Top 10 Must-Read Books for Missionaries
Faithful missionaries dedicate their lives to spreading the gospel, making disciples (discipling the nations), planting Biblical churches, and serving communities around the world. At PMc we take this call seriously for the reaching of Italy, but we also have a passion for seeing the next generation of missionaries raised up and sent out. To that end, we've compiled a list of the top 10 books on missions for aspiring missionaries. These books cover a range of topics, from theology and practical advice to the history and scope of missionary work. Whether you're a seasoned missionary or just beginning to explore the call to missions, these books will provide valuable insights and inspiration to help you fulfill your role in the Great Commission.
(We have book recommendations on various topics so, Lord willing, we will soon be sharing them on dedicated pages of the PMc site. In the meantime, we have some lists shared over at The Italian Cohort so be sure to check that out.)
Sadly, as it is with many topics of Christianity today in the US, there are countless nonsense books on missions today. Here, however, is our non-exhaustive list of some worthwhile and trustworthy books that you should read to broaden your understanding of the still-today nebulous but very important task of fulfilling the Great Commission.
Trustworthy Books on Missions
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history and biblical mandate of the Great Commission and the Mission of God throughout the ages. It's a great resource for understanding the theological foundations of missions work and the realities of the church's situation today in light of the task we have to do.
From the Amazon page: "Payne shows that God's mission is on every page of the Bible and is foundational to the church's own existence. With reflection questions following concise chapters, all readers can consider their place in God's work."
This dense but practical guide offers valuable insights into the day-to-day realities of missionary life and the challenges of cross-cultural missions. It's an essential read for anyone preparing to embark on missions work. Particularly important, in my estimation, are his chapters on interpersonal conflict in the mission field.
From the Amazon page: "Dr. Hale’s practical wisdom is here freely offered to the missionary-to-be and others interested in missions–wisdom hard-earned in Nepal on everything from calling to raising a missionary family to cross-cultural communication."
This book explores the importance of sound doctrine and biblical methodology in missions work. It provides a helpful perspective on the current state of missions and the need for a return to biblical principles. Sadly, the majority of missionary work today has jumped on the bandwagon of trendy movements that are wanting at best and highly problematic at worst - Disciple Making Movements and the like.
From the Amazon page: "Across the church, there is a rift between theology and missions. Bad theology produces bad missions, and bad missions fuels bad theology.
We wrongly think that we must choose between making a global impact and thinking deeply about the things of God. But the relationship between theology and missions is symbiotic—one cannot exist without the other. They walk hand-in-hand."
Piper does a marvelous job of passionately pointing us back to the centrality of God in missions. He emphasizes the importance of worship and the role of missions in fulfilling God's purpose for humanity to worship God rightly as we were created thus to do.
From the Amazon page: "Mission is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate."
This book highlights the crucial role of the local church in global missions and provides practical guidance for churches looking to engage in missions work. For too long churches have dwelt in the foggy middle ground of missions overseas. Not knowing how it all works, they often write checks, pray, and send folks out without much ongoing participation. The missionary gets lost in the middle between the sending church and the mission agency, often disadvantaged by the lack of clarity that still exists back at the home church, and simultaneously feels disconnected from the mission field.
From the Amazon page: "Every local church should be engaged with global missions, even if most individuals in the church aren't called to go overseas. But what does this engagement actually look like? How can local churches train, send, and support missionaries well? Unpacking principles from the Bible and applying them in the context of real life in a local church, this new book in the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series is filled with practical steps and advice for supporting missionaries, forming international partnerships, sending short-term teams, and engaging with the nations here at home. This book casts a vision for the local church as the engine of world missions—for the joy of all people and the glory of God."
This book explores the difference between pastoral and apostolic ministry, a concept that is often overlooked or simply never even considered regarding missions work. It's a valuable resource for understanding the role of apostolic-style church planting in missions. Most seminarian students today are taught well about the Word of God and the work of pastoral ministry. They are typically not taught well about frontline missionary church planting in foreign contexts. This book is helpful for pastors who want to better understand missionary dynamics abroad in barren lands.
From the Amazon page: "A leading expert in the field of Christian missions encourages the church to recover the apostolic imagination that fueled the multiplication of disciples in the first century. J. D. Payne examines the contemporary practice of Western missions and advocates a more central place for Scripture in defining missionary language, identity, purpose, function, and strategy. He shows that an apostolic understanding of the church's disciple-making commission requires rethinking every aspect of missionary engagement."Â
This book critiques the trend towards quick results in missions work and emphasizes the importance of faithful, long-term commitment to the gospel. It provides a positive vision for missions that prioritizes the ordinary means of grace and real trust in God the Holy Spirit.
From the Amazon page: "Avoid "Get-Rich-Quick" Missions Strategies and Invest in Effective, Long-Term Ministry. Trendy new missions strategies are everywhere, promising missionaries monumental results in record time. These strategies report explosive movements of people turning to Christ, but their claims are often dubious and they do little to ensure the health of believers or churches that remain. How can churches and missionaries address the urgent need to reach unreached people without falling for quick fixes?
This classic text provides a comprehensive overview of the history and principles of missions work, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in the subject.
From the Amazon page: "For several decades, this book has been recognized as an important textbook in the field of missions. Now not only foreign missionaries, but also pastors and elders faced with an increasingly unchurched culture at home can find in this work the invaluable guidance they need."
Much of missions work today has only to do with meeting humanitarian needs, often at the neglect of the Gospel and the planting of healthy and sound biblical churches. Since church planting is at the heart of missions work, this book offers valuable guidance for missionaries looking to establish new churches and disciple new believers in barren unreached places. Church planting in the mission field is different. It is typically done with just a fraction of the resources normally associated with church planting. It's done without a robust and mature core group of existing believers. This book by J.D. is a great contribution.
From the Amazon page: "Church planting is not just about gathering new communities of people who are already Christians. In the book of Acts, church plants begin with sharing the gospel. Planting churches flows naturally out of making disciples. Pastor J. D. Payne explains the process and stages of church planting, with biblical foundations and practical steps for planting teams. He provides a pathway for the multiplication of disciples, leaders and churches. Here are church planting strategies and activities that are simple, highly reproducible and can be implemented by ordinary team members, not just by charismatic leaders.This guide can be used for planting in contexts among any given people group, domestically or internationally. It is an ideal resource for teams to work through together as they follow God's call in their community."
This book provides a thorough and robust biblical theology of missions, exploring the scope and purpose of God's mission throughout the Scriptures. It's over 400 pages so it's not for everyone. If you are an avid reader you may appreciate this.
From the Amazon page: "Few biblical topics are as important as mission. Mission is linked inextricably to humanity's sinfulness and need for redemption and to God's provision of salvation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This good news of salvation must be made known. The saving mission of Jesus constitutes the foundation for Christian mission, and the Christian gospel is its message."
These books offer a wealth of knowledge and insight for anyone involved in missions work. Whether you're preparing for a mission trip, supporting missionaries, aspiring to the work of long-term missions, or simply interested in the topic, these trustworthy and sound resources will deepen your understanding of missions and equip you for the work ahead. More could be said as to the extent of the Great Commission, but the mission of God in our world is certainly not less than as taught in these book recommendations.
Stay in touch because, Lord willing, we will very soon be putting out our book on equipping missionaries. Be sure to check out our course at the PMc Academia too -Biblical Missions: The Victorious Great Commission.
Are there any books you would add to this list? Go ahead and share in the comments section below.
Written by Jesse Schreck | founder, director, and missionary church planter in Italy with Practical Missions Cohort
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