Shadowing Practice: The Global Church Is Bigger Than You Think | Becoming a Global Disciple Ep. 2 - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Thank you.

The Church of Christ is far bigger than we often imagine.

We are part of a global family that spans across all continents.

If we understand this, we will inspire

fire to serve each other with humility, passion and unity for God's mission.

Having worked across continents and interacted with various faith communities, I have come

to treasure the truth more deeply that the church is vibrant

and alive in ways that surprise us and stretches beyond our cultural lens.

So there is a church in Dubai.

where believers from over 120 nationalities gathered to worship an image of Revelation 7 :9.

happening now.

In that church, 96 % of the congregation speak a language other than English as a first language.

The church is vibrant global family.

diverse and united in Christ.

But most believers are unaware of this extended spiritual siblings.

Joys struggles and mission.

Today we'll explore the global church and the current status of global missions.

We are part of something far bigger than our local church.

We belong to a global family which has inherited a global mission.

which is not yet finished.

Many Christians subconsciously picture the average Christian as someone from their own country or culture.

In reality, Christianity's center has shifted dramatically.

The face of the church has changed in the 1900s.

It was primarily best in Today, most Christians live in the Global South, That's Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The typical Christian today is not Western, white or middle class.

Statistically, she is more likely to be a young African woman.

This fact shaped my assumptions early in my ministry.

I had grown up in an Asian Christian home

and exposed to strong expressions of faith led by all generations in my family.

Yet, I still subconsciously imagine the church's center to be elsewhere.

Learning Global Trends affirmed what I had experienced firsthand

and helped me to understand God's work with fresh awe and an original and regional and global context.

If we don't recognize this,

We risk ethnocentric pride and ignorance missing the chance to celebrate and learn from what God is doing globally.

If we do not understand the global body of Christ, We cannot love it.

learn from it, or serve effectively.

To appreciate our global family, we need to see the bigger picture.

The Bible provides a vision for a unified global people of God and the call to make disciples of all nations.

Ephesians 2 :19 declares that through Christ we are made fellow citizens with God's people and members of the household.

Revelation 7 :9 says we are one family drawn from every tribe and language and people and nation.

In John 17 :21, Jesus prayed that they may be one.

A unity meant to reflect the oneness of the Father and the Son and to testify to the world.

God's vision for the church was always that we would be a vibrant tapestry of culture and languages unified in Christ.

This is more true today than ever before.

In 1900, 82 % of Christians lived in the global north, that is Europe, or not America.

By 2050, nearly 80 % will be in the Global South.

That's Africa, Asia, Latin America.

Africa is projected to have the largest number of Christians of any continent.

This polycentric growth means no single culture or continent dominates.

God is forming a kingdom of priests from every nation.

You see that in Revelations 5 :9.

God's family includes thriving communities in unexpected places including underground churches in

hostile regions and fast growing youth led movements in the global south.

Think of the vibrant churches in China, exuberant worship in Nigeria, or persevering believers in Iran.

These are our brothers and sisters, part of our global story.

I have seen how young leaders, especially children and youth, are rising up with a passion for God's mission across continents.

Through media, prayer and creative expressions, they are becoming active participants in God's unfolding story.

These expressions of faith and leadership continue to challenge and inspire me.

These facts correct our biases and fill us with awe at the global scope of God's family.

In this series, you'll be encouraged to foster several spiritual practices, a posture of learning.

Learn about the global church, adopt a habit of global awareness, use resources like Operation World It's a prayer handbook.

Or engage with the Lausanne's God on the Move content to learn more about what's happening around the world.

to read stories or watch videos from ministries in other nations.

This week, Learn about the church in Nigeria or Nepal.

I often encourage people I work with, especially the younger generation, to become curious learners about the global church.

When we train ourselves to listen to stories from the regions, it shapes how we pray,

how we serve and how we think about mission.

Expanding the worldview will expand or personalize our worldview of the global family.

As we marvel at the beauty of Christ's global family,

We must also recognize that the family is not yet complete.

Still, billions have not heard the gospel or joined this family.

The more I've traveled and served, the more I felt the weight of this reality.

It's not about guilt, it's about love.

If we belong to this one big family, then this gap should matter deeply to us.

So let's explore the current status of Church's Global Missions.

Thank you.

We celebrate.

We celebrate the fact that the gospel has moved in so many ways and in so many places around the world.

We confess.

that in the midst of such amazing gospel work a lot has yet to be done.

And we commit, we commit ourselves afresh and anew to the fact

that God's last words to us in Jesus should be our first word priority.

Here's the thing: the great commissions of Jesus in the New Testament are not The only things

that he has to say to us about his mission from

Genesis right through to Revelation is the unfolding story of God's mission.

His words, are our massive priority.

What we see throughout the New Testament reflects God's heart for mission.

All of the five great commissions speak about the priority of mission for Jesus Christ and for the church.

But at the end of the day, in the midst of all of this, we see that Christ's call to the church

is to take a missional turn more than just what we've seen in the past.

And what we see, statistically speaking, should shock us.

Nine out of every ten Muslims

Hindus and Buddhists have not even met a Christian and we see that there's a lot of work yet to be done.

But what what is holding us back?

Could it be that we are more in maintenance mode than serving the mission of God?

More interested in our comfort than taking up the cross of Christ to the nations.

The mission belongs to everyone, but at the same time needs to be a live priority for every believer.

Could it be that we have delegated what Jesus has entrusted to us?

Are our screens full but our digital spaces spiritually empty?

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Are we confusing busyness with fruitfulness in the kingdom of God?

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Have we grown in influence rather than in our commitment to the Great Commission?

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The truth is the gospel has gone far.

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Let's celebrate that.

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Let's rejoice in what the Lord has done in and through the church.

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But It can go so fast much further.

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Romans 10 :14 reminds us how can they call on the one in whom they've not heard

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and this is the reality that we have to remember

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that the proclamation of the good news is important for us in the world we live in.

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John Stott reminds us that we need to be global Christians because we serve a global God.

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The living God is indeed a missionary God

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and he has committed himself to to enlisting missionary people to reach everyone everywhere with the good news of Jesus.

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is why we go.

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This is why we send.

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This is why we reach.

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One of the reasons why I truly value the Lausanne movement is its commitment to timely truths

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that drive our missional impulse and our heart for the world.

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The State of the Great Commission report that was published in 2024 brought together

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thought leaders and mission practitioners from around the world, and gives us a clear picture of both the opportunity and the progress of the gospel.

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It's not just about analyzing numbers but about inviting us into the story of the gospel around the world.

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The gospel has taken root all over the world.

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We celebrate that.

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But we also celebrate that mission is no longer a one -way street from west to east or from north to south.

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It is truly polycentric.

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Churches in Brazil, in Nigeria, in Korea, in India are participating in the global mission.

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Butts.

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The task is not yet done.

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We know that there are over 7 ,000 plus unreached peoples in the world that have not heard the gospel.

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The 10 :40 window remains the epicenter of gospel poverty today.

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And tragically, listen, 2 % of global mission resources are directed to areas of greatest need.

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But the crisis, friend, is not just over there it is right here.

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I wonder, have we lost confidence in the power of the gospel to transform the nations?

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but also to transform our neighbours.

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In many cities, Around the world unreached peoples now live among us.

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on our streets, in our classrooms, in our workplaces.

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gets So many Christians are ill -equipped and sometimes even unconcerned about reaching them.

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This reveals the the dual burden that we have.

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Firstly to reawaken gospel confidence at home but also to reallocate and realign missional priority to where the efforts need to align.

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We celebrate what God is doing and our prayer is, Lord, let your last words be our first priority.

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May mission extend from our home to our neighbors and to the ends of the earth.

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You don't need a passport to participate in God's global mission.

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You and I just need to say yes.

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where we are and with what we have.

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The mission is is not a call for a select few.

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It is an invitation for every follower of Jesus because

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sharing the good news is the most loving thing that we can do.

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But here's the thing, how can our church, how can our movement, how can our network participate more fully, how can we personally commit more to his mission.

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Firstly, Pray with a wider vision.

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Prayer is not just a warm -up to mission.

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It is part of mission.

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Let's pray for our neighbors.

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Let's pray for the unsaved and least reached and unreached peoples in the world.

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Secondly, let's learn beyond our world.

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Let us read stories about what God is doing in our movement and beyond around the world, shaping gospel movements in Indonesia,

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in Timbuktu, and in parts of the world

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that we may not have ever heard of to stretch and grow us in our calling.

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Thirdly, let's live like we're saints.

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Mission isn't just about crossing an ocean.

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It starts with walking across the street to your neighbor.

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Let's practice hospitality, kindness, sharing the gospel with boldness and humility.

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Fourthly, Let us give in a way that matters the most.

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Let us support the the work of the gospel where Christ is least known.

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Re -evaluate your budgets, Find strategic partners and give generously to the work of the gospel around the world.

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And lastly, go as you feel led.

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obedience Not geography defines his mission.

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So put your yes on the table and allow God to put it on the map.

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We belong to a global family of Christ.

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that is more beautiful and widespread that we could often imagine.

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And we have been entrusted with an unfinished, exhilarating task to complete the the mission of Christ.

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And we believe that this can be done with greater urgency and with increased fervor.

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as we minister around the world.

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the gospel of the kingdom, is to be preached

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in all the world as a testimony to the nations and then the end will come is what Matthew reminds us.

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our faithfulness as believers in Jesus can echo far greater than what we ever imagined.

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Let's pray with purpose, live with intention, give with generosity, learn with humility and go with boldness.

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Let us allow the last words of Jesus to become our first priority Ultimately, the gospel needs to move to our neighbors,

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and the nations around the world.

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Context & Background

The speaker in the video discusses the vastness and diversity of the global church, emphasizing that it transcends cultural boundaries and geographic locations. The narrative illustrates the transformation of Christianity over the years, particularly its shift towards the Global South, where the majority of Christians now reside. By sharing personal experiences and global statistics, the speaker invites listeners to broaden their understanding of their faith community, reminding them that the church consists of a vibrant tapestry of cultures and languages united in Christ. This message lays a foundation for essential communication skills as English learners engage with varied cultural perspectives.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

“We are part of a global family” - This phrase emphasizes belonging and community.
“A vibrant tapestry of culture” - A beautiful way to describe diversity in unity.
“We risk ethnocentric pride” - A caution against assumptions based on one's own cultural lens.
“Make disciples of all nations” - This phrase highlights the mission of outreach and connection.
“Unified global people of God” - A call to recognize the larger faith community beyond local boundaries.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To enhance your English speaking practice using this video, employ the shadowing technique to gain fluency and comprehension. Here's a step-by-step guide for effective shadow speech:

Watch the Video: Begin by watching the video without attempting to speak. Focus on understanding the content and context.
Listen Actively: Replay sections of the video, listening carefully to the speaker’s intonation and pronunciation.
Practice Shadowing: Choose a segment (20-30 seconds) and pause after each sentence. Repeat immediately, mimicking the speaker’s tone and rhythm. This is your shadowspeaks moment.
Record Yourself: Record your shadowed speech. Listening to your recording will help you identify areas where you can improve.
Engage in Reflection: After shadowing, reflect on what you learned. Consider how the phrases can apply to your daily life and interactions.

By consistently practicing with this method, learners can significantly improve their speaking skills and gain confidence in using English effectively in diverse contexts.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	have come · has inherited · has shifted
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	are made · is projected · be encouraged

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →