What Pastors Really Want Missionaries to Know With Tom Ascol and Graham Gunden

Essential traits for missionaries that pastors are looking for.

Do you know what your pastor is looking for in a missionary? In this week’s episode, Alex travels to Ft. Myers, Florida to visit the studios of Founders Ministries and interviews Tom Ascol and Graham Gunden. Together they discuss the office of pastor in the church, what pastors should look for in missionaries, and how the work of evangelism is integral to both pastors and missionaries. See full show notes…


The Missions Podcast exists to equip missionaries and mobilize the church. By supporting this ministry, you help goers think and thinkers go.

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 four children. Read his blog or follow him on X.

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.