MISSIONS: Reducing Barriers, Easing Burdens, and Delivering God's Word
VOMRadio
The Voice of the Martyrs
4.9 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 14 March 2026
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
"God, where are You working in aviation that I can participate?"
Throughout his life, Steve Russell, CEO and President of Jungle Aviation and Relay Service (better known as JAARS) has asked the Lord what He had in store next. That pattern continued when he earned his pilot's license; he wondered how the Lord would use that new skill to open doors for Kingdom impact. Little did he know God would use it to move him toward leadership in a global missions effort!
Long before Russell arrived at JAARS, God was giving him experiences to prepare him for this season of service. Steve will share how the Lord led him from ministry as a youth pastor to the military, including leading a U.S. Army unit involved in the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Later, God moved him into government service, including in the State of Oklahoma and the U.S. House of Representatives. Now, at JAARS, he leads a worldwide mission working to facilitate delivery of God's Word into the hardest-to-reach places in the world.
Steve will also explain JAARS' history and its historic connection to Wycliffe Bible Translators. Hear how you can pray for JAARS' pilots, mechanics, and technicians, and other aspects of the ministry of JAARS. Also check out their podcast, Uncharted.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Our greatest ability is availability. |
| 0:03.0 | It is nothing else. |
| 0:05.0 | And when we stand before our Lord and Savior, |
| 0:10.0 | if he rewards us, it will not be for our success. |
| 0:15.0 | It will be for our labor. |
| 0:17.0 | And oftentimes we can confuse that. |
| 0:20.0 | Jesus never promised his followers an easy path. And oftentimes we can confuse that. |
| 0:24.6 | Jesus never promised his followers an easy path. In fact, he told his disciples that the world would hate them. |
| 0:28.6 | He sent them out as sheep among wolves. |
| 0:30.6 | Jesus' words came true in the life of the apostles, |
| 0:33.6 | and they're still coming true today in the lives of his followers around the world. |
| 0:38.7 | Join host Todd Nettleton as we hear their inspiring stories and learn how we can help. |
| 0:43.4 | Right now on the Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network. |
| 0:46.2 | Welcome again to The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. |
| 0:48.1 | My name is Todd Nettleton and we are in our studio today in Bartlesville, Oklahoma with Steve Russell. |
| 0:52.9 | Steve is the president and CEO of Jars. |
| 0:55.7 | We're going to talk about what that is, a mission organization, mission aviation, mission |
| 1:00.7 | technology. Before that, he had a wide and varied career from being a youth pastor, being a |
| 1:08.3 | lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. He served in the Oklahoma State Senate and in |
| 1:13.1 | the U.S. House of Representatives, and he has served as an executive pastor on a church staff. |
| 1:18.6 | Steve, welcome to the Voice of the Martyrs Radio. |
| 1:21.0 | Thank you, Todd. It's great to be here. As I mentioned, you have had a rather interesting, |
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