In this episode of The Broken Banquet, Ashley and Wil welcome Will Faircloth — Director of Spanish Studies of the Wesley House of Studies at Truett Seminary and Director of the Wesley Heritage Foundation.

Will’s story stretches from serving in Costa Rica alongside Wil to shaping the next generation of Wesleyan leaders at Baylor University. With a deep passion for theological education and a heart that beats for mission, Will shares how God has been on the move through every chapter of his life.

Together, we talk about:

• How cross-cultural ministry in Costa Rica shaped Will’s call and perspective
• Why forming a Wesleyan presence within Truett Seminary matters right now
• The work of the Wesley Heritage Foundation and its role in preserving and expanding Wesleyan witness
• Where Will sees God moving in this season of leadership and transition

From the mission field to the classroom, Will’s story reminds us that discipleship and formation are global, relational, and always Spirit-led.

Pull up a chair to the table! You’re going to love this conversation.

Website: International Leadership Institute

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

#BrokenBanquetPodcast #WesleyHouseOfStudies #WesleyHeritageFoundation #BaylorTruett #MissionAndFormation #GlobalChurch #GodOnTheMove

This week at the table, we welcome Charles Cross, Vice President of Strategic Growth and International Director with the International Leadership Institute (ILI).

Charles is a French-speaking, leadership-leading, world-traveling father of six whose heart beats for the Gospel. With nearly two decades serving in France and five years in the U.S. with Greater Europe Mission, Charles and his wife, Amy, have dedicated their lives to equipping leaders and making disciples across the French-speaking world — and beyond.

Now, through ILI, Charles helps multiply leaders of integrity and ignite movements that transform nations for Christ. His life and ministry are rooted in one driving conviction:

“Because the heart of our Heavenly Father longs for all to come to repentance and none to perish, we are passionate to help reach as many people as possible with the life-transforming power of the Gospel.”

Join us for a joyful, hope-filled conversation about calling, family, cross-cultural ministry, and what it means to live on mission — from Texas to Toulouse, and everywhere in between.

🎧 Pull up a chair. The banquet table is wide, and there’s a place for you.

Website: International Leadership Institute

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

This week, we sit down with Dr. Elie Haddad, President of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon. Elie is a theological giant — both figuratively and literally (he’s super tall!) — and a pioneering leader whose influence reaches far beyond the seminary walls.

In this conversation, Elie shares:

• How he’s reimagined theological education in times of crisis and change
• Why polycentric mission is essential for the future of the global church
• The innovative systems he’s implemented to empower leaders across the Arab world
• What it looks like to walk through succession with humility, wisdom, and hope

Elie’s vision, grounded in faith and sharpened through years of leadership, offers encouragement and challenge for anyone passionate about missions, ministry, and the future of theological training.

Website - Arab Baptist Theological Seminary

Blog Post - Passing the Baton: Theological Reflections on Leadership Succession

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

What do Peru, Panama, Portugal, and Paul have in common? They’re all part of the story of Rev. Luciano Pereira da Silva. 🇧🇷➡️🇵🇪➡️🇵🇦➡️🇵🇹

Originally from Brazil, Luciano has poured out his life across the globe - serving in Peru, now shepherding in Panama, and always carrying a deep love for Portugal. If it starts with a “P,” chances are Luciano has a story there!

But more than geography, Luciano has a heart like the Apostle Paul. He’s a church planter, pastor, Conference Superintendent for the Global Methodist Church in Panama, and a member of the GMC Commission on Kingdom Advancement. His vision? To see the Church multiply, disciples grow, and God’s Kingdom advance to the ends of the earth.

In this episode, Luciano shares his journey, his passion for planting churches, and how the Spirit is moving in Latin America and beyond. You’ll leave inspired by his joy, his faith, and his global heartbeat for the Gospel.

WATCH this Plainspoken Podcast Interview.

READ Luciano's new book, Rescued from Darkness: Helping Others Find Deliverance in Christ

VIEW the GMC Panama Website.

VIEW video from annual conference.

🎧 Listen now and discover why Luciano is called a “modern Paul” with an apostolic fire.

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

What happens when the Gospel meets the airwaves across the Middle East and North Africa? You get SAT-7! And you get people like Ray Heinen making it happen.

Originally from Egypt, Ray has spent decades living and serving across the Arab world before landing in the U.S. with his wife, Sue. Today, as Senior Director of Ministry Partnerships at SAT-7, he’s helping the Church beam hope, truth, and the love of Christ into millions of homes in places many of us will never go.

In this episode, Ray shares his personal journey, the heart behind SAT-7, and powerful stories of how God is using satellite TV and digital platforms to reach the unreachable. It’s a reminder that the Gospel knows no borders — only opportunities.

Listen now and discover:

• How SAT-7 broadcasts the Good News in the heart languages of the Middle East and North Africa.
• Why media ministry can open doors in closed countries.
• Ray’s passion for equipping the Church to tell its story with boldness.
• And don't forget his favorite phrase: "Theology through technology!"

Learn more about SAT-7 at http://sat7usa.org.

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

We’ve been waiting for this one! Ashley’s favorite Colombian, Juan Bravo of Conectar Global, joins The Broken Banquet for a conversation that’s as rich and bold as a fresh cup of Colombian coffee.

Juan is passionate about connecting people across cultures for the sake of the Gospel —and he’s got the stories to prove it. From digital evangelism in Latin America to finding creative ways to make disciples in a hyper-connected world, Juan reminds us that mission is not about crossing oceans. It’s about crossing the street, the screen, and sometimes… our own comfort zones.

Pull up a chair, grab a cup, and get ready to be inspired, encouraged, and maybe even challenged to think differently about what it means to live missionally — wherever you are.

Learn more about Conectar Global: https://conectarglobal.org/en/

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

We recorded this conversation nearly a year ago, back in the fall of 2024, just as Ashley was settling into life at The Woodlands Methodist Church. And guess what? Tianna Johnston of Every Village was our very first guest of the season!

Now, finally, you get to hear all the giggles, all the stories, and (more importantly) you get to know this precious soul. Tianna is kind, witty, a phenomenal storyteller, and the kind of person who just makes life better.

We know you’re going to love her as much as we do!

Get to Know Every Village

Every Village partners with the people of South Sudan to bring sustainable access to safe water, thriving churches, and the gospel by radio. We love what they say on their website:

When South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011 to become the world’s newest country, it was left as one of the least developed nations in the world…

Here are just a few of the heartbreaking realities South Sudan faced in 2011:

• A country the size of Texas with less than 100 miles of paved road
• Fewer than a third of the population with access to safe water
• Fewer than 100 doctors and only 15 hospitals for over 10 million people
• The world’s highest maternal mortality rate
• A girl was 3x more likely to die in childbirth than to graduate from 6th grade
• 75% of adults were unable to read or write
• 42% of the population was under age 15
• Ranked as the least developed country in the world (Human Development Index)

But Every Village sees hope. The South Sudanese people are strong and full of vision. They dream of building a nation for Christ, and Every Village is walking with them, committed to helping rebuild from the ground up.

🎧 Learn more about Every Village by listening to their podcast: Why South Sudan? – Every Village

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

This week on The Broken Banquet, we're thrilled to welcome Peter Pereira. He and his wife, Esther, are the passionate founders of Global Hope Partners, an extraordinary ministry sharing the love of God with the 1.79 billion unreached people of South Asia.

Through their leadership, Global Hope Partners is transforming lives and communities by meeting both physical and spiritual needs across three powerful focus areas:

Humanitarian Aid – Think medical camps, fresh soy milk, warm blankets, clean water wells, and life-sustaining feeding programs.

Community Development – From vocational training to women’s empowerment seminars, leadership coaching to Bible classes, GHP is equipping individuals to thrive.

Education – With primary schools and care homes for children, Global Hope Partners is planting seeds of hope that grow for generations.

Peter and Esther don’t just talk about the Gospel; they live it out in culturally relevant, deeply relational, and powerfully effective ways.

Join us for this inspiring conversation and hear what happens when hope shows up with open hands, listening ears, and the heart of Christ.

👉 Grab your headphones. Get ready to be moved. And maybe even ask yourself, “What does love look like in action?”

Music by: Irene & the Sleepers

Logo by: Jill Ellis

Website: menomissions.org

Contact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com