Book reviews
Reviews of the books shaping mission thinking and practice. Page 1 of 40 · 954 in all.
Members onlyPersecution in Missions: A Practical Theology
For many young missionaries and missional organizations, the mission field is filled with excitement and optimism. The adventure of crossing cultural and geographic boundaries with the hope of bringing people to Christ, planting churches, and making a positive impact in communities are the highlight of mission field…
Integrated Mission: Recovering a Christian Spirituality for Evangelical Integral Transformation
Mission and spirituality must be integrated. In her book, Integrated Mission, Sarah Nicholl applies her PhD in practical theology from the University of Queensland to call for “the integration of missional and spiritual practices” (ix).
Reading Hebrews and 1 Peter from Majority World Perspectives
Why should we care about Majority World interactions with the Bible? Because many Majority World nations, like Ethiopia, pre-date Minority World Christianity by a millennium and a half. Thus, paying attention to Majority World perspectives is long overdue!
The New Testament around the World: Exploring Key Texts from Different Contexts
In The New Testament around the World, twenty-two chapters explore familiar biblical texts from various non-Western viewpoints to provide an understanding of God that echoes the eternal worship of Revelation 7.
Members onlyGospel Conversations Reimagined: A Missional Framework for Today
Cas Monaco found herself discombobulated following an evangelism encounter on the West Coast. Monaco, a longtime proponent of Cru’s Four Spiritual Laws, realized that the method failed to connect with the woman in front of her
Members onlyA Short Guide to Evangelism and Missions
Jesus’ final charge to his disciples directs the church’s message, mission, and hope. In A Short Guide to Evangelism and Missions, D. Scott Hildreth, a former missionary and now professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, reflects on the Great Commission and its implications for believers today.
Members onlyPrioritizing the Church in Missions
Folmar and Logsdon divide the book into six chapters. Chapter one defines the church as a “congregation of baptized Christians who have covenanted together to gather weekly for preaching the Bible, celebrating the ordinances, loving the saints, witnessing to the lost
Members onlyPrioritizing Missions in the Church
When a pastor from Atlanta, Georgia, and a pastor from Lucknow, India, describe how local churches can increase their engagement with global missions, it is worth paying attention.
Members onlyTerritoriality and Hospitality: Christian and Muslim Perspectives
In Territoriality and Hospitality, editors John Azumah and Cheikh Anta Babou bring together Christian and Muslim authors from diverse backgrounds to offer perspective, wisdom, and practical insights on interreligious engagement in honor of Gambian scholar Lamin Sanneh (1942–2019).
Members onlyGlobal Christianity and Islam: Exploring History, Politics, and Beliefs
One of the greatest challenges in the world today is the problematic relationship between Christians and Muslims. Wafik Wahba, professor of global Christianity at Tyndale University, draws on his background, education, and three decades of teaching expertise to produce a comprehensive, yet readable, book that…
Members onlyGlobal Member Care Volume 3: Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course
Member care pioneers and veterans, Drs. Kelly and Michèle Lewis O’Donnell have added to their Global Member Care series with Volume 3: Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course.
Members onlyAsians in Diaspora and Diasporas in Asia
Asians in Diaspora and Diasporas in Asia is a compilation of papers from a Lausanne consultation on diaspora missions within Asia. Hosted prior to the 2024 Lausanne Congress in Seoul, the occasion brought together missiologists
Members onlyLiving Out Loud: Letting Your Love for God Flow into Your Everyday Language
Friendship evangelism has failed. Many believers have rationalized not sharing the gospel because of fear. The fear of prematurely sharing the gospel before earning the right to be heard ends up being replaced by fear of losing the friendship.
Members onlyConservative in Theology, Liberal in Spirit: Modernism and the American Presbyterian Mission in Thailand, 1891–1941
Reviewed by Christopher L. Flanders, PhD, professor of missions at Abilene Christian University and former missionary in Thailand.
Members onlyWhere Is God in a World with So Much Evil
In this brief book, Collin Hansen offers a Christian perspective on the difficult question of God’s presence in an evil world. The aim of the book is to help readers trust God, even when he remains silent in the face of evil (4).
Members onlyUnderstanding Evangelism: Biblical Foundations, Historical Developments, and Contemporary Issues
In Understanding Evangelism, J. D. Payne (author, pastor, and professor at Samford University) covers a very broad subject with a refreshingly tight focus in each section. He includes sections on introductory matters, theology, history, communication, and contemporary issues.
Members onlyTurning the World Upside Down: Lessons for the Church from Acts 1-8
In Turning the World Upside Down: Lessons for the Church from Acts 1–8, Iain M. Duguid offers an accessible and digestible exposition of Acts 1–8 that is directly relevant to the mission of Christ and the church. The book covers the first eight chapters of Acts through 13 concise chapters.
Members onlyTriune Relationality: A Trinitarian Response to Islamic Monotheism
Sherene Khouri, assistant professor of Arabic at Liberty University, wrote Triune Relationality as her doctoral dissertation. The book presents a needed deep-dive study into the primary debate between Islam and Christianity.
Members onlyThe Bible in Culture: Reading the Bible With All the World Using Ethnohermeneutics
Reading and interpreting the Bible in a global context (“the Bible in culture”) so that the Bible can be understood “with all the world” is a tall order. Larry Caldwell accepts this challenge. He argues that prioritizing any one Bible interpretation approach is not appropriate (chapter 2).
Members onlyRethinking Church in the 21st Century: Suffering and Persecution
In Rethinking Church in the 21st Century: Suffering and Persecution, volume editor Myrto Theocharous introduces a vast array of topics surrounding the global church’s experiences with suffering and persecution.
Members onlySoul Tending: Leadership for Strategic Human Flourishing
Why do some flourish where others fail? Virgil Tanner’s Soul Tending provides a framework to turn challenges and negative experiences into fertile soil where individuals can thrive! Staff turnover in cross-cultural mission contexts is one of the greatest challenges that Christian leaders face.
Members onlyServing Jesus without Burning Out: Faithful Ministry in the Long Haul
Ministry in any context is stressful, no matter if it is the local church, the mission field, a mission agency, a seminary, or other ministry setting. Sometimes, without the proper safeguards, that stress leaves ministers and missionaries open to burnout, moral failure, and suddenly leaving ministry.
Members onlySacred Courage. Thinking Biblically About Fear and Anxiety
Betsy Kirk writes insightfully and poignantly about fear from her childhood experiences, parenting challenges, and missionary service. Although she was prone to worry and fear, she experienced victory in her dreaded transition from Minnesota to Indonesia.
Members onlyReading James Missiologically: The Missionary Motives, Message, and Methods of James
The Epistles do not often feature in missiological conversations which instead tend to favor the Gospels. The edited volumes of Reading Hebrews Missiologically, Reading 1 Peter Missiologically, and Reading Revelation Missiologically aim to fill this gap.