In this episode of The GC Collective, we sit down with one of our own California-born, California-sent IMB missionaries serving in Central Asia—sharing his story under an alias for security reasons. After more than a decade of gospel work in one of the most unreached regions of the world, he was unexpectedly barred from returning to his country of service, leaving his family, church, and ministry behind in an instant.

We talk about the long obedience of missions work, the slow process of discipleship in Muslim contexts, the real cost of baptism for new believers, and how suffering fits within God’s sovereign will. We also explore the vital role California churches play in holding the rope through prayer, Cooperative Program giving, and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. If you’ve ever wondered what missions really looks like, wrestled with the idea of a “missionary mindset,” or just need a reminder that faithfulness matters even when outcomes are unclear, this episode will strengthen your heart.

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In this special recap episode of the GC Collective Podcast, we reflect on a handful of conversations from 2025 that together represent the breadth of what we’ve explored this year: the realities pastors face at home, the importance of caring for emotional and spiritual health, the opportunity of California as a global mission field, the challenge of engaging culture with biblical clarity, and the enduring strength of gospel cooperation.

If you’ve been listening all year, this episode offers a chance to revisit moments that may sound different now than they did the first time. And if you’re newer to the podcast, it’s a window into the kind of Christ-centered, resourceful conversations we’re committed to having as we serve churches across California.

Episodes referenced in this conversation:
· When Ministry Pulls in Two Directions with Will and Tarah

· Caring for Pastors’ Mental Health with Chuck Padilla

· Go and Tell: How Globalization Is Shaping California’s Churches with James Westbrook

· The Church, Culture, and Common Sense with Jonathan Keller

· Gospel Partnerships and Cooperation Insights with Tony Wolfe

Be sure to subscribe to This Week at CSBC, and if you have questions or ideas for future conversations, email us anytime at podcast@csbc.com.

In this end-of-the-year episode, Pete Ramirez, Sarah Graham, and Marc Tempesta sit down to look back on a landmark year for California Southern Baptists. From a powerful overseas moment that put Christmas hope in sharp focus, to a growing movement of prayer gatherings across the state, to fresh stories of generosity through Cooperative Program, this year-end conversation celebrates how God has been at work in and through our churches. We also revisit statewide listening sessions and share how your feedback is shaping the way CSBC will serve pastors and congregations in 2026 and beyond.
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Be sure to subscribe to This Week at CSBC and email us anytime at podcast@csbc.com.