In this episode of the Joshua Project Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Copeland, Dean of Students, Assistant Professor of Missions, and Associate Director of the World Missions Center in the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions at Southwestern.
Before stepping into the classroom, Dr. Copeland spent fifteen years as a missionary with the International Mission Board in Central Asia, laboring among the Uyghur people—one of the world's largest unreached Muslim groups. He introduces us to who the Uyghurs are, where they live, and what they believe, then shares his own testimony and calling, what it was like to raise a family overseas, and the vision that led him to research how Han Christians can carry the gospel to Uyghur Muslims.
At the heart of the conversation are two remarkable stories of the gospel overcoming deep ethnic tension between Han and Uyghur—a reminder that the good news is the power of God for salvation even where two peoples have long stood at odds. Dr. Copeland also makes the case for training and seminary preparation, unpacking what future missionaries stand to gain before they ever step onto the field, and reflects on how the global mission movement is shifting as local, indigenous believers begin sending their own to the nations. He closes with encouragement for anyone who feels called to missions but doesn't know where to start.
Whether you're a seasoned sender, a student weighing seminary, or someone just beginning to sense God's call to the unreached, this conversation will stir your heart for the peoples still waiting to hear.
Looking to take the next steps?
Contact Dr. Copeland at mcopeland@swbts.edu to learn more about how Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary can help prepare you for a lifetime in ministry.
You can also visit swbts.edu to learn more.
Visit Joshuaproject.net to discover more Frontier People Groups like the Uyghurs, and the role you can play in reaching them.
To learn more about Uyghurs, see https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15755
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