Missions

Jesus’s mission for the church is clear: he commands that we proclaim and explain the good news that he died and rose from the dead to bring people to God (which is the gospel), invite people to turn from their sins and trust in Jesus, and help them to obey all that he commanded—all by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:18–20, Mark 13:10; Luke 24:44–49; John 20:31; Acts 1:8). And while we have different gifts, experiences, and resources, God calls each of us to contribute to that mission.

Missions (with an “s”) is an area of study that focuses on the motivations and methods for taking the gospel message to unreached or under-reached people groups. And while most Christians would not label themselves as missionaries, every Christian should think, pray, and give financially to support the work of missions, both at home and throughout the world. That is why the apostle Paul, for example, thanked God and rejoiced because of the church at Philippi’s “partnership in the gospel” (Phil. 1:5).

The resources below not only help us to understand the field of missions and how we can contribute, but they also inspire us to love God and boldly proclaim the gospel within our own sphere of influence.

Introductions

Missionary Methods and The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church by Roland Allen (3): Two classic studies by an English missionary to China and India, who emphasized establishing indigenously-led, self-replicating churches.

*Paul's Missionary Methods by Robert L. Plummer and John Mark Terry (Eds.) (3 or 4): “Using the centennial anniversary of Allen's work [Missionary Methods] as a springboard for celebration and reflection, the contributors to Paul's Missionary Methods have revisited Paul's first-century missionary methods and their applicability today.”

Invitation to World Missions by Timothy C. Tennent (3 or 4): An introduction to world missions that highlights the involvement of each person of the Trinity in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Introduction to Global Missions by Zane Pratt, M. David Sills & Jeff K. Walters (3 or 4): A balanced introduction to global missions that addresses the topic from various perspectives: biblical and theological, historical, and cultural and global. The authors conclude with five chapters that address the practice of global missions.

Paul the Missionary: Realities, Strategies and Methods by Eckhard J. Schnabel (3 or 4): “Eckhard Schnabel's two-volume Early Christian Mission is widely recognized as the most complete and authoritative contemporary study of the first-century Christian missionary movement. Now in Paul the Missionary Schnabel condenses volume two of the set, drawing on his research to provide a manageable study for students of Paul as well as students and practitioners of Christian mission today.”

*Let the Nations Be Glad! by John Piper (3 or 4): A theological study that emphasizes the importance of prayer, a willingness to suffer, and the necessity of explicit, saving faith in Jesus. Above all, worship is both the means and the goal of global missions.