Missionaries’ Favorite Books on Missions

Bethany DuVal • Jun 17, 2021

There are almost endless books on Christian missions to read. Rather than try to identify the best, we decided to ask missionaries for their favorites. This list is a perfect mix of memoir, faith-building insights and cultural education. And they’ve all proven themselves invaluable to missionaries around the world.

Check out the list, and then be sure to share your favorite books on missions in the comments!

Have We No Rights? by Mabel Williamson

Recommended by Amie Bockstahler, missionary to Guatemala

Demanding your rights is a treasured American pastime. But is it compatible with the mission field? That’s the question Williamson, an American missionary to China, sets out to answer. She explains why Christians must be willing to give up their rights to comfort, health, safety, friends, romance, family and home.

“We must ask ourselves whether we need to give up some … rights in order to better share the Gospel of Christ,” says TEAM missionary Amie Bockstahler. “Not that we go to the other extreme and become prideful sufferers, but that we release all areas of our life to the Lord and seek His wisdom and … example for how we live.”

Foreign to Familiar by Sarah A. Lanier

Recommended by Dan Hubert, missionary to the Philippines

Foreign to Familiar is a must-read if you’re going from a cold-climate culture to a hot-climate culture. “Lanier’s book provides a good comparison to what Western missionaries are used to in our home country … and what they might be facing in another country,” says TEAM missionary Dan Hubert.

You’ll explore differences in identity, communication, privacy, planning and more. The practical tips will be invaluable as you start your new life abroad. And at 128 pages, this book is a quick read.

Bruchko by Bruce Olson

Recommended by Nancy Leet, missionary to Taiwan

“ Bruchko showed me how the truth can be presented in a way that can be understood by the local culture,” says missionary Nancy Leet. This memoir tells the story of Bruce Olson. At 19, he was committed to reaching the Motilone Indians of Colombia. After teaching himself three languages, Olson set off for the jungles of South America to fulfill that mission .

Olson spent five years living with the Motilone before he could effectively share the Gospel with them. When he did, he made sure to do it in a way that was culturally understandable. He brought them the word of Christ, but not an American gospel. Bruchko is a fantastic adventure that will inspire believers to greater love and service to Christ.

Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes by Jackson W. and E. Randolph Richards Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes by Jackson W. and E. Randolph Richards
Reading While Black by Esau McCaulley

Recommended by Anonymous in Asia

How do your cultural biases affect your reading of the Bible? And how will Scripture be perceived in the culture you’re going to serve? Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes and Reading While Black explore these questions from two different cultural perspectives. Each one gives you tools to know God more deeply and serve more effectively.

“The missionary needs to know that Jesus’ words, ‘You must be born again,’ sound more like a curse than good news to most Hindus or Buddhists,” an anonymous missionary says. “Why? Because they are trapped in the exhausting cycle of being born again and again. The missionary must look for other biblical themes that more effectively communicate the hope of Jesus Christ, such as Paul’s description of being rescued from the dominion of darkness.”

These books will challenge the way you read Scripture, and they’ll equip you to share it with greater effectiveness.

In the Arena by Isobel Kuhn

Recommended by Vicki Reyes, missionary to Mexico

“If you go to China, it will be over my dead body,” Isobel Kuhn’s mother told her. It would be the first of many challenges Kuhn faced leading up to and during her time as a missionary. But Kuhn believed the obstacles and discouragements Christians face aren’t a punishment. Referring to 1 Corinthians, Kuhn says they’re an avenue for God to reveal Himself to the people around us.

TEAM worker Vicki Reyes discovered this book long before she became a missionary to Mexico. “Even then, I was encouraged by Kuhn’s frank admission of her own shortcomings,” Reyes says, “her frustration with people and situations, and her delight in seeing the Lord’s hand resolve those issues — while making her wiser and more like Christ.”

African Friends and Money Matters by David E. Maranz

Recommended by Doug Everswick, missionary to Zimbabwe

TEAM ministry leader Doug Everswick calls this book “a must-read for any Westerner planning to live and minister in sub-Saharan Africa.” Maranz explores the frustrations Africans and Westerners experience due to their different approaches to money, time and relationships. Through practical insights and personal anecdotes, Maranz explains money-related African behaviors and how African economic goals differ from that of Western cultures.

“Each person comes with a worldview and cultural logic that is assumed to be shared by most others, when in fact they may be very different,” says Everswick. “This book does a great job of exposing our cultural preconceptions, which often lead us, unwittingly, into misunderstandings and conflict.”

How I Know God Answers Prayer by Rosalind Goforth

Recommended by Sharon Owen, missionary to Spain

“Prayer has been hedged about with too many man-made rules. I am convinced that God has intended prayer to be as simple and natural and as constant a part of our spiritual life as the intercourse between a child and his parent,” Goforth writes. A missionary at the turn of the 20th century, Goforth shares how she saw God’s definitive answers to prayer in times of great need.

TEAM missionary Sharon Owen received How I Know as a Bible college student and has read it many times in the 38 years since. “It’s very short and such an encouragement to remember the power of prayer no matter what the need.”

Exploring The Creative Power of Creative Arts Ministry

By Lorena de la Rosa • 16 May, 2024
Creative Arts Ministries focus on using the arts to provide new avenues for Gospel reach and discipleship around the world. Ever felt the urge to channel your creative talents into a higher purpose but were unsure where to start? Whether your passion lies in art, music, or another creative endeavor, God is opening doors where creativity meets ministry, where the journey of expression takes on new meaning with eternal significance. Creative Arts Ministry is all about using your creative side to share the Gospel, encourage the global Church, and build disciples all around the world. Made with a Purpose At TEAM, Creative Arts Ministry encompasses a variety of initiatives and global workers on multiple continents, all focused on using the arts to provide avenues for the Gospel. Jon Tello, TEAM’s Global Arts Ministry Coordinator is a creative person who was first called to ministry when he was in 9th grade, even though he had no idea what that meant. “I talked to my pastors, and they said, ‘Hey, this is awesome, you’re going to be a pastor. You’re going to preach and teach God’s word,’” Jon recalls. He wasn’t sure how his love and gifting for art fit into this. Yet in his heart, Jon knew, “God made me into an artist for a purpose.” Jon says his experience is not unique. Many who feel called to global missions feel that their passion for the arts must take a back seat. They are left with the question, “As an artist, how do I fit into the bigger framework of this thing that we call the global Church?” Luke, a TEAM global worker in Japan, concurs. “A lot of people get into [cross-cultural work] just adjacent to where their skill is,” says Luke. He goes on to explain a great metaphor for what happens next. “In music, there’s a term called ‘dissonance.’ It’s when there are two notes very close together, but they clash.” Being near to one’s true calling and giftedness, yet not quite able to express it can lead to frustration and burnout. For Jon, Luke, and many others in TEAM, God is helping them find a “sweet spot” where they can use their creative gifts for Kingdom work, particularly in areas where traditional church planting and direct evangelism are difficult if not impossible. A Call to Creatives In a world teeming with creativity and a growing desire for missions, many find themselves at a crossroads, wondering how to blend their artistic talents with the call to serve. Picture this: a vast landscape of possibilities, where your creativity isn't just a skill, but a powerful tool waiting to be unleashed in the mission field. Jon’s role in TEAM allows him to help global workers tap into this potential. Jon remarks that the concept of art for ministry is anything but new. During the Renaissance period, the literary rate was so low that the Church commissioned artists to create beautiful images to communicate with the people. Jon says Creative Arts ministry today works very much the same way to reach and impact believers and unbelievers alike in ways that words alone cannot. “In a sense, we are artists commissioned by the Church that are going out across the globe, doing just that: creating imagery, creating music, creating a story to tell,” Jon says. Though once a TEAM Italy global worker, Jon now works alongside other artists to help them use their skills in ministry. “They need somebody to help them embrace who God has created them to be and for what purpose,” Jon said. “And once we’re able to do that, it’s a beautiful thing to see these artists truly thrive.”

Loving Like Jesus Cross-Culturally (Part 1)

By Megan Lunsford • 23 Apr, 2024
When seeking to serve cross-culturally with an authentic love for others, there’s no better example for us than Jesus. If we sat around a table and threw out the question, “How do we love like Jesus?” I think we would have several commonalities as we respond. For example, Jesus loved all people right where they were. He loved those who were deemed the least, those hardest to love, or those who were His enemies. These are all beautiful realities of the heart of Jesus. When we step into relationships, it can be easier to take on the warmer, more gracious gestures of Jesus’ love, especially in cross-cultural relationships. Think about it––when doing life with those who look and act differently than us, we are already out of our comfort zones and would rather keep things as simple and familiar as possible. But there are other facets of Jesus’ heart we often overlook that can transform us and others even more into His likeness. Jesus is love because God is love. Everything Jesus did was out of love; it’s the mere definition of who He is. As followers of Jesus, He calls us to the same: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John:7-12) Every display of love we offer to others is an opportunity for them to encounter the ultimate love of the Father. That’s a pretty big deal! In this article, we’ll look at three expressions of Jesus’ love that we tend to overlook when engaging others cross-culturally. (Next month, we’ll look at three more.) 1. Jesus loved sacrificially. Everywhere Jesus went, crowds followed Him. We even see times in Scripture where Jesus had plans to step away for time alone but those who were hurting found Him and He had compassion on them and stayed with them. Can you imagine rarely having any time to yourself but, instead, constantly being surrounded by crowds of people wanting help from you? Jesus loved sacrificially. He welcomed all who came to Him with love and compassion, never turning anyone away. “When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) In the same way, we can make room in our lives for Jesus to bring sacrificial interruptions which, in His eyes, are orchestrated encounters to transfer His love to others. It can be tempting to be so “on mission” that we are full steam ahead and find ourselves frustrated when the Holy Spirit sends an interruption into our path that we feel we don’t have time for. Or, perhaps, we have scheduled a meet-up but it’s the norm in another culture to be 30 minutes or an hour late. We anxiously think through how it will affect whatever we have planned next. While it’s normal to feel a little stressed, what if the very "interruption” standing in front of you was really a divine appointment sent by God? Or what if that person running late experiences how peaceful and gracious you are in adapting to their culture and therefore, they can encounter a beautiful display of Jesus’ love? To truly represent Christ, we should remain ready and willing for each assignment the Lord sends into our path, no matter the cost or how much we will have to re-route our day. He is always a hundred steps ahead and will work all things for His glory and our good. 2. Jesus loved by discerning each situation well. Think about how many situations Jesus had to respond to on a daily basis. We read in Scripture that there were lines of people waiting to be healed by Him, talk to Him, hear His teachings, or simply touch the hem of His robe. Jesus was fully dependent on His Father to discern each situation before addressing it. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) Another temptation we can have when in a relationship with those God has sent us to is to think we already know the solution or what God wants to do before we’ve even asked Him. We believe we are full of knowledge, so we just pull from the bank we have stored within and go with it. However, when we access what is familiar to us as our default, we risk missing out on a God-given solution that might truly be the key to unlocking whatever challenge is in front of us. What does this look like when interacting with others? We can simply ask, “God, what is on Your heart for the person standing in front of me?” Then we listen and respond as He speaks. When we make it a daily habit to pause and hear God’s heart for each situation before responding, we are guaranteed to be effective in loving those around us. He knows the heart of every person that will cross our paths. Imagine how impactful we can be if we first lean on His wisdom and discernment before moving forward. 3. Jesus loved by speaking truth. Most of us are familiar with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. If we are honest, this conversation makes us a bit nervous as none of us would be comfortable with Jesus calling out intimate details of our lives that we would prefer to hide. But Jesus went further than just airing her dirty laundry. He offered her the hope of the Gospel and a relationship with Him - a divine fulfillment that could never be found in an earthly relationship. Jesus modeled a powerful example of loving others well cross-culturally. He took the low place and spoke truth, truly out of love––speaking to her heart from His. Like Jesus, our goal in sharing the truths about Him and His Word is to bring hope and satisfaction through Him alone. When we speak truth from Scripture, we are calling others higher into all God has for them. The tricky part here is we should avoid speaking truth if it isn’t first fueled by compassion. If it merely comes from a place of judgment, condemnation, or self-righteousness, it will fall flat 100% of the time. But if it truly comes from love, you are likely to not only win a heart back to the Father but, like the story of the Samaritan woman, even an entire village! If you see someone living outside of God’s best for their lives, ask God to show you your heart before engaging theirs. Once your heart is properly postured, you can speak truth out of an overflow of God’s love and trust Him for a transformation in their lives.
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