Maverick Podcast

After Bishara gets a call warning him that he either needs to stop or disappear, he hides out in a small room while a hundred people are being paid to hunt him down.  Maverick is a podcast that explores the unexpected journeys of spiritual seekers as they buck cultural norms and religious expectations to follow Jesus. This podcast is a production of Pioneers in partnership with Jacob and Sarah Lewis. For more information on Pioneers, visit Pioneers.org. For more information on how you can help believers like Bishara and missionaries like Dan work together to make disciples in unreached areas, check out Pioneers' Co-Laborers Campaign. For a deeper dive into Bishara’s story, visit Pioneers.org/Maverick to sign up to receive a soon-to-be-released ebook that covers parts of the story that we weren’t able to include in the podcast. CreditsHost: Sarah LewisProducers: Jacob and Sarah Lewis (jacobandsarah.com) Guests:Dan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Fils Ekanga (voice of Bishara)Ryan (pseudonym, for security reasons)James (pseudonym, for security reasons)Music:Utah, "Back To You"Ryan Taubert, "Slate"Tangerine, "Waiting Darkness"Steven Gutheinz, "A Little Foresight"Katharine Petkovski, "October"Jordan Critz, "Imbre"Adam Bokesch, "Float"Judah Earl, "Imbere Yanje" Lyrics for “Imbere Yajne:" Unyishure Mwami wanjeKuko ari wewe nsengaN’bariye UhorahoIjwi ryanje uranyuvma Unyishure Mwami wanjeKuko ari wewe nsengaNtawundi mfise atari wewe DataNtamugisha mfise atari wewe S’mfise ichiza inyuma yaweNashize imana imbere yanjeNashize imana imbere yanje Ntawundi mfise atari wewe DataNtamugisha mfise atar’ wewes’mfise ichiza unyuma yaweNashize imana imbere yanje [English Translation] Answer me my GodFor it is to you that I prayI called to the LordHe heard my cry Answer me my LordFor it is to you that I prayI have no one else but you FatherI have no one else but you I have no good apart from youI have placed the lord ever before meI have placed the lord ever before me I have no one else but you FatherI have no blessing apart from youI have no good apart from youI have placed the lord ever before me Bishara’s Exhortation / Prayer I have one thing I’d like to share with my brothers and sisters in America—the young people there. Let them not be corrupted by the world. If you’ve been corrupted by it, just leave it. Let us return to Jesus. Jesus is coming soon—He’s coming soon. Let those who are living like they’re in the Emirates—who have money, who have cars, who have the world and everything in it—ponder this: return to the path of Christ. We are in the world like passengers. 
 We come tomorrow and then go. Let us be ready. If Jesus comes tomorrow, let him not find us dirty. Let him find us ready. There is something that is waiting for us, much, much, much, much more than this. There’s an inheritance—an inheritance without price in eternal life—that is waiting for us. His path is thin, it’s narrow. It’s hard, with suffering and sadness. But there is victory. You find heaven through suffering.  Let’s think on the disciples of Christ and how they suffered. Heaven is found through suffering. And anything that you’ve found through suffering is very sweet. Let us not return to the things of this world. Satan is against us. And that’s what Satan wants. It’s true, I used to live a really comfortable life. There was no one as comfortable as me. But when I was a Muslim, I wasn’t doing good things. 
 I would go with girls, alcohol, cigars, cigarettes. I’d go with girls to concerts. Everything in the world. I had money, I had a car, I had everything. I thought I was a star. I thought there was no one like me. I was in high school, in university, number one—in money, clothing, looking good, in learning, in understanding, I thought I was number one. But from the time I believed in Jesus, God changed my heart. He changed my life. Bishara from back then and Bishara today are different. As one who’s sold himself to God, now I’ve become a servant of God. 
And praise God, I thank God, I have something else to say, not to say, but a prayer. I’m going to pray for everyone: God, who is over our hearts, let Your good will be done. Lord Jesus Christ, You are our Father, You are our God, You are our Lord, You are our Beloved, You are the King of Kings, You are the Power of Powers, You are the Sovereign of Sovereigns. O Lord, You are the Holy One, may Your high name be hallowed, our Lord Jesus Christ. You died on the cross for us. Your blood was shed on the cross so that we would have eternal life, O Lord. We believe in the things that we don’t see. It’s true, Your path is hard, but it is eternal life. It is the path of salvation. O Lord, cleanse our hearts. Give us our daily bread. Forgive us our sins. And forgive the sins of everyone in the world, in America, in Africa, in Asia, forgive them their sins. In Europe, forgive them their sins, O Lord. Open their minds let them return to Your way, O Lord. O Lord Jesus Christ, You are our Father, You are our Brother, You won’t leave us again, You are the Alpha and Omega, You are Emmanuel, You are with us always, O Lord. You are with us in hardships, You’re with us in times of joy, You’re with us in everything, O Lord. O Lord, put into our hearts joy and encouragement, and take out of our hearts sadness. O Lord, put in our minds good thoughts. To the sick, give healing. The sick, heal them. To the hungry, give them food. To the naked, give them clothes to wear. To the thirsty, give them water, O Lord. O Lord, think about us, don’t leave us. Today, Satan is our enemy, our enemy, O Lord. O Lord, today give me strength, joy and encouragement to preach to people with power, and let the Holy Spirit work in us, O Lord. Those who are in America, who are so lost, O Lord—they lost their lives to the world. But Lord, open their minds. Let them come to You, O Lord. Call them to You, O Lord, they are your children. You are their Father, You don’t want them to stay in temptation from Satan, O Lord. O Lord Jesus Christ, the people who are weak, sick, lying on their beds, heal them and let them get up. Give them joy, and encouragement and wisdom.  O Lord Jesus Christ, we have believed in You. And we are with You. We will never turn back. Before we were living in darkness, but now we are living in the light. We will not return back again. We don’t have the strength; the strength comes from You. Wisdom and knowledge come from You. But the strength that we have is the Bible, that is our weapon. That’s our defense, O Lord. I don’t have strength, I don’t have a weapon, I don’t have anything, but the words in your Word saved me, O Lord. You keep me night and day from danger, O Lord. And I pray all this in the name of Jesus the Christ, amen.

With hundreds of baptisms happening, and dozens of house churches being started, it’s time to take a closer look at the role of miracles in unreached places.  Maverick is a podcast that explores the unexpected journeys of spiritual seekers as they buck cultural norms and religious expectations to follow Jesus. This podcast is a production of Pioneers in partnership with Jacob and Sarah Lewis. For more information on Pioneers, visit Pioneers.org. CreditsHost: Sarah LewisProducers: Jacob and Sarah Lewis (jacobandsarah.com) Guests:Dan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Fils Ekanga (voice of Bishara)Ryan (pseudonym, for security reasons)James (pseudonym, for security reasons)Music:Christopher Hawthorne, "Forward Movement"Christopher Hawthorne, "Momentum"Brique A Braq, "Rouault"Chris Coleman, "Don’t Go"Chris Coleman, "Yearn"Tony Anderson, "Butterflies Piano Sonata"

While Bishara is being held in a secret torture facility, Dan realizes he can’t turn to the corrupt government for help. He decides to send word across the world, and he does everything he can to stay busy while he waits.Maverick is a podcast that explores the unexpected journeys of spiritual seekers as they buck cultural norms and religious expectations to follow Jesus. This podcast is a production of Pioneers in partnership with Jacob and Sarah Lewis. For more information on Pioneers, visit Pioneers.org. CreditsHost: Sarah LewisProducers: Jacob and Sarah Lewis (jacobandsarah.com) Guests:Dan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Fils Ekanga (voice of Bishara)Ryan (pseudonym, for security reasons)James (pseudonym, for security reasons)Andy Hickford, pastor, Upton Vale Baptist Church, Torquay, EnglandMusic:Utah, "Back To You"Ryan Taubert, "Read em and Weep"Christopher Hawthorne, "Sight for Sore Eyes"Chris Coleman, "Seen"SVVN, "Fields"SVVN, "Particles of Time"Christopher Hawthorne, "Documentary Underscore"

Twenty-five people find themselves in a room, and no one thinks they are getting out alive. Why did Bishara choose to walk into that situation, and why did Dan let him?Maverick is a podcast that explores the unexpected journeys of spiritual seekers as they buck cultural norms and religious expectations to follow Jesus. This podcast is a production of Pioneers in partnership with Jacob and Sarah Lewis. For more information on Pioneers, visit Pioneers.org. CreditsHost: Sarah LewisProducers: Jacob and Sarah Lewis (jacobandsarah.com) Guests:Dan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Fils Ekanga (voice of Bishara)Ryan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Music:Utah, "Back To You"Eagle Lake, "Latitudes"A. Taylor, "Regain, Once Lost"Ryan Taubert, "Slate"A. Taylor, "Wistful"

Word is getting out about Bishara, and with that momentum comes new threats. As visions and mysterious illnesses lead some unlikely people to reach out to Bishara, he must decide how to respond. Maverick is a podcast that explores the unexpected journeys of spiritual seekers as they buck cultural norms and religious expectations to follow Jesus. This podcast is a production of Pioneers in partnership with Jacob and Sarah Lewis. For more information on Pioneers, visit Pioneers.org. CreditsHost: Sarah LewisProducers: Jacob and Sarah Lewis (jacobandsarah.com) Guests:Dan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Fils Ekanga (voice of Bishara)Ryan (pseudonym, for security reasons)J.T. English, pastor, Storyline Church, Arvada, ColoradoMusic:Utah, “Back To You”Christopher Hawthorne, “Forward Movement”Christopher Hawthorne, “Momentum”Chad Lawson, “From Scratch”

Bishara is becoming dangerously relentless, and he’s starting to disrupt the community. Dan and Ryan have to figure out how to disciple Bishara as his family finds new ways to try to stop him.Maverick is a podcast that explores the unexpected journeys of spiritual seekers as they buck cultural norms and religious expectations to follow Jesus. This podcast is a production of Pioneers in partnership with Jacob and Sarah Lewis. For more information on Pioneers, visit Pioneers.org. CreditsHost: Sarah LewisProducers: Jacob and Sarah Lewis (jacobandsarah.com) Guests:Dan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Fils Ekanga (voice of Bishara)Ryan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Music:Utah, “Back To You”On Earth, “Hometown Hero”Chad Lawson, “Just a Touch”Ryan Taubert, “A Lament for Peace"Brique A Braq, “Rouault”Tony Anderson, “Butterflies Piano Sonata”

When supernatural things start happening, everyone must decide what it means. For Bishara, it’s God. For his family, it’s a curse. For the listener, it’s time to weigh the options.Maverick is a podcast that explores the unexpected journeys of spiritual seekers as they buck cultural norms and religious expectations to follow Jesus. This podcast is a production of Pioneers in partnership with Jacob and Sarah Lewis. For more information on Pioneers, visit Pioneers.org. CreditsHost: Sarah LewisProducers: Jacob and Sarah Lewis (jacobandsarah.com) Guests:Bill Twinem, executive director, ACE Training (acetraining.biz)Dan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Fils Ekanga (voice of Bishara)Music:Utah, "Back to You” (theme)Ryan Taubert, "Socially Acceptable”Christopher Hawthorne, “Documentary Underscore”Ryan Taubert, “Read em and Weep”Christopher Hawthorne, “Sight for Sore Eyes”

In an undisclosed city in Central Africa, Islam has been the prevailing worldview for centuries. Bishara, a young rich kid with a promising future, finds himself risking everything to become a follower of Jesus.Maverick is a podcast that explores the unexpected journeys of spiritual seekers as they buck cultural norms and religious expectations to follow Jesus. This podcast is a production of Pioneers in partnership with Jacob and Sarah Lewis. For more information on Pioneers, visit Pioneers.org. CreditsHost: Sarah LewisProducers: Jacob and Sarah Lewis (jacobandsarah.com) Guests:David Garrison, executive director, Global Gates (globalgates.info)Dan (pseudonym, for security reasons)Robert (pseudonym, for security reasons)Fils Ekanga (voice of Bishara)Music:Ryan Taubert, "Birds of a Feather Flock Together”Utah, "Back to You” (theme)Chad Lawson, "From Scratch”On Earth, "Hometown Hero"

The Maverick Podcast explores the unexpected journeys of spiritual seekers as they buck cultural norms and religious expectations to follow Jesus. Our first season follows the story of Bishara, a young Muslim man from Central Africa who had everything going for him until a chance encounter dramatically changed the course of his life. From strange dreams and guns that misfire to imprisonments and miraculous healings, Bishara's story may sound too wild to be true. To get to the bottom of it all, host Sarah Lewis talks to those close to him—and experts around the world—to find out what would make a man like Bishara risk it all in pursuit of truth.