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An excellent starting point for anyone seeking a biblical theology of missions
By Aaron Myers
By Aaron Myers
I was 26 when I traveled to a missions conference in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was there that I first heard—or at least comprehended—the idea that the whole of the biblical story was a missions story, a reflection of the Father’s heart for the nations and one cohesive narrative of God’s plan for rescue. I’m not sure I realized it at the time, but before then I had viewed the Bible as more of a collection of random stories about God, and the Great Commission as a sort of new idea that Jesus brought onto the scene. But as the main speaker walked through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, highlighting the missional nature of God’s plan and the repeated refrain that all nations would one day worship God, I realized for the first time that the Bible was truly the story of the mission of God. It was there that I first understood that mission is not something the Bible merely speaks about. Mission is what the Bible is about. It is the context that provides the backbone for God’s story and our story. Since creation, God has been working to redeem all peoples to Himself.
Since that conference, I’ve read many books that focus on the missional story of God; John Piper’s Let the Nations Be Glad and Christopher Wright’s The Mission of God’s People, to name just two. These are fantastic works that helped build a deep biblical foundation for missions and books I’d encourage everyone to read. However, the book I would encourage everyone to read first is Justin Schell’s, The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church. I valued Schell’s book first and foremost because of its accessibility. At just eight chapters and 109 pages, it is a highly readable book offering keen insight into the Scriptures without getting bogged down in overly theological language. It is, however, far more than simply a CliffsNotes version of other mission books. The language, examples, and teaching are clearly presented and easy to read.
For example, reflecting on the Great Commission, Schell writes:
Since that conference, I’ve read many books that focus on the missional story of God; John Piper’s Let the Nations Be Glad and Christopher Wright’s The Mission of God’s People, to name just two. These are fantastic works that helped build a deep biblical foundation for missions and books I’d encourage everyone to read. However, the book I would encourage everyone to read first is Justin Schell’s, The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church. I valued Schell’s book first and foremost because of its accessibility. At just eight chapters and 109 pages, it is a highly readable book offering keen insight into the Scriptures without getting bogged down in overly theological language. It is, however, far more than simply a CliffsNotes version of other mission books. The language, examples, and teaching are clearly presented and easy to read.
For example, reflecting on the Great Commission, Schell writes:
In the Great Commission, God continues with his original plan in Eden, a world filled with men and women who would reflect and represent the good God in all the earth—that is, disciples of all nations.
With clarity and clear examples, Schell walks through the Bible and gives a simple but solid overview of the whole Bible’s mandate for missions. Chapter one introduces the biblical God of mission, his character and his purpose in mission. Chapters two through eight then walk through the biblical story from Eden through the Fall to Abraham and the exodus before exploring Matthew 28 and the Great Commission. It then follows the early church as they work to obey Jesus before bringing the book to a close with a survey of the Epistles and the Book of Revelation.
As part of the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series of books printed by Crossway, The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church is the first book I’d recommend to a mission committee working to gain a better understanding of why we do missions. It would be a helpful book for any pastor feeling the need to have a better understanding of missions in the church and could also be a book for small groups to utilize for study and discussion. I have created a simple chapter reflection guide, which I trust will be beneficial for individuals and small groups as they work through this book. This worksheet, as well as, links to the book can be found below.
As part of the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series of books printed by Crossway, The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church is the first book I’d recommend to a mission committee working to gain a better understanding of why we do missions. It would be a helpful book for any pastor feeling the need to have a better understanding of missions in the church and could also be a book for small groups to utilize for study and discussion. I have created a simple chapter reflection guide, which I trust will be beneficial for individuals and small groups as they work through this book. This worksheet, as well as, links to the book can be found below.
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The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church is a book I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to build a solid biblical foundation for understanding God's mission. I found it to be both deeply insightful and remarkably accessible—a combination that is not always easy to find. Whether you are new to missions or have spent years studying the subject, this book offers a clear, biblical framework for understanding God's heart for the nations. It is a resource I expect to return to often as I continue helping others discover their place in the mission of God.
Article Resources
- The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church by Justin Schell
- Chapter Reflection Guide Worksheet
- The Short Studies in Biblical Theology Series
- Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper
- The Mission of God's People by Christopher Wright
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Using literature to help the next generation see and love the nations.
by Aaron Myers
Does your church have a mission-minded culture? How about the Christian school you work at or your children attend? And what about your family? In these places, is the biblical commission to reach the nations a priority? One of the simplest and most effective ways to build a missions-minded culture in our churches, schools, and homes is through the books we read.
It has been said that changing the culture of an organization—or church—is difficult. Culture changes slowly. Like a lake formed drop by drop, it is shaped by countless small influences. However, if we are patient and willing to prayerfully work toward change, we can see any church, school or family develop a mission-minded culture that reflects the Father’s heart for the nations.
One aspect of any missions culture is understanding the many different, beautiful, broken, and God-destined cultures of our big, amazing God-created world. For those of us growing up in the church or sending our kids to Christian schools (or homeschooling), experiencing other cultures and interacting with people different than ourselves isn’t often a normal part of our daily experience. It’s not that we’re avoiding cross-cultural experiences; it's just that life is busy and if you live in more rural areas, opportunities may be sparse.
While there are myriad ideas and suggestions for helping build a missions culture—something I work to write about here at Everywhere to Everywhere—with today’s article I want to focus on the power of literature. In a 2024 New York Times opinion piece, author David Brooks reflected on the power of literature:
It has been said that changing the culture of an organization—or church—is difficult. Culture changes slowly. Like a lake formed drop by drop, it is shaped by countless small influences. However, if we are patient and willing to prayerfully work toward change, we can see any church, school or family develop a mission-minded culture that reflects the Father’s heart for the nations.
One aspect of any missions culture is understanding the many different, beautiful, broken, and God-destined cultures of our big, amazing God-created world. For those of us growing up in the church or sending our kids to Christian schools (or homeschooling), experiencing other cultures and interacting with people different than ourselves isn’t often a normal part of our daily experience. It’s not that we’re avoiding cross-cultural experiences; it's just that life is busy and if you live in more rural areas, opportunities may be sparse.
While there are myriad ideas and suggestions for helping build a missions culture—something I work to write about here at Everywhere to Everywhere—with today’s article I want to focus on the power of literature. In a 2024 New York Times opinion piece, author David Brooks reflected on the power of literature:
Deep reading, immersing yourself in novels with complex characters, engaging with stories that explore the complexity of this character’s motivations or that character’s wounds, is a training ground for understanding human variety. It empowers us to see the real people in our lives more accurately and more generously, to better understand their intentions, fears and needs, the hidden kingdoms of their unconscious drives. The resulting knowledge is not factual knowledge, but emotional knowledge.
Stories—particularly stories written by and about people from other cultures—allow readers to travel, to explore and encounter the wonderfully varied peoples of our world. They allow us to learn about other places and customs and to get a sense of the histories and worldviews that image-bearers across the globe carry with them. And books are written for all levels of readers creating a ready made course in cross-cultural study for all ages.
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If we can find good books that take our children into other cultures, and if we prepare them to be cultural detectives, looking for God's fingerprints throughout the journeys of the characters, then we can help them begin to develop eyes to see as the Father sees the many nations of our earth.
As a parent or teacher it is helpful if you prepare yourself to help young readers engage with stories from cultures that may seem strange and different. Two helpful resources are Shane Bennett's article, "Reveling in the Cultural Kaleidoscope," and my article from earlier this spring “Four Ways to See the Nations At Our Doorstep.” You can find links to these at the bottom of the article. Work with young readers to help them become cultural detectives, asking good questions when things that happen are different or unexpected. Help them identify the surface level, observable customs, habits of dress, differing food and language so that they can learn to take the bigger step of understanding cultural and worldview differences.
I have also created two worksheets to help readers reflect on the books they’ve read with cross-cultural exploration in mind. One is designed for elementary-aged students, while the second is more complex and intended for middle-grade readers. I have also created a reading list of books, categorized by reading level and written by or about people from other cultures. Most of these are fiction but there are also a few non-fiction that I think will be helpful.
- Reading List: Books to Help Kids Understand Other Cultures
- Book Reflection Worksheet (elementary): Cultural Detective Notebook
- Book Reflection Worksheet (middle grades): Reader’s Cultural Detective Notebook
Stories offer a powerful opportunity to help readers of all ages begin to interact with and learn from and about other cultures. Encourage your young readers to pick up a good book today and begin the journey. Prepare them for a globalized world. Prepare them to be Christ’s ambassadors among the nations both locally and globally. One story at a time, we can help the next generation develop eyes to see and ears to hear the Father's call to the nations. In this way, we can build a stronger missions culture for the future.
Resources
- Article: Reveling in the Cultural Kaleidoscope
- Article: Four Ways to See the Nations At Our Doorstep
- Reading List: Books to Help Kids Understand Other Cultures
- Book Reflection Worksheet (elementary): Cultural Detective Notebook
- Book Reflection Worksheet (middle grades): Reader’s Cultural Detective Notebook
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“Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil."
– Psalms 42:5
– Psalms 42:5
It’s been a full season of ministry, of working on good, kingdom projects and investing in people that God brings across my path. In every way, ministry has been rewarding, purposeful and mostly, a lot of fun. I really do love the work of the ministry I’m a part of.
And yet.
What started as a tiredness which I attributed to my week-long battle through on and off fever and a hacking cough - it’s been going around - has now settled into a low grade feeling of blah. It’s not depression. It’s not despair and I wrestle to even know how to explain it but it's there. And as I actually sit with it and think back, it's been there for a while, weeks perhaps.
It is unfortunately a familiar feeling, something that visits once, sometimes twice a year and which usually, as Douglas Rumford observes, follows a season where I find myself “unable to keep all the fires that we’ve started fueled.” I took on too much. One project in particular has turned into a bit of a roller coaster of on again off again waiting with a lot riding on my shoulders.
At this point it’s just a season of the blahs, of fighting to stay motivated and occasionally feeling tired throughout the day. I’m thankful that I’ve had good mentors and friends that have taught me to see the symptoms and through the years I have learned to respond proactively and early. It is easy to see however that, left untended, this sort of season could easily descend into full scale burnout. We read about it in others more than we’d like and wonder why it happens so often to pastors and leaders and regular people alike.
One thing that I often find helpful is to pick up a book on the topic of soul care - that’s what it is after all - and so yesterday I began Douglas Rumford’s Soul Shaping. I’m just one chapter in but found this first chapter, “Recognizing the Symptoms of Soul Neglect” an excellent resource for anyone wondering if they are wandering into the beginnings of the blahs or the blues or the dark night of the soul. His list of ten symptoms is a useful rubric to hold yourself up to if you’re not quite sure. The list is a simple tool which will help you reflect on the state of your soul.
I won’t explain each here, most are pretty easy to understand, but I’d encourage you to prioritize setting aside regular time to reflect on your life and thoughts and how your soul is doing. In our hurried, harried lives of the 21st century few prioritize anything other than keeping busy doing productive things. This of course flies in the face of John 15 and the abiding life that Jesus calls us to but it seems the siren song we cannot restrain ourselves from following.
Here are Rumford’s list of ten soul symptoms:
It should be noted that everyone will find themselves in seasons like this from time to time. There are things we can do to guard against it but we do live in a broken world. We started the article with a Psalm of David, a man after God’s heart and he sounds like he’s in a pretty dark place. The Apostle Paul once wrote that he “despaired of life itself” (1 Corinthians 1:8). Charles Spugeon, in a talk to ministerial students, once said, “Fits of depression come over the most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy.”
If you reflect on the list above and find you check off more of the symptoms than you’d like to admit, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve somehow been disobedient to God or failed. It does mean that you probably need to take steps to return to a place of greater soul health though.
Near the end of the chapter, Rumford says, “Paying attention to our hearts is the first step to valuing ourselves – as God values us – and to setting us free to value and love others – as God through Christ values and loves them.”
Set aside some time this week - a good half day or so - to sit with the Lord and reflect on the state of your soul.
Other Helpful Books
And yet.
What started as a tiredness which I attributed to my week-long battle through on and off fever and a hacking cough - it’s been going around - has now settled into a low grade feeling of blah. It’s not depression. It’s not despair and I wrestle to even know how to explain it but it's there. And as I actually sit with it and think back, it's been there for a while, weeks perhaps.
It is unfortunately a familiar feeling, something that visits once, sometimes twice a year and which usually, as Douglas Rumford observes, follows a season where I find myself “unable to keep all the fires that we’ve started fueled.” I took on too much. One project in particular has turned into a bit of a roller coaster of on again off again waiting with a lot riding on my shoulders.
At this point it’s just a season of the blahs, of fighting to stay motivated and occasionally feeling tired throughout the day. I’m thankful that I’ve had good mentors and friends that have taught me to see the symptoms and through the years I have learned to respond proactively and early. It is easy to see however that, left untended, this sort of season could easily descend into full scale burnout. We read about it in others more than we’d like and wonder why it happens so often to pastors and leaders and regular people alike.
One thing that I often find helpful is to pick up a book on the topic of soul care - that’s what it is after all - and so yesterday I began Douglas Rumford’s Soul Shaping. I’m just one chapter in but found this first chapter, “Recognizing the Symptoms of Soul Neglect” an excellent resource for anyone wondering if they are wandering into the beginnings of the blahs or the blues or the dark night of the soul. His list of ten symptoms is a useful rubric to hold yourself up to if you’re not quite sure. The list is a simple tool which will help you reflect on the state of your soul.
I won’t explain each here, most are pretty easy to understand, but I’d encourage you to prioritize setting aside regular time to reflect on your life and thoughts and how your soul is doing. In our hurried, harried lives of the 21st century few prioritize anything other than keeping busy doing productive things. This of course flies in the face of John 15 and the abiding life that Jesus calls us to but it seems the siren song we cannot restrain ourselves from following.
Here are Rumford’s list of ten soul symptoms:
- Low Grade “Depression Fever”
- Busy But Bored
- Loss Of Control Over Life’s Routine
- Loss Of Responsiveness To Others
- Withdrawal From Responsibility And Leadership
- Preoccupation With Projects Of Lesser Importance
- Restlessness And Dissatisfaction
- Resurgence Of Unhealthy Habits, Diminished Impulse Control And Diminished Resistance To Temptation
- Guilt And Shame
- A Hard Heart
It should be noted that everyone will find themselves in seasons like this from time to time. There are things we can do to guard against it but we do live in a broken world. We started the article with a Psalm of David, a man after God’s heart and he sounds like he’s in a pretty dark place. The Apostle Paul once wrote that he “despaired of life itself” (1 Corinthians 1:8). Charles Spugeon, in a talk to ministerial students, once said, “Fits of depression come over the most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy.”
If you reflect on the list above and find you check off more of the symptoms than you’d like to admit, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve somehow been disobedient to God or failed. It does mean that you probably need to take steps to return to a place of greater soul health though.
Near the end of the chapter, Rumford says, “Paying attention to our hearts is the first step to valuing ourselves – as God values us – and to setting us free to value and love others – as God through Christ values and loves them.”
Set aside some time this week - a good half day or so - to sit with the Lord and reflect on the state of your soul.
Other Helpful Books
- Embracing Soul Care by Stephen W. Smith
- Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero
- Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordiero
- Do you have a book you've found helpful for this topic? Share it in the comments.
If you found this article helpful, pass it along to a friend
who you think may benefit from reading it.
who you think may benefit from reading it.
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If you have been involved in ministry to Muslims for more than a few months, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Nabeel Qureshi. His journey from devoted Muslim to apologist for the Christian faith was masterfully documented in his New York Times best selling book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. His dedication to pursuing and proclaiming the truth with grace and humility shows up in his hundreds of talks, interviews and debates which can be accessed with a simple search on Youtube. His writing is generous, never belittling the Muslim worldview but giving it a fair response as he did so well in his short book Answering Jihad. Nabeel sadly was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer in 2016 and died a year later at the age of 34.
C. S. Lewis famously said that, “Those of us who have been true readers all our life seldom fully realize the enormous extension of our being which we owe to authors.” The psalmist exhorts us to “Sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations (89:1).” One of the gifts that thinkers and writers like Qureshi leave to all generations is the gift of their books. No God But One: Allah or Jesus? is one of those important books that will indeed be a gift to generations of Christians as it makes His faithfulness known.
C. S. Lewis famously said that, “Those of us who have been true readers all our life seldom fully realize the enormous extension of our being which we owe to authors.” The psalmist exhorts us to “Sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations (89:1).” One of the gifts that thinkers and writers like Qureshi leave to all generations is the gift of their books. No God But One: Allah or Jesus? is one of those important books that will indeed be a gift to generations of Christians as it makes His faithfulness known.
“No God But One: Allah or Jesus? addresses the most important questions at the interface of Islam and Christianity: How do the two religions differ? Are the differences significant? Can we be confident that either Christianity or Islam is true? And most important, is it worth sacrificing everything for the truth?”
- from the back cover of the book
With a description like the one above, I came to this book expecting an academic tome, something created for the intellectual heights of academia or those dedicated missiologists who read everything they can get their hands on. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find that Nabeel's voice in the book had stayed true to his voice in both of his other books: winsome, accessible, narrative and generous. I think this highlights one of Qureshi’s greatest gifts to the church: His ability to speak with authority and deep knowledge about complicated and complex topics in ways that we can all understand. He is engaging without being flippant, compelling without being preachy and committed to the truth without being pedantic.
No God But One: Allah or Jesus? Is written in two main sections which each explore two important questions through five different parts.
The two questions are:
With these questions framing up the discussion, Nabeel makes a rock solid case for the claims of the Biblical understanding of Jesus and graciously pulls apart the Islamic arguments both for Islam and against Christianity. At nearly 300 pages, this is an in depth study of the topic. Just about everything a person has heard or wondered about Islam is covered.
A few years ago I was sharing with a group of high school students who were reading Kate McCord’s book, In the Land of Blue Burqas. Most of them were not interested in ministry to Muslims but all of them felt that they had grown in their understanding of the God of the Bible because for the first time, they’d seen their God side by side by the god of the Quran. The distinctions they were sensing brought about a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the God they worship.
With No God But One: Allah or Jesus?, Nabeel Qureshi gives readers a chance not only to learn about Islam, but in so doing, he invites readers to grow in their own understanding of and appreciation for the God they serve. Because of this, I want to encourage everyone who follows Christ to read this powerful book.
* links to books are affiliate links
No God But One: Allah or Jesus? Is written in two main sections which each explore two important questions through five different parts.
The two questions are:
- What are the differences between Islam and Christianity?
- Can we know whether Islam or Christianity is true?
With these questions framing up the discussion, Nabeel makes a rock solid case for the claims of the Biblical understanding of Jesus and graciously pulls apart the Islamic arguments both for Islam and against Christianity. At nearly 300 pages, this is an in depth study of the topic. Just about everything a person has heard or wondered about Islam is covered.
A few years ago I was sharing with a group of high school students who were reading Kate McCord’s book, In the Land of Blue Burqas. Most of them were not interested in ministry to Muslims but all of them felt that they had grown in their understanding of the God of the Bible because for the first time, they’d seen their God side by side by the god of the Quran. The distinctions they were sensing brought about a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the God they worship.
With No God But One: Allah or Jesus?, Nabeel Qureshi gives readers a chance not only to learn about Islam, but in so doing, he invites readers to grow in their own understanding of and appreciation for the God they serve. Because of this, I want to encourage everyone who follows Christ to read this powerful book.
* links to books are affiliate links
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Sometimes you need a book that, through reading a chapter a day, you receive encouragement in your faith. Fear Not: Living a Life of No Regrets was just that book for me this past summer. Author James Cha weaves captivating stories, Biblical truth and a lifetime of wisdom into this great devotional. James and his wife Faith spent over a decade serving the Lord in Central Asia, saw more than 120 Muslims come to faith in Christ and experienced their own share of persecution. It is because of these experiences and James' deep knowledge of the Bible that Fear Not is an excellent resources for any believer wanting to grow in their faith. It will be an especially helpful resources for any interested in moving to the Muslim world to serve the Lord. The book covers a myriad of topics all of which work toward helping the reader to respond to the call of Christ in obedience and surrender. It was incredibly encouraging, filled with exhortation and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to grow closer to Christ and learn to be a more active participant in His kingdom mission.
Fear Not: Living a Life of No Regrets
*Links to book are affiliate links.
Fear Not: Living a Life of No Regrets
*Links to book are affiliate links.
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World Christians are (in Corrie Ten Boom’s phrase) “tramps for the Lord” who have left their hiding places to roam the Gap with the Savior. They are heaven’s expatriates, camping where the kingdom is best served. They are earth’s dispossessed, who’ve journeyed forth to give a dying world not only the Gospel but their own souls as well. They are members of God’s global dispersion down through history and out through the nations, reaching the unreached and blessing the families of earth.
-- David Bryant
Do you want to be a "tramp for the Lord"?
Do you want to roam the Gap with the savior?
Do you want to journey fourth to give a dying world the good news of Jesus?
Start by reading David Bryant's article, To Be A World Christian.
Contact Us and we'll work to encourage and equip to you go into the harvest, locally, regionally and globally.
Do you want to roam the Gap with the savior?
Do you want to journey fourth to give a dying world the good news of Jesus?
Start by reading David Bryant's article, To Be A World Christian.
Contact Us and we'll work to encourage and equip to you go into the harvest, locally, regionally and globally.
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Growing up in a small, rural Texas town, Chris Clayman’s journey to West Africa and then to one of the worlds largest and most diverse cities may be surprising to some. But in light of God’s superplan, it makes perfect sense.
Clayman is the Co-Founder and an Associate Director of Global Gates, a mission organization focused on reaching the ends of the earth through global gateway cities. Superplan: A Journey into God’s Story is Clayman’s telling of his unexpected journey into the superplan of God. It is a book filled with encouragement and challenges readers to step into risk taking obedience to Jesus.
“Superplan” is a term a Bangladeshi brother in New York City coined in thinking about his own story and after hearing the of the circuitous journey on which God took Chris to bring him to Harlem where he regularly shares the love of Jesus with the very West African Muslims he had hoped to reach when he originally moved across the ocean.
"God’s Superplan is the redemptive story of God, rooted in eternity, recorded in the Bible, and realized even today. God’s Superplan transcends our strengths and weaknesses, victories and sufferings, ideas and efforts. In dramatic ways, God is drawing people into knowledge and love of him from all peoples and areas of the world. This redemptive story is one God does not keep to himself. Instead, he beckons us to leave our mundane, small plans to join him in his Grand Narrative." - Chris Clayman
Part memoir, part biography of former Muslims, part missiological treaties, Superplan is an excellent book. The book is also a lens into ministry among diaspora peoples in North America and is therefore both an instructive and helpful resource for anyone wanting to share the love of Jesus with immigrants and refugees.
Superplan is a vivid example that modern missions is truly everywhere to everywhere.
Buy Your Copy
Clayman is the Co-Founder and an Associate Director of Global Gates, a mission organization focused on reaching the ends of the earth through global gateway cities. Superplan: A Journey into God’s Story is Clayman’s telling of his unexpected journey into the superplan of God. It is a book filled with encouragement and challenges readers to step into risk taking obedience to Jesus.
“Superplan” is a term a Bangladeshi brother in New York City coined in thinking about his own story and after hearing the of the circuitous journey on which God took Chris to bring him to Harlem where he regularly shares the love of Jesus with the very West African Muslims he had hoped to reach when he originally moved across the ocean.
"God’s Superplan is the redemptive story of God, rooted in eternity, recorded in the Bible, and realized even today. God’s Superplan transcends our strengths and weaknesses, victories and sufferings, ideas and efforts. In dramatic ways, God is drawing people into knowledge and love of him from all peoples and areas of the world. This redemptive story is one God does not keep to himself. Instead, he beckons us to leave our mundane, small plans to join him in his Grand Narrative." - Chris Clayman
Part memoir, part biography of former Muslims, part missiological treaties, Superplan is an excellent book. The book is also a lens into ministry among diaspora peoples in North America and is therefore both an instructive and helpful resource for anyone wanting to share the love of Jesus with immigrants and refugees.
Superplan is a vivid example that modern missions is truly everywhere to everywhere.
Buy Your Copy
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When I first received training and began working to apply the principles and strategies that would lead to multiplying movements of disciples-making-disciples and churches-planting-churches, I thought I had it figured out.
After all, I'd sat through a few hours of training and read the book, T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution.
I quickly realized that the way I'd always done things and learned to do things - my old paradigms of ministry - were well worn into my life. Like a deep rut in a country road, these paradigms kept sucking me back in. I'd think I was applying the principles of multiplication only to find out I'd slipped back into old habits.
What I needed was a way to continually refresh and re-form and recast vision. If vision leaks, I needed a way to constantly be refilling the vision.
24:14 - A Testimony To All Peoples is just that sort of resource. A collection of articles and testimonies from movement practitioners around the world, it provides a great source of inspiration, testimonies, new ideas and a clear vision for finishing the task.
The book is built around Jesus' words in Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." It has forty three chapters, all easily readable in five to ten minutes.
The old saying goes, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." With this book I'd reframe that old proverb and rather say, "A chapter a week keeps the vision refreshed."
>>> Find 24:14 Here (FREE)
After all, I'd sat through a few hours of training and read the book, T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution.
I quickly realized that the way I'd always done things and learned to do things - my old paradigms of ministry - were well worn into my life. Like a deep rut in a country road, these paradigms kept sucking me back in. I'd think I was applying the principles of multiplication only to find out I'd slipped back into old habits.
What I needed was a way to continually refresh and re-form and recast vision. If vision leaks, I needed a way to constantly be refilling the vision.
24:14 - A Testimony To All Peoples is just that sort of resource. A collection of articles and testimonies from movement practitioners around the world, it provides a great source of inspiration, testimonies, new ideas and a clear vision for finishing the task.
The book is built around Jesus' words in Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." It has forty three chapters, all easily readable in five to ten minutes.
The old saying goes, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." With this book I'd reframe that old proverb and rather say, "A chapter a week keeps the vision refreshed."
>>> Find 24:14 Here (FREE)
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It was early 2008 when I was first introduced to movement thinking at a world wide gathering for the mission agency I was working with at the time. I was new to the mission field, to church planting and so the week long seminar I attended rocked my world. There were so many paradigm shifts in what I was hearing, so much that was counter intuitive to what I'd done my entire church life in the U.S. It was disorientating at first but it struck a chord deep in my soul.
Church planting movments (CPM), disciple making movements (DMM), the spontaneous expansion of the church - all of it seemed born in the pages of scripture. Reading the case studies of movements happening in Asian and Africa looked like the book of Acts far more than my own church experience. And we we living in a country that was less than 0.01% Christian.
Doing what we'd always done was just not an option.
Over the next several years, we got some great training, had a great coach and dove into our own personal journey of rewriting the paradigms of church that had been embedded in us by a lifetime of North American church culture. I also began reading everything I could get my hands on in order to help me grow in my understanding and practice of all that it would take to see a church planting movement birthed where we were.
The first book that I read over and over again was the book of Acts. It is where everyone should start. But after that I began to find other books that helped me learn what God was doing in the book of Acts.
And so here are seven books that I found helpful on that journey.
Church planting movments (CPM), disciple making movements (DMM), the spontaneous expansion of the church - all of it seemed born in the pages of scripture. Reading the case studies of movements happening in Asian and Africa looked like the book of Acts far more than my own church experience. And we we living in a country that was less than 0.01% Christian.
Doing what we'd always done was just not an option.
Over the next several years, we got some great training, had a great coach and dove into our own personal journey of rewriting the paradigms of church that had been embedded in us by a lifetime of North American church culture. I also began reading everything I could get my hands on in order to help me grow in my understanding and practice of all that it would take to see a church planting movement birthed where we were.
The first book that I read over and over again was the book of Acts. It is where everyone should start. But after that I began to find other books that helped me learn what God was doing in the book of Acts.
And so here are seven books that I found helpful on that journey.
Church Planting Movements by David Garrison
This was the first book I ever read that dealt with church planting movements and multiplication. The first half of the book was filled with case studies of movements around the world. The second half taught about the Biblical principles that were found in movements around the world.
You can find out more about the book, including free pdf files of the book in many languages at the CPM website.
http://www.churchplantingmovements.com/
This was the first book I ever read that dealt with church planting movements and multiplication. The first half of the book was filled with case studies of movements around the world. The second half taught about the Biblical principles that were found in movements around the world.
You can find out more about the book, including free pdf files of the book in many languages at the CPM website.
http://www.churchplantingmovements.com/
T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution by Steve Smith with Ying Kai
T4T follows the story of an unfolding church planting movement that grew up in China. This book shares that story but then goes into detail unpacking the Biblical principles, strategies and methods that allowed Ying Kai to be used by God to catalyze a movement that saw over 1.7 million baptisms and 150,000 new churches in a ten year period.
T4T follows the story of an unfolding church planting movement that grew up in China. This book shares that story but then goes into detail unpacking the Biblical principles, strategies and methods that allowed Ying Kai to be used by God to catalyze a movement that saw over 1.7 million baptisms and 150,000 new churches in a ten year period.
What Jesus Started by Steve Addison
Steve Addison is a long time researcher of and practitioner of movement thinking. With What Jesus Started, he begins with the character, strategies and methods of Jesus. He then walk through the apostle's work in the book of Acts, focusing on the Apostle Paul. Laying a clear Biblical foundation for movment principles and strategies, Addison then moves into case studies from the last 2,000 years where movements happened across the globe.
Addison's website and podcast are exceptionally helpful as well.
https://www.movements.net/
Steve Addison is a long time researcher of and practitioner of movement thinking. With What Jesus Started, he begins with the character, strategies and methods of Jesus. He then walk through the apostle's work in the book of Acts, focusing on the Apostle Paul. Laying a clear Biblical foundation for movment principles and strategies, Addison then moves into case studies from the last 2,000 years where movements happened across the globe.
Addison's website and podcast are exceptionally helpful as well.
https://www.movements.net/
There's a Sheep in my Bathtub by Brian Hogan
This book tells the story of a movement that Hogan and others helped catalyze in Mongolia. It is a riveting story that unpacks movement principles through the on the ground lessons learned in the cauldron of ministry.
This book tells the story of a movement that Hogan and others helped catalyze in Mongolia. It is a riveting story that unpacks movement principles through the on the ground lessons learned in the cauldron of ministry.
Giving Up Control by A. J. DeJonge
Giving Up Control follows the journey into multiplication and movement principles by a group of Cru staff working on college campuses in Australia. As they apply the counter intuitive principles they learn valuable lessons that they share as ten coaching proverbs . This is a super helpful book and is just $0.99 as an ebook at Amazon.
Giving Up Control follows the journey into multiplication and movement principles by a group of Cru staff working on college campuses in Australia. As they apply the counter intuitive principles they learn valuable lessons that they share as ten coaching proverbs . This is a super helpful book and is just $0.99 as an ebook at Amazon.
Miraculous Movements by Jerry Trousdale
Miraculous Movements tells the powerful stories of movements spreading among highly resistant Muslim tribes in East and North Africa. These stories are interspersed with chapters teaching movement and multiplication principles. It is both an inspiring and helpful book.
Miraculous Movements tells the powerful stories of movements spreading among highly resistant Muslim tribes in East and North Africa. These stories are interspersed with chapters teaching movement and multiplication principles. It is both an inspiring and helpful book.
Contagious Disciple Making by David Watson and Paul Watson
David Watson was one of the early pioneers of catalyzing movements in the modern missions era. The lessons he learned in northern India have been invaluable in helping others apply Biblical principles to gospel work around the world. In this book he unpacks those principles in applicable lessons.
David Watson was one of the early pioneers of catalyzing movements in the modern missions era. The lessons he learned in northern India have been invaluable in helping others apply Biblical principles to gospel work around the world. In this book he unpacks those principles in applicable lessons.
These seven books will do much to help anyone interested in multiplication and movement. The paradigm shifts needed to begin to apply the Biblical principles of multiplication are enormous. These books will help you make those shifts.
A few other helpful books:
A few other helpful books:
- The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church by Rolland Allen
- Spent Matches by Roy Moran
- From Megachurch to Multiplication by Chris Galanos
- Stubborn Perseverance by James Nyman
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I was first introduced to Steve Smith through another book he was a part of writing: T4T: A Discipleship Re-revolution. That book detailed the work of Ying and Grace Kai as they labored toward a church planting movement in China. For me this was a paradigm shifting book and one I’d highly recommend.
And so last year when I saw that Steve had a new book coming out, I knew I’d want to read it. As I learned more about the book and then started reading it, I quickly realized that it would be even more important for me than the first.
Smith’s new book is called Spirit Walk: The Extraordinary Power of Acts for Ordinary People.
It was written for people just like me. I grew up in a wonderful church environment but one which we sometimes joked believed in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Bible. I had a tremendous foundation of Biblical knowledge but the working and power of the Holy Spirit was sometimes lacking.
I also had a strong Midwestern work ethic and desire for results which inevitably lead to the constant search for the silver bullet - the right method or tool or program that would get results.
Spirit Walk is a book that will guide you into a new understanding and relationship with the Spirit of God.
Here is a snippet from the preface:
At the core [of church planting movements around the world] is not a method (though simple, Biblical methods are important). At the center is not a discipleship process (though life on life interaction is critical). What is driving and sustaining the explosive growth of God’s kingdom is the age old Spirit Walk that God designed us for. Disciples are learning to keep in step with the Spirit of the Almighty God who knows no boundaries, opens every closed door, and produces fruit that lasts for eternity.
Spirit walk is an important book for anyone wanting to live a life of kingdom impact. It’s practical, relatable and a helpful guide into a more abundant relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
