Language in the Mission of God edited by Michael Greed

Missionaries who ignore language ignore culture, and those who ignore language and culture miss an important dimension of how the Trinity itself operates. Therefore, exploring the role of language in God’s mission (“language-learning”) is not just an important pragmatic matter, but a theological foundation, and Greed unpacks these concepts for us.

Charles (Chip) Sanders, Strategy and Leadership Adviser with SIL Global

God on the Move: Making Disciples among the Nations edited by Dave Coles

This book is a condensed, accessible version of Motus Dei: The Movement of God to Disciple the Nations. While broader conversations about reporting and numbers related to DMM and CPM still need further consideration, this resource is a helpful summary of the positive case for movements and the Mission of God.

Alan Howell, Director of Church Relations, Mission Resource Network

From the Ground Up: The Relational Art of Church Planting by Steve Leston

The important but often-ignored relational aspect of church planting is masterfully addressed by this writer and enriched by his own personal experience. This book should be read as a companion volume to other books detailing church-planting praxis.

Dr. Marvin J. Newell, Ambassador at Large with Missio Nexus

God Space: Where Spiritual Conversations Happen Naturally (revised edition) by Doug Pollock

Pollock’s approach to evangelism is just as applicable overseas as in the US, and it has recently been released in a revised version with more stories and tips as well as an additional chapter on how to have respectful, God-honoring conversations in our highly polarized culture. The author encourages us to drop stock presuppositions about what non-Christians are thinking and to instead ask questions that draw out others’ worldviews and experiences that shaped their sometimes-negative interactions with Christianity.

Mike Pollard, Church Partnership Facilitator with Pioneers

Living Out Loud: Letting Your Love for God Flow into Your Everyday Language by Kevin King

In this book, King gently woos Christians who have abandoned attempts to make disciples, off of the sidelines with simple, down-to-earth ways to engage others with the best news in the world.

Keith Rohrer, Mobilization Pastor at Keystone Church, Paradise, PA

God and People: 45 Chronological Stories by Eliot Branch

I was introduced to this resource from Eliot Branch when he taught a Perspectives Class I attended. The book presents summaries of 45 Bible stories to give newcomers an understanding of the main Bible narrative. At the end are 10 copies of The 24-Picture Gospel Tool that can be removed and distributed.

Marcy Mays Schlee

Many of those who have been in the church missions world for a number of years remember with gratitude David Mays’ books, teaching, and Book Notes extracts. We are delighted to include this year a resource suggestion from his widow, Marcy, and another from her second husband, Tom.

Missiology for Mission Pastors: A Practical Introduction for Church Leaders edited by Bradley Bell and Ted Esler

Whether new to their role or long-time missions champions, missions pastors will find this up-to-date, one-stop guide helps them perform their job well. It touches on every practical aspect of global outreach related to the role of the local church. Mission committees of smaller congregations can also greatly benefit from this content.

Dr. Marvin J. Newell

The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse by Miroslav Volf

Volf utilizes Old and New Testament Scriptures and other historical references to help individuals overcome the stumbling block of comparison by calling us to walk in humility and Christlikeness.

Becky Martin, IndoMalay Catalyst with TEAM

I Never Signed Up for This: One Mother’s Journey to Surrender Her Children to Their Calling by Ann Bowman

Bowman’s memoir helps church missions leaders understand the emotional and logistical road that parents of missionaries walk. The insights she shares will help them better support the parents of workers who are part of their church. In turn, these parents can then provide stronger support for their children on the field with the goal of empowering them to more freely follow God’s call on their lives.

Elizabeth Trotter, Editor-in-Chief for A Life Overseas

Beyond the Project: Reimagining the Purpose of Short-Term Missions by Jonah Easley

Though short-term trips often emphasize discipleship for those who go, many churches lack a healthy process to further engage people on return. I taught this material in my church in a six-week format and appreciated how adaptable it was and how it provided practical next steps for our people.

Kevin Cain, Project Manager in Nigeria with Seed Company and missions volunteer at First Baptist Woodstock (GA) 

Tithe Your Career: Following Jesus among the Nations in the First Years of Your Career by Paul Van Der Werf and Katy White

This brief but inspiring book introduces a number of college-educated Gen-Z Christians who decided to move overseas to invest the first two years of their careers as an offering to the Lord and makes a case for doing the same.

Marti Wade, Editorial Director with Pioneers-USA

Taking You Under My Skin: A Novel about Love, War, and the Unreached by Marvin Newell

This fiction book set in the Vietnam War tells an amazing story of love, faith, and the surprising ways God works. It will challenge you to think about the power of God, the call to missions, and what it means to walk by faith in the darkest seasons of life.

Dr. Stephen Leston, Vice President of Training with To Every Tribe 

God’s Child: A True Story of Brave Faith in Ethiopia by Justine Taylor

Some of my greatest allies are those who teach children about missions. My coworker Justine Taylor is one of those. Her telling of Negussie’s story has captivated the hearts of the children in our church. I pray that many more children will be challenged to shine the light of Jesus in dark places through this book for children ages 8-12.

Dallas Rempel, Associate Pastor:  Global Ministries at Hillsdale Baptist Church, Regina, SK

Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life by Paul David Tripp

Effective cross-cultural witnesses must preach the gospel to themselves every day. This daily devotional and Bible reading plan encourages us to keep our eyes on the grace found in the gospel and keep in step with our calling.

Becky Martin

From the Rising of the Sun: A Journey of Worship around the World by Tim Challies and Tim Keesee

A pastor, speaker, and blogger teams up with a documentary storyteller to explore and share glimpses of the global church. It is part travelogue, part devotional. A bonus is streaming access to a high-quality, 12-episode series of videos (each about 20 minutes long).

Marti Wade

Katharine Barnwell: How One Woman Revolutionized Modern Missions by Jordan Monson

Hundreds of millions of new believers around the world read and hear Scripture in their own language because of Katy Barnwell’s books and language training. Approximately 3,000 completed or in-process Bible translations benefitted from her work, and Barnwell’s rebuilding of The Jesus Film Project’s methods contributed to 300 million global viewers following Jesus. Yet few people outside of the world of Bible translation have ever heard of her. This biography changes that.

Tom Schlee