MISSIONS: Reading List

Posted by Joe Henson, III Jul - 23 - 2020 0 Comment

This summer, I am preaching a series of sermons on Missions to our people here at Trinity Bible Church. This led me to give some thought to helpful books on the subject (both ‘then’ and ‘now’). So, I sought some advice from a number of men in missions who I greatly respect, and I have now compiled a list of 60 recommended resources into a Reading List that you may find helpful if you are burdened for missions like I am. You can download the .PDF version of it HERE, or you can scroll through the list below…

Disclaimer: The inclusion of a book in this list does not constitute a full or unqualified endorsement of an author or title. This is merely a compilation of titles recommended by a good number of men in missions who shared some of their favorite, most influential, most helpful, or most motivational reads on the subject. I pray you will find this list helpful in your own pursuit of the glory of God as you participate and further the cause of Christ through missions!

Then…

  1. An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens — Carey
  2. Christian Mission in the Modern World: What the Church Should Be Doing Now — Stott
  3. The Great Omission — Saint
  4. The Indigenous Church and the Missionary — Hodges
  5. The Key to the Missionary Problem — Murray
  6. Missionary Methods: God’s Plan for Missions According to Paul — Allen
  7. My Utmost for His Highest – Chambers
  8. The Planting and Development of Missionary Churches — Nevius

Now…

  1. 40 Questions about the Great Commission — Akin, Merkle, & Robinson
  2. A Biblical Theology of Missions — Peters
  3. Anthropological Insights for Missionaries — Hiebert
  4. Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City — Keller
  5. Church-Planting Movements: How God Is Redeeming a Lost World — Garrison
  6. Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility — Elmer
  7. Developing a Strategy for Missions: A Biblical, Historical, and Cultural Introduction — Terry & Payne
  8. Discovering Church Planting: An Introduction to the Whats, Whys, and Hows of Global Church Planting — Payne & Hesselgrave
  9. Discovering the Mission of God: Best Missional Practices for the 21st Century — Barnett & Martin
  10. Early Christian Mission — Schnabel
  11. Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ — McIlwain
  12. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Mission — Tucker
  13. Gaining by Losing: Why the Future Belongs to Churches that Send — Greear
  14. Global Church Planting: Biblical Principles and Best Practices for Multiplication — Ott
  15. God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards — Piper
  16. Gospel and Mission in the Writings of Pal: An Exegetical and Theological Analysis — O’Brien
  17. Gospel Meditations for Missions — Anderson, Crowley, Hosaflook, Keesee, & Tyrpak
  18. The Great Omission: A Biblical Basis for World Evangelism — McQuilkin
  19. The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected — Ripken
  20. Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions — Piper
  21. The Mind of a Missionary: What Global Kingdom Workers Tell Us about Thriving on Mission Today — Joannes
  22. Ministering Cross-Culturally: A Model for Effective Personal Relationships — Lingenfelter & Mayers
  23. The Mission of God — Wright
  24. Missions: Biblical Foundations and Contemporary Strategies — Van Rheenen
  25. Missions: How the Local Church Goes Global — Johnson
  26. Missions in a New Millennium: Change and Challenges in World Missions — Glenny & Smallman
  27. The Next Christendom — Jenkins
  28. The Open Secret: An Introduction to the Theology of Mission — Newbigin
  29. Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation — Mandryk
  30. Paradigms in Conflict — Hesselgrave & Eitel
  31. Passing the Baton: Church Planting that Empowers — Steffen
  32. Perspectives on the World Christian Movement — Winter
  33. Planting Churches Cross-Culturally — Hesselgrave
  34. Paul’s Missionary Methods: In His Time and Ours — Plummer & Terry
  35. Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience — Sills
  36. Salvation to the Ends of the Earth: A Biblical Theology of Mission — Kostenberger & O’Brien
  37. Tentmaking: The Life and Work of Business as Missions — Lai
  38. Understanding the Great Commission — Dever & Leeman
  39. What Is the Mission of the Church? — DeYoung & Gilbert
  40. When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself — Corbett & Fikkert
  41. When Missions Shapes the Mission — Horner

Biographies…

  1. A Company of Heroes: Portraits from the Gospel’s Global Advance — Keesee
  2. Borden of Yale ‘09: The Life that Counts — Taylor
  3. Dispatches from the Front: Stories of Gospel Advance in the World’s Difficult Places — Keesee
  4. Faithful Witness: The Life and Mission of William Carey — George
  5. John G. Paton: Missionary to the New Hebrides (An Autobiography) — Paton
  6. John G. Paton: Missionary to the Cannibals of the South Seas — Schlehlein
  7. The Life and Diary of David Brainerd: With Notes and Reflections — Edwards
  8. To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson — Anderson
  9. Sent to the River God Forgot — Walton
  10. Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot — Elliot
  11. William Carey – Carey