Author: Alex Kocman

On this week’s episode of Cloud of Witnesses, we continue the remarkable story of Bob and Lynne Trout. In part one, we followed their faithful service across South America—in Peru, Paraguay, and Colombia—where they shared the gospel and witnessed God’s transforming work in the lives of those they served. In part two, we explore the … Continue reading A Legacy of Fellowship: Bob and Lynne Trout (Part 2)

What does ministry fruitfulness look like in Papua New Guinea? Alex Kocman talks with Bill and Lori Smith, veteran ABWE missionaries who have served in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for nearly 40 years. The Smiths share their journey into missions, the unique cultural and spiritual challenges in PNG, and the dual nature of their ministry—training … Continue reading Babies, Schools, and Church Planting in Papua New Guinea: Bill and Lori Smith

On this week’s episode of Cloud of Witnesses, we begin the first of a two-part story highlighting the faithful ministry of Bob and Lynne Trout. Serving with ABWE across South America—in Peru, Paraguay, and Colombia—the Trouts dedicated their lives to sharing the gospel and building up the church. After decades on the field, they returned … Continue reading A Legacy of Fellowship: Bob and Lynne Trout (Part 1)

Those who know me personally are aware that our church went through a difficult season a few years ago—pastoral transition, rebuilding of our elder team, and reshaping of a local church culture that was somewhat cold to one of vitality and warm fellowship.  Due to my work with ABWE, I was often asked about our … Continue reading Leadership and Emotional Sabotage: The Killer of Local Church Mission

I recently saw a comment online that struck me. It said, in effect: If you want to know what it feels like to be a missionary in a foreign country hostile to the gospel, where being a Christian and publicly expressing your faith puts you at risk, you don’t have to imagine it—you’re already living … Continue reading Living Like Missionaries in ‘Pride Month’ 

On May 12, 2025, 59 white South African Afrikaners arrived in the US under a refugee program initiated by President Donald Trump. These Afrikaners, representing descendants of Dutch and French settlers who once led South Africa’s apartheid government, sought asylum due to rising threats of racial violence and property loss faced by Boers in post-apartheid … Continue reading What South Africa’s Refugees Teach Christians About Biblical Compassion

Some passages of Scripture are rich with context, color, and vibrant detail that stir our imaginations—fountains from which we drink time and time again in our devotions, sermons, and study. Then there are other texts that conspicuously seem to lack any real context, scattered like so many Easter eggs across the pages of Scripture, that … Continue reading Christian: Know What Time It Is

A growing number of Christian thinkers are sounding the alarm about how worldly empathy is reshaping the church—and not for the better. Among them are Joe Rigney and Allie Beth Stuckey, both of whom have recently addressed this theme in detail. In Leadership and Emotional Sabotage: Resisting the Anxiety That Will Wreck Your Family, Destroy … Continue reading Is Empathy Sufficient for Christian Missions? 

When we hear about tariffs, sanctions, or foreign policy clashes in the news, we tend to respond in one of three ways. Some swell with patriotic pride, viewing economic nationalism as a stand for sovereignty. Others panic—worrying about our retirement accounts, supply chains, or the price of milk. Most of us, if we’re honest, just … Continue reading What Trade Wars Teach Us About God’s Plans for the Nations