Episode 219

In today’s episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we interview Joanna Smith, missionary helper to the great country of Colombia. She will be helping her brother, a veteran missionary already established there, in reaching the lost souls for Christ. Perhaps you wonder why missionaries are needed in a country in which over 90% of the people identify as Christian. Isn’t a country like that evangelized enough? Well, the country is overwhelmingly Catholic, and churches that preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ as it is in the scriptures are incredibly few and far between. In fact, you won’t believe how far the nearest ministry of like faith is from her brother’s ministry! God is at work, however, and in this interview, we will hear how God called Joanna to serve the people Colombia, especially the women and children. Join us as we learn about her upbringing, her surrender to ministry work, and all about what God is doing on that particular mission field to draw lost souls to Himself.

[Joanna]

The Lord does not call us to do something that he’s not going to give the grace to do. And it was really just, it was a step of faith. And it was every single day realizing that this is the path that God has chosen for me and I need to be walking through that. I had a minivan that I had to add oil to every 400 miles.

[Jay]

Thank you for tuning in to the Removing Barriers podcast. I’m Jay and I’m MCG. And we’re attempting to remove barriers, so we can all have a clear view of the cross.

[MCG]

This is episode 219 of the Removing Barriers Podcast, and this is the 25th in the series of On the Mission Field. And in this episode, we’ll be going on the mission field with missionary Johanna Smith to Columbia. Johanna, it is indeed a pleasure. Welcome to the Removing Barriers Podcast.

[Joanna]

Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here with you guys.

[MCG]

Great.

[Jay]

Hi, this is Jay. MCG and I would like for you to help us remove barriers by going to removingbarriers.net and subscribing to receive all things Removing Barriers. If you’d like to take your efforts a bit further and help us keep the mics on, consider donating at removingbarriers.net/donate. Removing Barriers, a clear view of the cross.

[MCG]

All right, Joanna, let’s start at the beginning. Tell us about yourself, your family, your calling, whatever you feel comfortable sharing with the internet.

[Joanna]

Okay. I was privileged to grow up in a Christian home. My dad’s a pastor, and I was born actually in small town Kansas. At the age of three, my family, my dad accepted the call to a church in Maryland where he had grown up in a pastor’s home. And so as such, I had the opportunity to hear the gospel at a young age. And so that was a huge blessing in really just bringing me to where I I am now, but at the age of nine, I very clearly recognized the fact that even though I had been raised up to that point in a Christian home, that was not the guaranteeing that I would have a home in heaven. And so I’m really thankful that the Lord allowed me to be exposed to the gospel at a young age. because I was protected from a lot of things that I could have been exposed to. And I remember going into my parents’ room that night and telling me, I need to be saved and accepting the Lord as my savior. And so I praise the Lord for that. I’m actually one of five children. I have four brothers. I’m the only girl. And another very pivotal part of my life as a young adult was to be diagnosed with cancer at the age of 16. And that was probably one of the most difficult things that I’ve ever been through, but at the same time, It’s been one of the best because not only did the Lord begin to use that experience in my life to draw me closer to Him, but He’s also used it in the years since. And so I’m really thankful for that. And then when I was 19 years old, actually, I was able to write a gospel tract talking about how God gave me peace in my storm, which was cancer. And the Lord’s used that even now while I was on deputation. And while I’ve finished up being here at language school, because cancer affects so many people. And I can say, hey, I had cancer. This is how God gave me peace. And I’ve never had anybody say, oh, I don’t want that, you know. So that’s been a blessing.

[MCG]

Well, you know, they say a rose stem only have one rose, but you have many thorns.

[Joanna]

Right.

[MCG]

You’re the only girl among their four boys. The only rose among the thorns.

[Joanna]

Yeah, they actually say that I’m the only thorn among the roses.

[MCG]

Well, I put it a little bit nicely.

[Joanna]

Yes.

[MCG]

Yeah. Dive a little bit deeper into your cancer diagnostic. Tell us about it.

[Joanna]

Okay. Like what it was?

[Jay]

Or whatever you feel comfortable sharing. Yes, absolutely.

[Joanna]

Yeah. So I had graduated from school early and was planning to go to college at the age of 16. And there are just some things that the Lord prompted us about maybe just kind of stepping back a little bit and waiting. And it was about three months later that I was diagnosed with cancer. And thankfully for me, the doctor said it’s one of the best cancers to have if you’re going to have cancer with thyroid cancer. But because of how the thyroid works, it’s kind of like your body’s thermostat. And so there’s a lot involved in that. And probably the hardest thing for me with the cancer diagnosis was not so much kind of going through it initially, but it was kind of more of the rippling effect afterwards because I had to work through all the emotions of, okay, now I don’t know why I have this pain after the cancer. I don’t know why I have this pain. I don’t know why I have this lump. What is it? Is it a recurrence? And I really just had to come to the point of recognizing the fact that the Lord had brought me through the cancer already. And if he brought cancer into my life again, he was going to give me the grace to go through it. And so I felt like in many ways, it was harder for me after I had the cancer and the surgery than it was actually walking through the initial days of it. But I didn’t have chemo. So that was a blessing. I had radioactive iodine. And that’s a certain type of treatment that I was so radioactive that I had to be in isolation for 48 hours.

[MCG]

Oh, wow.

[Joanna]

Yeah.

[MCG]

So. Well, I have one more follow up on that. So you’re going to a country that does not have as good health facilities as the US. I’m sure that created some concern with your parents or with your family saying, hey, should something come up like this again? Walk us through that, maybe that emotional time, if that ever come up or whatever the case may be.

[Joanna]

At this point, if something like cancer would surface again, I would probably make the decision at this point to come back to the States for treatment. Because while there are many advances that have been made in the country of Colombia, and they do have some good things on the healthcare side, pretty much if you’re diagnosed with cancer in Colombia, it’s a death sentence. And so, which to me is incredible because the Lord has allowed me to face it here in the States. And so I really think I really believe that the Lord’s going to use that as I go to Columbia to be able to have a deeper way of connecting with people who have cancer. But yeah, I would make the decision to come back to the States for treatment.

[Jay]

You mentioned that you were three years old when your father accepted a pastorate in the Maryland area where he grew up. But I missed, you might have said it, but I missed it when you said how old you were when you received the Lord as your own personal savior. Could you tell us how old you were again and go more into how the Lord saved you? How did you come to that realization that you needed to be saved?

[Joanna]

Sure. I was nine years old and I can’t really remember much from being 9, but just remembering or thinking of the realization night like, wow, if I died tonight, I wouldn’t go to heaven. I would go to hell. And I had been exposed to many verses on the gospel. And so I can’t remember what was all going through my mind that night, but just the realization that Jesus is the only way. And it’s not hard. He’s the only way that we are to accept as our Lord and Savior. Absolutely.

[Jay]

We’re the ones that complicate the gospel. The gospel itself is fairly simple. Great. So when did the Lord begin to work on your heart regarding Colombia?

[Joanna]

Oh, not until probably 2021, 22 thereabouts. So my brother Matt is a missionary in Colombia as well. And so oftentimes you might hear what you see. affects your heart. And we have a family group that my brother would post videos and pictures from the work in Colombia on that. And the Lord used that to really, really prick my heart with, I’d already sensed that the Lord was leading into full-time missions. But that was an opportunity for me to at least see is the Lord leading me to Colombia and just start eliminating countries until he made his will clear to me.

[MCG]

What is the deputation process like for a single young lady traveling, hotels, cars? What is it like? Safety.

[Joanna]

For me, because it was in the unit, I’d never felt, I don’t think that I, or if I ever felt unsafe, it was maybe only one or two times and it was just a sense of, I need to sort of get out of this area pretty quickly. But the Lord, prior to going into the deputation phase and prior to making the decision to join Baptist World Mission as a full-time missionary, The thought of doing deputation as a single lady pretty much came close to making me think, I don’t really want to go this route. I want to just try to get a job and support myself to be in Columbia because deputation alone was really daunting. But the Lord does not call us to do something that he’s not going to give the grace to do. And it was really just, it was a step of faith. And it was every single day realizing that this is the path that God has chosen for me and I need to be walking through that. I had a minivan that I had to add oil to every 400 miles. Oh my. And so that’s a story in and of itself, but through the ways that the Lord works, he actually… provided money for me through the gifts of many churches to actually enable me to buy a brand new car in my deputation period. And so that’s a key point that I can look back and think like, wow, God doesn’t always choose to provide a new car for missionary and deputation, but he knew that that’s what I needed. And that was a huge blessing because there for a while I was averaging about 5,000 miles a month on the road. And so I had a lot of miles on the road, a long days, late at night. And I had the protection of a new car that I hope would run well. But the stigma of being, maybe the old time stigma of being a single lady on deputation, I did not meet with that. There were very few churches who told me that they would not have me come because I was a single lady. And any church that I went to, I was always met with deep respect and encouragement in the calling that God has in my life. And I can’t, it was just such a blessing. Praise God.

[Jay]

Praise God.

[Joanna]

I think it was a good experience.

[Jay]

Very good. Yeah, good. So how long have you been on deputation and when does your deputation end?

[Joanna]

Okay, I’m done with deputation.

[Jay]

You’re done. Awesome. Praise the Lord.

[Joanna]

My official last meeting was at the church 2 weeks ago.

[Jay]

Okay, great.

[MCG]

Yep. All right. So tell us where on the globe is Colombia for those who may be geographically challenged like myself?

[Joanna]

Okay. Yes. And prior to my brother going to Colombia, I was geographically challenged as well. Colombia is in South America and it is, okay, let me think of this. I always lose track of what’s above it. But if you look at the country of South America, Brazil is the big country to the right of it.

[Jay]

Got it.

[Joanna]

Right above Ecuador. So.

[MCG]

Cool.

[Jay]

Great. Tell us more about Colombia, like the capital and the population, the people. What culture are you about to step into?

[Joanna]

It’s a culture, it’s a culture of quite a lot because Colombia has been referred to as one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. But as far as culture goes, you have up in the, it would be the northern part of Colombia, you have like more of the Caribbean flavor and so forth. And then down in the southeastern part where I’ll be working, We have a lot of, I don’t really know what the word would, we have a lot of maybe farmers and things like that in the region where we will be working. Yes.

[Jay]

Okay.

[MCG]

Cool. Tell us about the capital city, the population. Dive into the Colombian people.

[Joanna]

Okay. The capital city of Colombia is Bogota. And I don’t know what the population is of Bogota, but in the city where I’ll be working, it has, as of 2025, there are just over 400,000 people that live in the city.

[MCG]

Oh, wow.

[Jay]

What’s the religious breakdown? Are they a religious people, atheistic? What are you about to step into when it comes to what these people already believe and how that might affect your ministry and your outreach to them?

[Joanna]

Sure. So overall for the country of Colombia, it’s definitely Roman Catholicism. That high percentage, over 70% of people in Colombia profess to be Roman Catholic. And then the percentage of Protestant would be about 9%. And I think that encompasses all of the religions that would claim to be Protestant. So not necessarily a Bible-believing or gospel-believing person or religious group, I guess you could say. So, but yeah, the predominant religion that we’re gonna run into in the city where we work is Catholicism. And then because of the region where we are, there’s also kind of a blend of indigenous beliefs that are being pulled into the Catholic beliefs.

[MCG]

Okay.

[Jay]

Do you happen to know if the Catholicism, the people are staunch Catholic and know what they believe and are deeply entrenched in it, or is it more of a nominal Catholicism?

[Joanna]

I think that varies probably by generation and then also by family group. In the city of Pasco alone, there are more than 33 Catholic temples or churches in that city alone.

[Jay]

Wow, okay.

[MCG]

So what are some things that folks should keep in mind if they feel called or led by the Lord to serve him in Colombia?

[Joanna]

In Colombia? Like in what way?

[MCG]

As a missionary, as a missionary helper.

[Joanna]

Maybe I’ll just come at it from the way that I thought before the Lord called me to Colombia. I always thought of Colombia as kind of how we had heard how it was in the 70s and 80s, how the majority of missionaries that were there actually had to leave because of the factions with the different guerrilla groups in the country. And so I know for my brother and I growing up, we had a missionary couple that would come and report to the church who were missionaries in Colombia. And they told us story after story about how the Lord had protected them from the different guerrilla factions. And so I think in our mind, we always thought, oh, it’s like, you can never go to Colombia. It’s so unsafe. And it is. You know, there are measures of that. But one of the things I think that struck me when I was my internship in the city where I’ll be working in Colombia, just thinking these are just normal people that are getting up every day, going to work, going to the grocery store, and not every single person that you’re going to run into in Colombia is part of a guerrilla faction. And so, yes, there is that stigma of the drug cartel, the different, the guerrilla factions, but these are people that are going about living their life just as we are here in America. And we don’t have to be afraid to go, especially not if the Lord has called us to his field of service. You know, we can certainly go with confidence and not be concerned about that.

[MCG]

Yeah, definitely, Emma.

[Jay]

Are there any cultural differences that you’re aware of that will make your ministry there difficult or maybe something that you would have to adjust to? What are some of the cultural differences that you anticipate? Now, granted, I know you haven’t actually said, what is it called when you’re like, you finish deputation and you actually go out on the field? Like you’re…

[Joanna]

Yes. In that sense, no. Right.

[Jay]

I know that you just completed deputation, but when you mentioned that your brother posted these videos and these wonderful things in the family chat, so you probably have some idea of the culture that you’re about to go into, but I wondered if there are certain things that perhaps in the culture you’re concerned about or maybe that you anticipate and how that’s going to affect your ministry there.

[Joanna]

Sure. Yeah. Well, okay, that’s a lot in that question. And actually, I just wanted to back up and say in the summer of 2023, I got to spend a good two months in Colombia. I was able to do an internship. So thankfully, I mean, while I’ve only been there for a few months and I’ve not lived there long term, there is going to be the culture shock and so forth. There’s different ways of that that I’ve already experienced, but I know that there’s going to be even a more swing for that going into the country. But I think probably one of the things that for me personally, that is going to be a really big adjustment that I anticipate at this point is the fact that here in America, I have the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. In the sense of, as a single lady, I could go out right now and it’s dark and I could run to Walmart and no problem. Whereas in the city where we’re going to be working, I’m going to have to think a second time about, there’s no Walmart for one thing, but I’m probably not going to just go and jump in the car and run down and grab a pizza by myself. So there’s going to be more things. There’s not as much freedom to what I’m used to. And I think that that just on a practical standpoint, I’m going to probably struggle with that. And then just a constant realization in the area where we’re working and living of always needing to be careful because that is pretty significant where we are. And so, you know, guarding things on your body and not pulling cell phones out and things that we do in America, like, you know, you stick your cell phone in your back pocket or whatever.

[Jay]

Right. You don’t even think about it. Yeah.

[Joanna]

Yeah. And so just different ways that I’m just so accustomed to doing here. And I’ve even thought of it here as like, well, I won’t be Let me ask you this.

[Jay]

Is this just a normal occurrence in Colombia or is it because as missionaries, you stick out like a sore thumb and they target missionaries or people that are, oh, it’s both. Okay.

[Joanna]

Well, it’s both. Yeah, we’re targeted. I mean, I stand out, you know, because I have blonde or blondish and lighter skin. So I’m going to stand out in that sense. But no, it’s everybody. Like even the nationals, they won’t pull their phones out. They keep them close.

[Jay]

I see. Okay. Yeah.

[MCG]

So along that end, how are you preparing even your mind and in your heart now to adjust to those changes? I know you mentioned what the changes are, but how are you preparing now to adjust to them?

[Joanna]

I haven’t really thought a lot about it now. I tend to probably earn more on the side as the day comes. I mean, obviously we make preparations and I’m all that. But I’m pretty confident there’s some things that I’m not aware of that I’m going to run into when I get into the country. But I guess maybe it’s just more like taking a day at a time and not having anxious thoughts about it or just realizing it’s going to be different. And the difference is not necessarily bad. And I certainly don’t want to start being like, Oh, well, in America, we used to have the snow, but realizing this is where God’s called me, and to be ready to embrace everything that’s there, realizing this is where God has me, and he’s going to work through all of the challenges or the frustrations that I have in that sense.

[Jay]

And he will, too. He’s faithful, and his word tells us be anxious for nothing. So as you follow and obey him, he will show himself faithful in those particular ways. We are certain of that. Praise the Lord for that. So the culture in Colombia that you’re going into, the particular city that you’re going into, I think you said it was about 400,000 the city. What is that culture like? Is it more of an Acts chapter 2 type culture where people have, obviously it’s a Catholic country, so I imagine people at least know who God is, right? They’re not starting at zero. Or has the country developed in such a fashion where they’ve forgotten their so-called Catholic or Christian upbringing, and they don’t understand sin, and they don’t understand who the true God is, and they don’t understand these things? Is it more of an Acts chapter 2 or an Acts chapter 17 culture?

[Joanna]

Okay, I looked to see, to try to figure out what you meant. What would you define, in your words, the Acts 17 culture?

[Jay]

You know, I think MCG says this all the time. The Acts 17 culture is the culture that doesn’t have a fundamental understanding of who God is, what sin is, why do we even need God? There’s, you could pretty much say that the US has become an Acts 17 type culture. Whereas in Acts chapter 2, where you’re dealing with the Jewish people, you’re dealing with people who have at least a basic understanding of who God is and why we should fear Him and have reverence for Him. at least a general understanding of what sin is. So, the difference between those two cultures. is significant. In fact, as we were talking in the prep for the podcast, MCG mentioned how in many ways we’re stuck presenting the gospel to people as though they understand who God really is and not just this idea of who they think God is in their head. Or when you talk to them about sin, they’re looking at you like, what? Like, everybody does this. It’s not sin. It’s not sin if, you know, everyone does it or if it feels good or if I like it. You know, there’s this lack of an understanding of the holiness of God, the seriousness of sin, which do you think would more likely or more accurately describe the culture in the city that you’re about to go into?

[MCG]

Well, think about it this way. In Acts chapter two, it was the day of Pentecost, and the message Paul delivered to them was this Jesus whom you crucified is your Messiah. So he didn’t go back all the way back to creation and try to present the God of creation to them. They already had that foundation. So he started by telling them that this Jesus that was just crucified is your Messiah. In Acts chapter 17, he was talking to the Greeks and they had the altar to the unknown God and they didn’t have the foundation of the Jewish people. So he said, if you look in Acts chapter 17, he realized he went all the way back to creation before he even presented the gospel to them. And that’s the difference between acts of the two culture, where the people have an idea of who God is, they have an idea of what sin is, they have an idea of that they are accountable to a creator. And you can go to them and say, hey, Jesus is your savior. You need to repent of your sin and trust Christ. But when you go to acts of the same thing culture, you can’t go to them and say, you need to repent of your sin and trust Christ because they don’t have that foundation.

[Joanna]

Yeah, they don’t even understand of who God or Jesus is. Yeah. Right. I would say on my very limited understanding of the culture where I’ll be going to work in that sense, I would say it’s probably a blend of the two. And it’s going to vary probably generationally, because from what I’ve seen and what I’ve done, it seems as if the older culture is more firmly entrenched in Catholicism and ways, I guess you could say, of the past, whereas the younger generation would mirror more closely those of our generation in the States, probably. But yeah, I would say it’s a blend of the two.

[MCG]

Yeah, most areas are a blend of the two. In the US, if you go to the inner the New Yorks and the Los Angeles, those are definitely the actual 17 culture for most part. And then if you go into the rural areas and maybe what they call the Bible Belt, you’ll find a lot of Acts Chapter 2 cultures still there. So it’s definitely a blend in. What are some needs that if filled would make your task of sharing the gospel in Columbia easier?

[Joanna]

It’s interesting because I was talking with my parents earlier today about the fact that I was gonna do this podcast, and this is kind of preempting or kind of answering one of the later questions, but I think it really goes together. And I’m assuming probably this question is maybe, would be more of like what items or whatever, but more than anything, people, people who are sold out to serve the Lord with, I’m just gonna say with complete abandonment, leaving what we know as American dream and just being willing to leave family, the American dream, everything that’s in America, to go to a place that you don’t know the culture, you don’t know the language, you don’t know the people, or maybe you’d be blessed to know the language for those in the states who are bilingual and who are just willing to pour out their lives in service to the Lord. I would say probably more than anything, that’s what we need, especially not all over, but very much, especially in the area where my brother’s working. Right now, my brother is the only full-time American missionary that’s been in that region in decades, and I’m talking like the region. It’s more than the city. It’s the whole department of Noreeno.

[Jay]

Oh, wow.

[Joanna]

There is a gentleman that comes down and the Lord has just opened the door, but he’s not able to be there full time. So it’s not like my brother’s the only American, but he’s the only full time American missionary that’s able to be there right now. So laborers.

[MCG]

Yeah. You know, we have interviewed a number of missionaries and the top two answers would be laborers by far.

[Joanna]

Yeah.

[MCG]

And it’s amazing because, you know, the Bible said that, you know, The laborers are few.

[Joanna]

Right.

[MCG]

You not only see that in terms of missionaries leaving the US, going to farm field and acting for more laborers, you see that in your local churches during evangelism when only a few people show up as well. And, you know, and the second one by a long mile will be, they always mention finances as well, but that’s a second by a long shot. It’s overwhelmingly laborers.

[Joanna]

Yeah. Yep.

[Jay]

So you’re going to go help your brother at his church plant. What are some of the ministries that you are specifically going to be helping him with over there?

[Joanna]

Sure. So maybe I should just step back just a little bit and share a little bit of what my brother’s doing.

[Jay]

Yeah.

[Joanna]

Because that will kind of help lay the foundation for where I believe that I’ll be involved. At this point, he’s doing something called simultaneous church planting. So generally, when a missionary goes to a field of service, he will plant one church and mentor a young man or there’ll be a young man that he’s mentored for 20 years who can step and take that pastoral role maybe 20 years later. And then the missionary will go to a new field of service and start another church and begin that process. Well, the Lord has opened up, has just worked in the heart of the national pastor who we were working with, who my brother was working with. And he has a vision to see churches planted in the 18 cities that surround. We live at the base of an active volcano. And so through what he’s doing, the men from his church, and then very specifically what my brother’s involved in, my brother is doing an itinerant ministry. And the Lord has enabled him to see three churches planted since he got to the field in 2021. And he’s actively working in two of those. And so all three of those are outside the city. One of them is far as 2 1/2 hours away. So a lot of his time is spent on the road. Much of what we do, we have to, you know, we do have buildings where we meet and like a keyboard and so forth. But oftentimes we take our instruments, we take the computers that we’re going to use, and materials and so forth. And so at this point, one of my main ministries is going to be music because I play piano. But more than that, what I’m really wanting to get involved in is very specifically, my heart is to help the ladies in the church. And because I’m not married, I have maybe a little bit more flexibility to be able to kind of come alongside them and work through the process of, first of all, they need to be saved. to be able to reach out to them in that way. And then as they come to know the Lord, to be able to disciple them and encourage them and help them along in the process and the growth of the church, and then helping the children. So my heart is with all of it, but as I’ve come along in this deputation process, I just really have a heart to work with the young teen girls and the ladies in the ministries.

[Jay]

Is there anything that the church here in the United States is doing, either as a whole or any other way, that would make your job a little bit more difficult.

[Joanna]

That would make it difficult. I don’t think.

[Jay]

Let me give you an example. Let me give you an example. I remember, I can’t remember how many episodes back, but we interviewed a missionary in a closed Muslim country, and he talked about how in the eyes of Muslims, anything that America does is Christian. And so when the church fails to, know, hold forth the truth and proclaim what thus saith the Lord. If they look like the world, act like the world, or if they fail to proclaim what the Bible says, that has a negative effect on him in the sense that he has to go to extraordinary lengths to explain that, you You know, America is not the church. And even though the churches in America are not doing ABCXYZ as they should, that doesn’t mean that this is what Christianity is. And so it makes his job a little bit more difficult. In that particular sense, or in any sense that you might think, what are some of the things that the church is doing in the states that would make your job more difficult in Colombia?

[Joanna]

That’s a good question. For me personally, I can’t think of anything right now, and that’s not to say that something couldn’t surface. but I can’t think of anything based on where we are. It’s not the same as a closed country.

[Jay]

Okay, great.

[MCG]

All right, well, you’re listening to the Removing By Risk podcast. We’re sitting down with missionary Joanna Smith, and she’s going to Colombia. We’ll be right back.

[Jay]

Are you looking for a consistent and reliable place to get all your Christian materials? Try ChristianBook.com. Started from humble beginnings in 1978, ChristianBook.com now offers a wide range of books, CDs, DVDs, homeschooling, and church supplies, plus more. So whether you are a parent, a homeschooler, a pastor, or a layperson, ChristianBook.com can be a one-stop shop for all your needs. Click the link in the description section below and check out the vast array of Christian materials ChristianBook.com has to offer.

[MCG]

All right, Joanna, let’s go into a little bit of a fun section and find out some of your favorites. Let’s start with your favorite scripture verse.

[Joanna]

Okay, this was hard. I had to think through this for a little while because it can change based on season of life. But I would probably say the one that I come back to more often than not is Psalm 84, verse 10. And this is the passage of scripture where it’s talking about, well, I’m gonna paraphrase it. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in his tents of wickedness. And the reason that it’s so special to me is because I don’t necessarily have to be out in the forefront of ministry. The Lord uses the little things that we do as we’re serving him. And I just really like that verse.

[Jay]

Absolutely. What is your favorite historical biblical account in the scriptures?

[Joanna]

I always have to say Daniel.

[Jay]

That’s a very common answer. Why, Daniel?

[Joanna]

Yeah. Oh, actually, probably more specifically, the chapter where it talks about Nebuchadnezzar.

[Jay]

Oh, yeah.

[Joanna]

His testimony. I love that. Just thinking about the fact that here is this great man and this great ruler who denied God, essentially, and that the Lord really got a hold of his heart through the process of that time. And it looks as if he really truly came to know the Lord, you know?

[Jay]

Yeah.

[Joanna]

So I love that.

[MCG]

Well, how about the most convicting scripture passage to you?

[Joanna]

Oh, I don’t really know. I don’t know for sure on that one. Probably, maybe we could just make it the whole like convicting scripture chapter. And I would say Philippians 4.

[MCG and Jay]

Yeah, that works.

[Joanna]

The process of where we’re supposed to put our mind and having those anxious thoughts and how we can combat those anxious thoughts. And so I would have to say probably as far as passage, I picked Philippians 4.

[MCG]

Cool.

[Jay]

What about the most comforting scripture verse or chapter or whatever? Which one would be most comforting to you?

[Joanna]

I would take Romans 8:28, about all things working together for good to them that love God, because I was listening to a message a few years ago that was just such a blessing to me in that, and Scott Pauley. And he was talking about how the Lord takes the good and the bad. He’s causing it all to work together for our good and for his glory. And I would pick Romans 828.

[MCG]

We had them under an episode sometime back, both he and his wife, actually.

[Joanna]

Yeah, I love listening to his messages. And he actually has a podcast now. They’re translating into Spanish.

[MCG]

Oh, awesome.

[Joanna]

Yeah. So hey, someday for you guys. Start a podcast in Spanish.

[Jay]

That’s awesome.

[Joanna]

It is. Yeah.

[MCG]

All right, what would you say is your favorite hymn of the faith?

[Joanna]

Okay, this also changes and I printed out the words. I think the title is, Oh Jesus, I have promised. I’ll just read the, it’s just one little phrase or one little passage here and it says, Oh Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end. Be thou forever near me, my master and my friend. I shall not fear the battle if thou art by my side, nor wander from the pathway if thou wilt be my guide. So I would say that would have to be right up there as my favorite.

[MCG]

Amen.

[Joanna]

I don’t know if that’s verse one or verse two of the song.

[Jay]

I was pulling it up as you were reading it. looks like it’s the first verse. It looks like it’s the first one there.

[Joanna]

Oh, it’s just beautiful. Yeah.

[Jay]

Absolutely beautiful. Who is your favorite giant of the faith in the Bible? Paul.

[Joanna]

And I’m sure you’re probably going to say everyone picks Paul, but Paul absolutely is. Yeah. I’m probably more like Peter, but Paul is my favorite.

[Jay]

Good.

[Joanna]

Yeah.

[MCG]

All right.

What would you say are some of the biggest barriers to the people of Colombia from receiving the gospel?

[Joanna]

Okay, and I would connect this to what I had said earlier. There are probably many barriers that I could share on that one, but going back to the lack of missionaries, because I’m not having the missionaries there in Romans 10, 13 through 15, talking to my dad about this earlier today, where it talks about Romans 10, 13, I think that’s where it’s, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But then it goes in the succeeding verses that how shall they call in him in whom they have not heard? So they have to hear it, but then how shall they hear if there’s not a preacher? And so I would say that would be really up there as being one of the biggest barriers, that there’s not someone to actually give the gospel. And then going back to that the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. And then my dad mentioned how when he was a student in college back in the 1970s, there was a person who came to chapel to speak. And in the 1970s, he was talking about how in the book of Revelation, how John wept, because there was nobody worthy to open the book. But at that, and I don’t know if that would be connected with his part, but in the 1970s, this chapel speaker said that every single time that we breathe, more people die who have never once heard the name of Jesus Christ every single time we take a breath. So that was the 1970s. I didn’t take a moment to look up today how many people die every minute, but that’s staggering. And Columbia is just a part of that. And so I would say that’s right up there as one of the biggest barriers, the fact that we need more laborers to get the hospital out, whatever that would be through podcast or website tracks, people going, you know, there’s so many ways that the work can use.

[Jay]

Absolutely. With the technology we have today, there’s so many additional means that we can, that are at our, yeah, that are at our disposal to reach people.

[Joanna]

Amazing. Absolutely.

[MCG]

All right. Well, why don’t we wrap it up with this one? How can those barriers be removed?

[Joanna]

Going back to those barriers being removed in, And I don’t really know how to answer that, but having more laborers to go and share the gospel and realizing that we are also commanded, and I feel so often in this, but we are commanded to be praying that the Lord would send forth labors into his fields of harvest.

[MCG]

Yeah, definitely. So prayer, prayer, which is often neglected.

[Joanna]

Right, right. It’s often as we’re praying. It’s also that we’re praying that the Lord works in our hearts and like, oh, I want you to go. Like, I wasn’t expecting that, you know?

[MCG]

Right, right.

[Joanna]

Willing to go if you pray that, you know? Right. Yeah.

[MCG]

You know, I remember once, I don’t remember which mission conference it was, but we were singing the song, Lord, send me anywhere, only go down with me. And I link it back to a devotional I had once, and the title of it was Singing Lies. And I stopped and kind of just listened, like, am I willing to go anywhere? Yeah. And sometimes I don’t think we really stop and think of the songs and the hymns we sing, because I don’t want to judge my brothers and sisters, but how many of us that sing that song are really, truly willing to say, Lord, send me anywhere, only go down with me. I think I would say it’s a small percentage of folks that would say, I truly want to go anywhere. And you can go on. You think about the hymn, I Surrender All. How many of us truly surrender all? You know, Oh, my Jesus, I love thee. You know, do we truly love him, you know, as the Bible. So sometimes I think we need to stop and look back and say, The songs that we’re singing, are we truly dedicating it to the Lord? Some would say it’s a prayer of the heart and not necessarily we making that commitment, but yeah, that’s what you’re saying.

[Joanna]

Yeah. And I know even for me, and I am going to Columbia, I know that I can tell you without a doubt, there would be some places that if I sense that the Lord was leading me to go there, I would probably, I’d be like, well, I don’t know that I could do that. You know, obviously, if the Lord wants to do what we need to do and he’s going to give the grace, but I probably list out, I like, I don’t know if I can do that. You know, the Lord just, wherever he calls you, he gives you the grace to go.

[Jay]

He equips you to go. Yeah.

[Joanna]

He does. Yeah.

[MCG]

All right. Missionary Joyner, it was indeed a pleasure. Thank you for joining us on the Removing Barriers podcast.

[Joanna]

Thank you. Appreciate it. You take care. Thank you so much.

[Jay]

Thank you so much for listening to the Removing Barriers podcast. Make sure to rate us everywhere you listen to podcasts, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher. Removing Barriers, a clear view of the cross.

[MCG]

Thank you for listening. To get a hold of us, To support this podcast or to learn more about removing barriers, go to removingbarriers.net. This has been the Removing Barriers podcast. We attempted to remove barriers so that we all can have a clear view of the cross.