From maps to children's books, prayer guides to mission biographies, we enjoy resourcing mission committees, organizations and folks from literally around the world. (We are happy to offer a 15% discount on most things to self-supporting missionaries, by the way; we, too, raised our own salary while working for a para-church agency and know well the need to pinch pennies...)

Although we recommend the following books on mission work, you may also want to click over to our pages on race relations, social justice advocacy, spiritual renewal and developing a Christian worldview. We offer lots of recommendations in those areas which might also be useful for your good work. Or just click to order...

From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions (Ruth Tucker) Still the definitive overview of evangelical missions, what Ralph Winter has called "the most moving book ever written." See also her excellent Guardians of the Great Commission: The Story of Women in Modern Missions.

Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission (David Bosch) Certainly one of the most important mission books to appear in recent decades. Although fairly scholarly, we highly recommend working though it; an inexpensive, small book by Bosch, Believing in the Future is available in the "Christian Mission and Modern Culture" series published by Trinity Press International. That whole series, by the way, is very useful, with titles from authors like Leslie Newbigin, Miroslov Volf, Wilbert Shenk and Andrew Kirk. Call us for a complete list.

An Intrusive Gospel? Christian Mission in the Postmodern World (C. Norman Kraus) This is a new release which looks just fabulous. We have enjoyed other work by this leading Mennonite theologian and his call to preach and embody the full gospel is just what is needed.

God’s Call to Mission (David Shenk) A missionary friend of ours in the field amongst unreached people claims that this is one of his all-time favorites. Wonderfully written, gentle and stimulating.

The Transfiguration of Mission: Biblical, Theological and Historical Foundations (edited by Wilbert Shenk) A great, provocative collection of fairly serious missions scholarship published By Herald Press.

Praying Through the 100 Gateway Cities (Edited by Peter Wagner) For those interested in praying, especially for the "10/40 window", this is a wonderful resource., sort of like Operation World but focusing on strategic cities.

The incredible book Operation World, though, is the must-have tool for effective prayer and educational work. Edited by WEC International, Patrick Johnstone has given us a day-by-day guide to praying for the whole world. Great country descriptions and the needs and demographics for every nation and people group are listed. No mission group should be without it.

Also, know about Johnson’s wonderfully illustrated children’s editions, Your Can Make a Difference, parts I and 2. These delightful books give kids plenty of atlas-type information, fun stuff to know and care about and something to pray about for a whole year. Excellent, and highly, highly recommended for home use and church libraries and mission resource shelves.

The Short-Term Missions Boom (Michael Anthony, editor) This is a great guide to international and domestic involvement. Or, call us for other similar resources to help you consider, prepare for and evaluate your short-term projects.

The World at Your Door: Reaching international Students in Your Home, Church and School (Dr. Tom Phillips) What a great idea! Match this with the important Reaching the World by Thom and Marcia Hopler, one of the great mission books of all time, and you will soon be building friendships with ethnic folks right in your own area.

Concerts of Prayer (David Bryant) How Christians can join together to pray for spiritual awakening and world evangelization. Very practical guide to a very important matter.

A Mind for Missions: 10 Ways to Build Your World Vision (Paul Borthwick) One of our favorite recommendations for one who asks "where do I begin?" His more recent, foundational book, Six Dangerous Questions, is tremendous, rooting our view of the globe and the nations more deeply in our basic worldview. This is dynamite stuff!

Missions in the 21st Century: Getting Your Church into the Game (Tom Telford) What a fun idea--Telford used to be a pro baseball umpire and he uses that as a metaphor for getting a church "into the game." He calls ’em as he sees ’em here, and nearly every church could benefit from his practical ideas. He really knows his stuff!

Serving as Senders (Neal Pirolo) Sort of an underground classic, this handbook tells you how to become a "sending" church and how to care for your missionaries. Very, very helpful information.

Who Comes in the Name of the Lord? (Harold Recinos) A look at Jesus at the margins. Can mainline churches, particularly, find themselves in the barrios, with our Lord?

Building Bridges: Christianity and Islam (Fouad Elias Accad) One of the many books we carry on this topic, it is particularly interesting for evangelical outreach that is sensitively contextualized. Highly recommended.

Symbol and Ceremony: Making Disciples Across Cultures (A/H/ Zahniser) This is just an example of the numerous books we carry from front-line mission research organizations like MARC. Looking at rites like the Buddhist initiation or the Jewish Sabbath or the Islamic notion of pilgrimage, this new publication offers insight for the Christian worker in these contexts. Very interesting.

Understanding Spiritual Power: A Forgotten Dimension of Cross-Cultural Mission and Ministry (Marguerite Kraft) This Orbis Press book reminds us that Westerners have a very different approach to spiritual forces than most people in the world (see our review of Brad Long’s Collapse of the Brass Heavens elsewhere in this website), and Kraft tells of her work among the Kamwe in Nigeria, the Thai in Asia and the Navajo in North America. She shows how the people in these three societies view reality and suggests how the gospel can be articulated in forms they can appreciate and understand. Again, this is very, very interesting information and the quality of discussion which we need to be having if we are going to be effective in our world missions efforts.

We wish you well in your efforts to promote global awareness, a heart for evangelism and church planting and God’s desire to advance his Kingdom into hearts and cultures around the globe. If we can help you in any way, it would be our pleasure.