On Mission

Join Dr. Matt Davis as he talks with retired chaplain Lt. Col. Scott Nupson on this episode of On Mission. Mr. Nupson represents the Associated Gospel Churches Chaplaincy, a tool of the local church to endorse and send chaplains into limited access institutions (all branches of the military, Civil Air Patrol, Veterans Affairs, police, fire, federal prisons) in order to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Besides his career as a chaplain, he has been a pastor, husband of 35 years, and father of four, all whom serve faithfully in their local churches all over the world. Dr. Davis and Mr. Nupson provide context on chaplains in the American military, discussing their history and the spiritual needs of military personnel. They also address the legitimacy of the chaplain’s role and Mr. Nupson’s deployment experience and lessons learned. You will be encouraged by his faithful testimony of God’s grace, and learn how to encourage and support the work of chaplains in our military.

In this episode of On Mission, Dr. Matt Davis gets to know 2010 graduate and MBU's new assistant athletic director and soccer coach, Jarid Lawson. In the fourteen years since graduating college, the Lord has kept the Lawson family on the move: from student teaching and meeting his wife in Missouri, to teaching, coaching and starting a family in Arizona, to Montana to be near family for a time, to his current role at MBU. In each place, God had remarkable coaches to mentor him: Gary Garrison as a youth, Jeff Pill in college, Paul Brown and Lynn Hesuinger in Arizona. Coach Lawson and Dr. Davis find common ground over the great need for godly teachers and coaches to disciple student athletes, and discuss the connection between teaching and coaching. Coach Lawson draws his personal mission from Psalm 31:1-3, to be the kind of believer that teaches and coaches those who want to be taught and coached, multiplying the biblical character and leadership God has so graciously been molding in him.

Dr. Matt Davis talks with Maranatha’s own nursing faculty member, Dr. Sarah Urban, on this episode of On Mission. With years of experience as a nurse, Dr. Urban has dedicated herself to nursing education, driven by the goal of training nurse leaders. Dr. Urban talks about the satisfaction of teaching and the excitement of watching her students succeed in the healthcare field. She discusses the many paths available to students after graduation, debunking the idea that nurses only work in hospitals or clinics—some may work in community settings such as schools or public health departments, the military, healthcare leadership, case management, education, or even as a legal nurse consultant. And, Dr. Davis and Dr. Urban openly address the challenges of compassion fatigue, and of practicing faith in nursing—highlighting its holistic impact on patients’ lives. “Nursing is a unique ministry that makes a difference in the lives of patients not only physically but also psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually.” -Sarah Urban, PhD, RN, CNE

In this episode of On Mission, Dr. Matt Davis sits down with Dr. David Canedy, Deputation Director of Baptist World Mission (BWM). A former accountant, Dr. Canedy’s professional skills and pastoral gifts have been faithfully utilized by God in his current position to assist local churches in sending out missionaries. He discusses the process of missionary deputizing and board appointment, with a focus on BWM’s criteria for candidates. Dr. Canedy and Dr. Davis then delve into the importance of being faithful servants and how it relates to our stewardship of time, talent, and treasure—and the solace there is in God’s record-keeping. It is that eternal hope that protects us from the discouragements of life in today’s grievance-driven culture, and what motivates Canedy to remain faithful in the smallest aspects of life.