Finding Direction to Redeem the Nations: Navigating Missions Misconceptions

EMQ » Oct – Dec 2025 » Volume 61 Issue 4

Reviewed by Rose J. Waligora, PhD (intercultural studies) and current International Mission Board career missionary serving in the Asia-Pacific Rim since 1997. 

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Don Dent addresses the everybody is a missionary and missions is everything adages through clear responses to 40 missions misconceptions. He identifies the “what, why, how, and who of missions” (xii) and navigates through the confusion. Dent also shares personal examples and stories from his decades of service as a missionary and missions professor along with highlighting Scriptural principles and historical patterns.  

Dent’s book is structured around 12 chapters that are divided amongst three main sections centered around God’s perspective, pattern, and power for missions (xi). Section one, titled “Missions in God’s Perspective,” introduces God’s purpose, passion, and push to the nations along with a discussion of helpful ministry to “the least of these” (18). Dent explains what missions is and why it should be prioritized, including six Biblical convictions that increase motivation toward Christian missions. In subsequent passages, Dent addresses misconceptions surrounding ministry to “the least of these (25), the Social Gospel, and missions based on liberation theology.  

Section two, titled “Missions in God’s Pattern,” addresses major issues in the practical aspects of missions. These include various pathways for missions to the nations, lengths of service for missions, and being “biblically sound and culturally relevant” (101) when contextualizing the gospel, planting healthy biblical churches, and movements to Christ. Chapter 5 in this section also contains an excellent discussion of the characteristics of effective missionaries (70) and the pathways to reach “missions effectiveness” (72).  Of note is Dent’s passionate explanation of God’s purpose for the nations (75). 

Section three, titled “Missions in God’s Power,” is the final three chapters of this book. This section discusses the crucial need for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for evangelism, presents six stories based in Acts around power encounters between God’s light and darkness of the lost, and the promise of God’s presence to accomplish his mission. 

Dent emphasizes that “Today many Christians are involved in ‘missions’ activities that will likely not get them to their desired destination due to a plethora of missions misconceptions that misdirect them” (xi). Through describing each misconception and addressing them clearly, Dent solves the problem of what exactly is missions and how it is best accomplished. He clearly asserts that the term “missions” is used for “action the global church takes to accomplish the specific mission Jesus assigned us, to take the gospel to all the nations” (xii). In addition, Dent discusses “core convictions found in Scripture” (50) for motivating toward missions. These convictions, drawn from well-known Bible passages, (50) illustrate how “passionate concern for global missions” arises (61). Another highlight is the collaboration between Dent and his daughter to present thoughtful and thought-provoking reflection questions at the end of each chapter. 

Today where many view missions as “whatever we want it to be” (xii), Dent’s book helps missionaries, church leaders, and missions professors to clearly present effective missions engagement. Like a compass pointing to the right direction, this book provides clearly articulated responses and ways to navigate effectively through the most common missions misconceptions.  

For Further Reading

When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor … and Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fickert (Moody, 2009). 

What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert (Crossway, 2011). 

Controversies in Missions: Theology, People, and Practice of Mission in the 21st Century by Rochelle Scheuermann and Edward Smithers (William Carey Library, 2016). 

The Church in Acts: A Framework for Studying the New Testament Foundation for Church by E. Elbert Smith (Independently Published, 2021). 

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EMQ, Volume 61, Issue 4. Copyright © 2025 by Missio Nexus. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from Missio Nexus. Email: [email protected].