God on the Move Podcast

75. Beyond Ritual: Mental Health Advocacy in Indonesian Churches

In this episode of God on the Move, Totok Wiryasaputra shares how he helped start and now leads the Indonesian Association of Psycho-Spiritual Counselors (IAPC) to raise mental-health awareness and develop psycho-spiritual caregiving within Indonesian churches across denominations. He describes Indonesia’s complex religious and political tensions across regions, the stigma and spiritual framing of mental illness, and the church’s tendency toward ritual and numerical growth rather than holistic, incarnational care. Totok explains IAPC’s grassroots approach—training pastors and church members, travelling to provinces for annual meetings, and integrating psychology and faith amid scepticism from both secular clinicians and conservative Christians—while noting challenges in practical follow-through after training. He outlines his “Hexagonal Church” dream centered on caring as a biblical, historical, ecclesiological, spiritual, operational, and cultural framework, recounts his upbringing in a remote village shaped by missionaries, and shares his ongoing grief-counseling and online ministry at age 75. He closes with a call for unity in a “post-apologetical” posture and a request for international partners to come to Indonesia and share experiences at IAPC gatherings.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
IAPC
About the Hexagonal Church
 
🧑‍💻 About Totok
Totok Soemartho Wiryasaputra is an Indonesian theologian, pastoral counselor, and psychospiritual care leader, born in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta. With decades of ministry experience as a local pastor, hospital chaplain, psychosocial practitioner, and professor of pastoral care and counseling, Totok has become a leading voice in grief care and psychospiritual counseling in Indonesia. He is the co-founder of the Indonesian Association of Psychospiritual Counselors (IAPC), served as its National Board Chairperson (2017–2022), and currently serves as Executive Director. He has also authored more than 35 published books in Indonesian, many focused on grief psychotherapy, counseling, and church-based mental health ministry.
 
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74. In the Shadow of Silence: A Young Man's Resilient Faith in a Troubled Niger

In this episode of God on the Move, Ayouba Abdoulaye shares his inspiring journey from receiving his first Bible in a small village in Niger to becoming a spiritual assistant at CURE Hospital in Niamey. Ayouba discusses the challenges faced by the small Christian community in this predominantly Muslim country, including persecution, political instability, and the presence of extremist groups. He also reflects on his personal faith journey, the impact of missionaries, and the ongoing need for prayers and support from the global church. Hear how the Bible, powerful sermons, and the hope of Jesus Christ keep him going in the face of adversity.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
CURE Hospital
 
🧑‍💻 About Ayouba
Abdoulaye Chaibou Ayouba is from Torodi and currently resides in Niamey, NIger, where he serves as Assistant Spiritual Director. He is involved in spiritual guidance, moral formation, and community support, walking closely with individuals and groups as they grow in faith and character. Through his role, he is committed to strengthening spiritual life and fostering hope, responsibility, and unity within the community.
 
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73. Building Bridges of Love: Leaders in Learning's Mission in Pakistan

In this episode of God on the Move, Mohsin Hanif shares his journey of faith and ministry in the rural areas near Lahore, Pakistan. Mohsin, along with his wife, has been working to bridge the gap between Muslim and Christian communities through education and practical acts of kindness. They started the 'Leaders in Learning Ministry' to create opportunities for both Muslim and Christian children to learn together. Despite facing significant challenges and social barriers, their effort to foster relationships and show Christ's love has led to transformative changes in their community. Through their school and various initiatives like sewing classes and kids' clubs, they have successfully built long-term friendships and mutual respect among different faiths. Mohsin also highlights the risks and hurdles they face in sharing the gospel in a predominantly Muslim society, emphasizing the importance of showing love before evangelizing.
In this episode of God on the Move, Dave Coles shares his journey from pastoring in the U.S. to church planting in Indonesia. He discusses his work with Muslims and the importance of understanding and respecting diverse worldviews. Dave highlights the immense growth and impact of Church Planting Movements (CPMs) and Disciple Making Movements (DMMs), emphasizing reproducible practices, obedience-based discipleship, and family-focused evangelism. He also addresses the challenges and successes of contextual missions and the role of the global church in advancing God's kingdom. Through personal anecdotes and scriptural insights, Dave showcases how God is actively working across the world, transforming lives and communities through faith and obedience.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
Leaders in Learning Instagram
Leaders in Learning Facebook
🧑‍💻 About Mohsin
Mohsin Hanif accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior at the age of 16. Together with his wife, he has been serving the Church since their teenage years. Both are M.Div graduates and are dedicated to reaching unreached slum communities in Pakistan by providing education and practical skills training. Their ministry serves both Muslim and Christian communities, with a heart to see lives transformed through education and the gospel. Mohsin is a pastor, husband, and educationist, committed to reaching the unreached through education.
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72. Unveiling the Impact of Church Planting Movements

In this episode of God on the Move, Dave Coles shares his journey from pastoring in the U.S. to church planting in Indonesia. He discusses his work with Muslims and the importance of understanding and respecting diverse worldviews. Dave highlights the immense growth and impact of Church Planting Movements (CPMs) and Disciple Making Movements (DMMs), emphasizing reproducible practices, obedience-based discipleship, and family-focused evangelism. He also addresses the challenges and successes of contextual missions and the role of the global church in advancing God's kingdom. Through personal anecdotes and scriptural insights, Dave showcases how God is actively working across the world, transforming lives and communities through faith and obedience.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
Book: God on the Move: Making Disciples Among the Nations
Book: Living Fire: Advancing God’s Kingdom in Challenging Places
Book: Cabbages in the Desert: How God Transformed a Devout Muslim and Catalyzed Disciple Making Movements among Unreached Peoples
Podcast: Training Women Leaders in the United Arab Emirates for the Glory of God
 
🧑‍💻 About Dave
Dave Coles is an encourager and resourcer of church-planting movements among unreached groups, serving with Beyond. He has dozens of articles published about church-planting movements, contextualization, reaching Muslims, and the nature of the church. Among other publications, he is the author of Jonathan Edwards on Movements, coauthor of Bhojpuri Breakthrough: A Movement that Keeps Multiplying, coeditor of 24:14 – A Testimony to All Peoples, and associate editor of Motus Dei: The Movement of God to Disciple the Nations.
 
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71. What Good Can Come From Nazareth?

In this episode of God on the Move, Azar Ajaj shares his journey as an Evangelical Palestinian Israeli navigating the complex identities and socio-political challenges of living in Israel. Azar, president of Nazareth Evangelical College, discusses his testimony, his mission to bring a message of peace and forgiveness, and the difficulties faced by his community. He emphasizes the need for Christians to live out their faith actively and to be missionaries in their everyday lives. Join us to hear about Azar's work in equipping pastors, his family's story, and the importance of love and justice in building bridges between divided groups. Hear about the challenges of maintaining Christian faith amidst the political and social turbulence in the Holy Land, and pray for lasting peace and reconciliation.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
Nazareth Evangelical College
Podcast: Episode 27: The Complexity of Faith
 
🧑‍💻 About Azar
 
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70. Caring for the Community: Parish Nursing in Scotland

In this episode of God on the Move, Kirsty Nelson shares her journey as a parish nurse in Dundee, Scotland. Kirsty offers a glimpse into the holistic approach of parish nursing, which addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the community. She discusses the challenges and rewards of working with vulnerable populations, including those struggling with addiction and homelessness. Through stories of transformative care and community outreach, Kirsty illustrates the powerful impact of showing consistent love and support. This episode also delves into the current state of the church in Scotland and the complexities of navigating faith in a liberal political climate.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
Article: Heal the Sick and Tell Them That the Kingdom of God is Near Them
Parish Nursing Dundee
BBC Article on Kirsty’s Work
🧑‍💻 About Kirsty
Kirsty Nelson is a full time Parish Nurse within Dundee Law Parish Church. She has 16 years of community Nursing experience, and completed the Scottish Queens Nursing programme in 2021. Kirsty supports people in Dundee who are living chaotic and broken lives, working with them to build a recovery that is sustainable and meaningful. Kirsty is a committed Christian and attends a local church in Dundee along with her husband.
 
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69. Jews for Jesus: A Personal and Global Mission

In this emotional and inspiring episode of God on the Move, Dan Sered, the Lausanne Catalyst on Jewish Evangelism, shares his incredible journey from being a secular Jew in Israel to becoming a fervent believer in Jesus Christ. Dan discusses the pivotal moments that led to his faith, including a surprising encounter during a math tutoring session that changed his life. He delves into the challenges and rejections he faced from his family and community, and the passion that drives him to share the gospel with Jewish people worldwide. Dan also addresses common questions about Jewish evangelism and stresses the importance of making disciples of all nations, including the Jewish people. This episode is a testament to the transformative power of the gospel and the unyielding call to evangelize.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism
Jews for Jesus
YouTube channel: SO BE IT
 
🧑‍💻 About Dan 
Dan Sered was born in Israel to a secular Jewish family and later relocated to the United States while he was in his teens. Dan attended Stony Brook University in New York where he met Dinah, a Jewish believer in Jesus who showed him how Yeshua (Jesus) fulfilled the prophecies of the Messiah. Dan’s eyes were opened and he committed his life to the Lord.
In 1999 Dan and Dinah got married and soon after began serving as missionaries, joining Jews for Jesus and later moving to Israel. In 2006 Dan became the Israel director of Jews for Jesus, which quickly became the largest branch of the ministry worldwide. In 2019 Dan was appointed COO and Global Director for the organization and specifically supervises the day-to-day efforts of the branches in Europe, South Africa, Israel, and Australia.
Dan received his MA in ministry and leadership from Western Seminary and his DMin in leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). He is the president of the Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism and serves as co-catalyst for the Lausanne Jewish Evangelism Network. Dan is also an adjunct professor at DTS and helped to pastor All Nations Church in Petah Tikvah, Israel, for 17 years.
He and Dinah have three children: Yael, Eithan, and Yoav.
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68. From Afghans to Brazilian: Panahgah and the Power of Community Sponsorship

In this episode of God on the Move, Sophia Nobre shares the incredible journey of Panahgah, an NGO she founded to help Afghan refugees integrate into Brazilian society. The update highlights the challenges and successes faced by the organization, detailing how the church in Brazil is acting as a catalyst for change by welcoming and supporting Afghan refugees. Sophia discusses the implementation of a community sponsorship policy by the Brazilian government, inspired by Panahgah's work, and shares her personal experiences traveling to international conferences to advocate for refugee resettlement. The episode also explores the transformative impact on the churches involved and underscores the critical role of the global church in addressing the refugee crisis.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
Podcast: Compassion in Action
UNHCR article
Panahgah
 
🧑‍💻 About Sophia
Sophia Nobre is the founder and president of Panahgah, a Brazilian NGO supporting refugees and displaced people. While studying law at Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie in São Paulo, she was moved by the human-rights crisis in Afghanistan and, in August 2021, began coordinating humanitarian aid for Afghan families seeking refuge in Brazil. This initiative became Panahgah, formally established in March 2022.
Under Sophia’s leadership, Panahgah has since assisted over 1,000 forcibly displaced people from Afghanistan and other countries, offering resettlement, legal aid, language classes, and psychosocial support across more than 45 Brazilian cities. The organisation partners with groups such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other national and international institutions.
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67. Church Planting in East Africa: Igniting a Fire in Dark Places

In this episode of God on the Move, Aychi, an East African Christian, shares his powerful story of how he came to Christ from a predominantly Islamic background and his inspiring journey of church planting and evangelism in East Africa. The episode explores Aychi’s initial encounter with Jesus, his transformative conversion, and his ongoing mission to spread the gospel among the least-reached people groups. Aychi discusses the strategic changes in church planting methodologies and testimonies of miraculous encounters that demonstrate God's active presence. He also addresses the challenges, sacrifices, and opposition faced in the mission field, sharing stories of unwavering faith and resilience among local leaders. Listeners are encouraged to celebrate these successes and support global missions through prayer and active participation.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
Article: A Fire in Dark Places
 
🧑‍💻 About Aychi
Aychi B.R. is an African Christian who, since high school, has had a passion for sharing the gospel with those who need to hear it. While attending a mission school, God called him to reach out to people from a nearby unreached tribe. This calling later expanded to focus on reaching all the unreached groups in his region of Africa and planting churches among them.
 
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66. Transformational Faith in the Dominican Republic

In this episode of God on the Move, Crisel Gonell shares her inspiring story of faith transformation and her work as the Church Advancement and Business Mentorship Program Coordinator at Mission of Hope. Crisel discusses her journey from battling depression during the 2020 pandemic to becoming a devoted servant of God, spreading the gospel in the Dominican Republic. She highlights the cultural and religious landscape of the Dominican Republic, the challenges, and the incredible efforts being made to share God's word. Crisel also sheds light on the impact of the Lausanne Movement and the congress in South Korea on her ministry and how it has influenced her vision of evangelism and church unity in her country.
 
📚 Links from the Interview
Mission of Hope
 
🧑‍💻 About Crisel
Crisel Gonell is a 25-year-old living in Santiago de los Caballeros, the second largest city in the Dominican Republic. She fell in love with Jesus during the pandemic in 2020, a time when she was grappling with depression and anxiety. Through this challenging period, he reminded her that he is in control and has a plan for her life, as stated in Jeremiah 29:11. Crisel works at Mission of Hope as a church advancement and business mentorship program coordinator, collaborating with communities, churches, and Christian leaders to foster healthy churches in every community and empower leaders to create kingdom-impact businesses. She is also passionate about evangelism and church planting, dedicating her life to advancing his Kingdom. Jesus is her Saviour, Father, confidant, fortress, and the source of her strength, empowering her to live according to his will.
 
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