The Native Missions Podcast

Growing up in Appalachia, Oliver Asher experienced extreme poverty. He lived in a shed, lost his sister in a car accident, and watched the shattering of his dreams. By trusting Jesus to bring good out of his hardships, he discovered great gratitude and invincible joy. Today he is president of Advancing Native Missions and has helped spread the Gospel in over 100 countries. In this episode, Oliver shares his story, discusses his new book, "Invincible Joy," and talks about how you can leave the world a better place regardless of where you are now.

Jesus came to proclaim good news to the poor and freedom to the imprisoned and oppressed (Luke 4:18–19). Today, in East Africa, remarkable native missionaries are following His lead — serving orphans, women trapped in prostitution, and others in need of true hope and practical help. God is transforming lives among the most vulnerable people. Lou Mancari talks about his recent trip to Uganda and Rwanda. You will definitely be encouraged and challenged by what you hear.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit some regions harder than others. Many countries in Latin America were devastated by its effects. But was missions work hindered by these challenges? Actually, in the midst of great adversity, many ministries experienced incredible growth. In this episode, Joel interviews Renee Lily, the regional director for Latin America at Advancing Native Missions. Renee shares how God has been saving souls, transforming lives, and building His church in amazing ways during the pandemic.

Late last year, Joel interviewed Jaap and Aziza DeCook, ANM’s field directors for Europe. They described the struggles of many church leaders in Eastern Europe, reeling from economic collapse, loss of church members, and stagnant growth. Jaap and Aziza shared testimonies of God’s saving power in spiritually dry places and how they encouraged these faithful servants to hold on to their hope in the Lord of the harvest.

Joy Tica is a Doctor and a medical missionary to her native country, the Philippines. Joy shares with us her story of becoming a Doctor, what inspires her to serve the poor and share the gospel, and her vision for sustainably supporting missions work in her region.