Servant Life | Suggested Reading
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SUGGESTED READING

"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't." 

- John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad

If the following list is a bit overwhelming and you don't know where to start, our top four recommendations are as follows:

Let the Nations be Glad  by John Piper (for those considering the "Why?" of missions)
When Helping Hurts  by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett (for those considering the big picture "How?" of missions)
Cross-Cultural Servanthood  by Duane Elmer (for those considering the personal character "How?" of missions)
Ten Who Changed the World   by Danny Akin (for those looking for encouragement from the history of missions)


Introduction to Missions
Let the Nations be Glad  by John Piper 
The Missionary Call  by M. David Sills
Introduction to Global Missions  by Zane Pratt, M. David Sills, Jeff K. Walters

What Is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission by Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert

Theology of Missions and Evangelism

Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary by J.D Greear

Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot

A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story by Michael W. Goheen

Theology and Practice of Mission: God, The Church, and the Nations  by Bruce Ashford
The Mission of God's People: A Biblical Theology of the Church's Mission  by Christopher Wright
The Master Plan of Evangelism  by Robert E. Coleman
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God  by J.I. Packer

Missional Living

Radical  by David Platt 

Crazy Love  by Francis Chan

Cross-Cultural Servanthood  by Duane Elmer

True Religion  by Palmer Chinchen 

Don't Waste Your Life  by John Piper  

Mother Teresa: No Greater Love  by Mother Teresa

7 Men: And the Secret of Their Greatness by Eric Metaxes

7 Women: And the Secret of Their Greatness by Eric Metaxes

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex & Brett Harris

God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew, John Sherrill, and Elizabeth Sherrill

Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just by Timothy Keller

World Religion
Breaking the Islam Code  by J.D. Greear
The World's Religions  by Huston Smith
Cross-Cultural Connections  by Duane Elmer
A Wind in the House of Islam  by David Garrison
Spiritual Warfare and Missions  by Jerry Rankin and Ed Stetzer
The Great Omission by Steve Saint
Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan 
God’s Double Agent by Bob Fu
Equipped for Adventure: A Practical Guide to Short-Term Mission Trips by Scott Kirby

A Survey of World Missions by Robin Hadaway
 

Poverty and Global Issues
When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty without Hurting the Poor... and Yourself by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett
The Poverty of Nations by Barry Asmus and Wayne Grudem
The Skeptic's Guide to Global Poverty by Dale Hanson Bourke
The Skeptic's Guide to the Global AIDS Crisis by Dale Hanson Bourke
Mission Africa: A Field Guide by Various Artists


Missionary Biographies
Ten Who Changed the World  by Danny Akin
Faithful Witness: The Life and Mission of William Carey  by Timothy George
Lottie Moon: Giving Her All for China  by Janet and Geoff Benge
Shadow Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot by Elisabeth Elliot
To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson  by Courtney Anderson
Hudson Taylor: Deep in the Heart of China  by Janet and Geoff Benge
Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit  by Charles Swindoll
David Livingstone: Africa's Trailblazer  by Janet and Geoff Benge
The Life and Diary of David Brainerd  by Jonathan Edwards
The Insanity of God  by Nik Ripken

I Would Die For You by Brent & Deanna Higgins with excerpts from the journals of BJ Higgins

 

Short-Term Missions
No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions by Matt Rhodes

Serving with Eyes Wide Open  by David A. Livermore
Foreign to Familiar: A Guide to Understanding Hot and Cold Climate Cultures  by Sarah A. Lanier  
Maximum Impact Short-Term Mission  by Roger Peterson

Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, and How to Reverse It by Robert. D Lupton

A Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri J. M. Nouwen

 

Orphan Care

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis 

Orphanology by Tony Merida and Rick Morton 

Too Small to Ignore by Wess Stafford

International Church Planting
Discovering Church Planting: An Introduction to the Whats, Whys, and Hows of Church Planting  by J.D. Payne
Global Church Planting: Biblical Principles and Best Practices for Multiplication  by Craig Ott and Gene Wilson
A Vision of the Possible: Pioneer Church Planting in Teams  by Daniel Sinclair

 

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