openness to faith. Recent UK surveys reveal Gen Z are half as likely to be atheist as their parents and grandparents. Unlike previous generations who rebelled against a Christian upbringing, today's young people have no religious background to reject. For them, exploring Christianity represents something novel, even countercultural.
This spiritual renaissance emerges against a backdrop of what psychologists call a "meaning crisis." Despite material prosperity and technological advancement, rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide continue to climb. Many who've tried individualistic "spiritual but not religious" approaches find themselves still searching for something more substantive.
What makes this movement distinctive is that many seekers aren't looking for watered-down spirituality. Instead, they're drawn to traditional expressions of faith that offer rigorous community, challenging moral frameworks, and transcendent mystery. As Brierley observes, "they want something weird" that stands apart from secular culture.
For churches navigating this cultural moment, the opportunity is substantial but requires discernment. The communities seeing growth aren't necessarily those chasing relevance, but those confidently offering Christianity's distinctive alternative to a fragmented, increasingly dehumanized world. Share your thoughts using #Evangelical360 and subscribe for more conversations with Christian changemakers worldwide.

Next Episode

Ep. 25 / Faith & Science: The DNA of Belief ► Dr. Francis Collins

Dr. Francis Collins takes us on a profound intellectual and spiritual journey from atheism to faith while simultaneously reshaping modern medicine through his leadership of the Human Genome Project. Growing up on a small Virginia farm with no religious background, Collins embraced science as his passion and atheism as his worldview until a pivotal moment in medical school when an elderly patient asked him, "Doctor, what do you believe?"
This simple question launched a methodical, evidence-based examination of faith that would transform his life. Collins shares how C.S. Lewis' rational arguments for Christianity in "Mere Christianity" forced him to reconsider his atheist stance, particularly through the universal human experience of moral law – our innate sense of right and wrong that transcends evolutionary explanation.
What makes Collins' testimony particularly compelling is how his scientific expertise enhanced rather than hindered his faith journey. As the director who led the revolutionary Human Genome Project to map all human DNA, he describes scientific discovery as "getting a glimpse of God's mind" and laboratories as potential "cathedrals." Throughout his distinguished career, including twelve years directing the National Institutes of Health, Collins has demonstrated how scientific and spiritual worldviews can beautifully complement each other.
Perhaps most moving is his account of treating a critically ill young man in a Nigerian mission hospital with minimal resources. After a successful but risky procedure, the patient provided unexpected wisdom: "You came here for me." This profound moment revealed to Collins how God works through individual human encounters rather than grand schemes.
For anyone wrestling with questions about science and faith, Collins provides a thoughtful path forward that honors both intellectual integrity and spiritual hunger.

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evangelical 360° - Ep. 24 / The Global Shift in Christian Mission ► William D. Taylor

Transcript

Brian Stiller00:00:10.474

Hello and welcome to Evangelical 360 . I'm your host , Brian Stiller , and I'm pleased to share with you another conversation with leaders , changemakers and influencers impacting Christian life around the world .

Brian Stiller00:00:22.986

We'd love for you to be a part of the podcast . Share this episode by using hashtag Evangelical360 and join on the conver