What Happens When Missionaries Get Kicked Out? John Klaassen Answers

Dr. John Klaassen, President of Reaching and Teaching, discusses God’s sovereignty and closed ministry doors.

Missions always comes with risk, and nothing is guaranteed—especially in hostile, unreached contexts. What should missionaries do when they get kicked off the field? How should they adjust their own expectations when God closes ministry doors?

In this episode, John Klaassen shares his own powerful story and how he has drawn strength from grasping the sovereignty of God. Born in Colombia, Dr. Klaassen has 18 years of cross-cultural experience overseas in Europe and North Africa, and a further 9 years of experience teaching at Boyce College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he will continue to teach in the field of missions and global studies. John lives with his wife, Shari, in the city of Louisville where they actively serve amongst Iraqi refugees through their church, Highview Baptist.

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Alex Kocman & Scott Dunford

Alex Kocman is the Director of Communications and Engagement for ABWE. He serves as general editor for Message Magazine and co-hosts The Missions Podcast. After earning his M.A. in Communication and B.S. in Biblical Studies, he served as an online apologetics instructor with Liberty University and a youth pastor in Pennsylvania, where he now resides with his wife and three children. Read his blog or follow him on X/Twitter.

Scott Dunford is the pastor of Western Hills Church in San Mateo, Calif. Previously, Scott served as Vice President of Mobilization and Communications for ABWE and as a missionary in East Asia. Scott graduated from Northland International University (B.A. in Pastoral Studies), earned his M.A. in biblical studies from Central Baptist Theological Seminary, his M.B.A. from Cornerstone University, and is currently enrolled in Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s D.Min. program with an emphasis on missions.