Suggestions for Books about Missionaries
If you have enjoyed this book, take a look at books by or about the following missionaries.
Gladys Aylward, Inn of the Sixth Happiness OR The Small Woman, China.
William W. Borden (1887-1913). Amer. missionary to Muslims in China.
David Brainerd (1718-1747). Missionary to American Indians.
Cambridge Seven. Seven Englishmen who went to China as missionaries.
William Carey (1761-1834). English Baptist missionary to India.
Amy W. Carmichael (1867-1951). Irish missionary to India.
James Chalmers (1841-1901). Scottish missionary-explorer to South Pacific Islands.
John Corey (died 2013), Any Ol’ Bush Will Do, missionary to Ethiopia, Liberia, and Russia.
Jim Elliot, Through Gates of Splendor. Martyr in Peru, by Elisabeth Elliot.
John Eliot (c1604-1690). Missionary to American Indians.
John Geddie (1815-1872). Canadian missionary to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu).
James Gilmour (1843-1891). Pioneer Scottish missionary to Mongolia.
Solomon L. Ginsburg (1867-1927). Polish, Baptist missionary to Brazil.
Jonathan Goforth (1859-1936). Canadian missionary to China.
George Grenfell (1849-1906). English Baptist missionary to Africa.
Hale (20th century), Don’t Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees
Jankoski, Mike. Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America
Adoniram Judson (1788-1850). American Baptist missionary to Burma.
Ann Hasseltine Judson (1789-1826). "The First Lady of American foreign missions."
Emily Chubbuck Judson (1817-1854). Third wife of missionary Adoniram Judson
Sarah H. Boardman Judson (1803-1845). Second wife of missionary Adoniram Judson.
Isabel Kuhn, In the Arena, and other titles
Eric Liddell, Olympic Track Winner & missionary to China, introduced in the movie, Chariots of Fire
David Livingstone (1813-1873). Scottish missionary, explorer to Africa.
Alexander Mackay (1849-1890). Pioneer Scottish missionary to Uganda.
Samuel Marsden (1764-1838). English, New S. Wales & New Zealand.
Joshua Marshman (1768-1837). English Bapt. missionary to India with Carey.
Henry Martyn (1781-1812). Missionary to India, Persia; Bible translator.
Mary Moffat (1795-1871). Wife of missionary Robert Moffat.
Robert Moffat (1795-1883). Pioneer Scottish missionary to South Africa.
Lottie Moon, China!
Robert Morrison (1782-1834). English missionary to China.
Henry Nott (1774-1844). English missionary to Tahiti (Society Islands).
John G. Paton (1824-1907). Scottish missionary to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu).
Don Richardson, Peace Child
Rachel Saint. Missionary to the Waorani of Equador.
Steve Saint. End of the Spear. Son of Nate Saint, martyr in Peru
Mary Slessor (1848-1915). Scottish missionary to Africa.
Ron Snell, It’s a Jungle Out There!
John C. Stam (1907-1934) and Betty (1906-1934). Missionaries to China.
C. T. Studd (1860-1931). English missionary to China, India, and Africa.
Hudson Taylor (1832-1905). English missionary to China.
Anne Townsend (20th century) Once Bitten, Thailand
William Ward (1769-1823). English Baptist missionary to India with Carey.
John Williams (1796-1839). English missionary to South Pacific
General Bibliography
Americans Abroad. https://www.usa.gov/americans-abroad
Andrew, Brother. God’s Smuggler. Bloomington, MN: Chosen Books, 2015.
Association of Christian Schools International. https://www.acsi.org
Barnes Christopher. The Personal Travel Safety Manual. Tally Ho Consulting, 2003.
Belafonte, Harry, Malvina Reynolds and Alan Greene. “Turn Around”. https://genius.com/Harry-belafonte-turn-around-lyrics
Bessenecker, Scott A. Overturning Tables: Freeing Missions from the Christian-Industrial Complex. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2014.
“A Biblical Critique to C5 Strategies Among Muslims.” http://www.edsmither.com/uploads/5/6/4/6/564614/martin_ems_2012.pdf
Brewster, E. Thomas and Elizabeth S. Brewster. Bonding and the Missionary Task: Establishing a Sense of Belonging. Pasadena: Lingua House, 1992.
Brewster, E. Thomas and Elizabeth S. Brewster. Language learning is communication – is Ministry! Pasadena: Lingua House, 1992.
“A Brief History of the Moravian Church. https://www.moravian.org/2018/07/a-brief-history-of-the-moravian-church/.
“The Business is the Mission.” https://businessasmission.com/the-business-is-the-mission/
Bly, Stephen A. Just Because They’ve Left Doesn’t Mean They’re Gone: How to Love and Support Your Adult Children. Thomas Nelson: Grand Rapids, 1993.
Claire, Elizabeth. What’s so Funny? (A Foreign Student’s Introduction to American Humor) Rochelle Park: Eardley Publications, 1984.
Crabb, Larry. The Marriage Builder. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.
Customs Duty Information. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info
de Becker, Gavin. The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence. New York: Dell Publishing, 1997.
de Becker, Gavin. Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane). New York: Dell Publishing, 2000.
“Five Reasons Your Short-Term Missions Trip Might Do More Harm Than Good.” http://www.sharefaith.com/blog/2014/02/reasons-short-term-mission-trip-harm-good/
Foxe, John. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Bridge-Logos, 2001.
Green, Michael. Evangelism in the Early Church. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970.
Greenway, Roger S. “Eighteen Barrels and Two Big Crates.” http://www.missionfrontiers.org/issue/article/eighteen-barrels-and-two-big-crates
Griffiths, Michael. Lambs Dancing with Wolves: A Manual for Christian Workers Overseas. London: Monarch Books, 2001.
Intercultural Press. https://openlibrary.org/publishers/Intercultural_Press
International House, https://ihworld.com/
Kohls, L. Robert. Survival Kit for Overseas Living: For Americans Planning to Live and Work Abroad. Boston: Intercultural Press, Inc. 2001.
Mandryk, Jason. Operation World. Downers Grove: IVP Press, 2010.
McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee. Vol. 5. Thomas Nelson, 1983.
Nichols, Gregory. “A Case for Bribery: Giving versus Taking.” https://missionexus.org/a-case-for-bribery-giving-versus-taking/
Nichols, Philip M. “The Business Case for Complying with Bribery Laws.” http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1744-1714.2012.01134.x/full
Passports. https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html
Piven, Joshua & David Borgenicht. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Expert Advice for Extreme Situations. Quirk Productions, 2019.
Piven, Joshua & David Borgenicht. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel. book soup publishing, inc., 2001.
Rose, Darlene Deibler. Evidence Not Seen: A Woman’s Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.
Schneider, Christine. You Can Read and Understand the Bible. Spokane, WA: Keybobby Books, 1995.
Schneider, Christine C. What Price Sacrifice? Scarborough, ON: Everyday Publications, Inc., 1983.
Schneider, Floyd. Evangelism for the Fainthearted. Spokane, WA: Keybobby Books, 2017.
Schneider, Floyd E. Mark Challenges the Aeneid. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2019.
“Short Term Missions Trips.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dennis-j-horton-phd/shortterm-mission-trips-a_b_866197.html
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr. A-Z Quote. https://www.azquotes.com/author/13869-Aleksandr_Solzhenitsyn
Storti, Craig. Figuring Foreigners Out: A Practical Guide. Intercultural Press, 2000.
Strauch, Alexander. The Hospitality Commands. Littleton, CO: Lewis & Roth Publishers, 1995.
Thompson, Francis. “The Hound of Heaven.” https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4ef2/fae96e6e9e13b2d1f1285139d9574d4707b2.pdf
Travel Warnings. https://travel.state.gov/travel.warnings.html
Tucker, Ruth A. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.
Weber, Carolyn. Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011.
Wecks, John. Free to Disagree. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1996.
“Why You Should Consider Cancelling Your Short-Term Missions Trip.” https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-you-should-consider-cancelling-your-short-term-mission-trips
Winter, Ralph. “Finishing the Task: The Unreached Peoples Challenge. https://www.ijfm.org/PDFs_IJFM/19_4_PDFs/winter_koch_task.pdf
General Missions Textbooks
Hay, Alex Rattray. The New Testament Order for Church and Ministry. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2010.
Hesselgrave, David J. and Keith Eitel. Paradigms in Conflict: 15 Key Questions in Christian Missions Today. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2018.
Pocock,
Michael, Gailyn Van Rheenen, Douglas McConnell. The Changing Face of World Missions: Engaging
Contemporary Issues and Trends. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.
Priest, Robert J. Effective Engagement in Short-term Missions: Doing it Right! Pasadena: William Carey Library, 2008.
Steffen, Tom and Lois McKinney Douglas. Encountering Missionary Life and Work: Preparing for Intercultural Ministry. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008.
Taylor, William D., editor. Global Missiology for the 21st Century: The Igaussu Dialogue. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.
Wright, Christopher J. H. The Mission of God. Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.
World Religions and Missions
“A Biblical Critique to C5 Strategies Among Muslims.” http://www.edsmither.com/uploads/5/6/4/6/564614/martin_ems_2012.pdf
Hick, John, (Pinnock, McGrath, Geivette, Phillips). Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2010.
McDermott, Gerald R. Can Evangelicals Learn from World Religions? Jesus, Revelation, Religious Tradition. Downer’s Grove: IVP Academic, 2000.
Morgan, Christopher W. and Robert A. Peterson, editors. Hell Under Fire. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.
Muck, Terry & Francis S. Adeney. Christianity Encountering World Religions. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
Netland, Harold. Encountering Religious Pluralism: The Challenge to Christian Faith and Mission.Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity, 2001.
Ramachandra, Vinoth. Faiths in Conflict? Christian Integrity in a Multicultural World. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1999.
Richard, Ramesh P. The Population of Heaven: A Biblical Response to the Inclusivist Position on Who Will be Saved. Chicago: Moody, 1994.
Ripken, Nik. From Seed to Fruit: Global Trends, Fruitful Practices, and Emerging Issues among Muslims. William Carey Library, 2008.
Contextualization and Global Theology
Flemming, Dean. Contextualization in the New Testament: Patterns for Theology and Mission. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2005.
Hiebert, Paul G. “Critical Contextualization” and “The Fourth Self.” Anthropological Insights for Missionaries. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1985, pp. 171-224
Hiebert, Paul G. “Form and Meaning in the Contextualization of the Gospel.” The Word Among Us: Contextualizing Theology for Mission Today. Gilliland, Dean S., ed., Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 1989, pp. 101-120.
Kraft, Charles H., ed. Appropriate Christianity. William Carey Library, 2005.
Ott, Craig & Howard A. Netland, editors. Globalizing Theology: Belief and Practice in a World of Christianity. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.
Metzger, Paul Louis. Connecting Christ: How to Discuss Jesus in a World of Diverse Paths. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012.
Tennent, Timothy C. Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church is Influencing the Way we Think About and Discuss Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.
Van Rheenan, Gailyn, ed. Contextualization and Syncretism Navigating Cultural Currents. Pasadena: Evangelical Missiological Society, 1984.
Winter, Ralph. “Finishing the Task: The Unreached Peoples Challenge.” https://www.ijfm.org/PDFs_IJFM/19_4_PDFs/winter_koch_task.pdf
Spiritual Dynamics of Mission
Hiebert, Paul G. “Spiritual Warfare and Worldview.” Taylor, William D., editor. Global Missiology for the 21st Century: The Igaussu Dialogue. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001, p. 163,178.
Lowe, Chuck. Territorial Spirits and World Evangelisation: A Biblical, Historical and Missiological Critique of Strategic-Level Spiritual Warfare. Mentor, 2001.
McConnell, C. Douglas, ed. ”The Holy Spirit and Mission,” EMS #5. “Deliver Us from Evil: An Uneasy Frontier in Christian Mission,” A Scott Moreau, et al. eds.
Rommen, Edward, ed. “Spiritual Power and Missions: Raising the Issues,“ EMS #3.
Ministry in a Suffering World
Corbett, Steve and Brian Fikkert. When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself. Chicago: Moody, 2012.
Mission Frontiers, July-August 2011, entire issue.
Sustainability. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2006
Schwartz, Glenn G. When Charity Destroys Dignity: Overcoming Unhealthy Dependency in the Christian Movement. Bloomington, IN: Author House, 2007.
Cultural Anthropology
Grunlan, Stephen A. and Marvin K. Mayers. Cultural Anthropology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988.
Hiebert, Paul G. Cultural Anthropology. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997.
Howell, Brian M. and Jenell Williams Paris. Introducing Cultural Anthropology. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2019.
Podolefsky, Aaron and Peter J. Brown. Applying Cultural Anthropology: An Introductory Reader. McGraw-Hill Education, 2012.
Conversion Stories from Diverse Cultures
Animistic
Crying Wind. Crying Wind. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1980.
Crying Wind. My Searching Heart. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1980.
Hindu
Maharaj, Rabi R. Death of a Guru: A Remarkable True Story of one Man's Search for Truth. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1984.
Muslim
Qureshi, Naabeel and Lee Strobel. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A devout Muslim encounters Christianity. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018.
Sheikh, Bilquis and Richard Schneider. I Dared to Call Him Father: The Miraculous Story of a Muslim Woman's Encounter with God. Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2005
Roman Catholic
Bennett, Richard, Editor and Martin Buckingham, Editor. Far from Rome, Near to God: Testimonies of Fifty Roman Catholic Priests. Banner of Truth, 1998.
Athiest
Francis S. Collins, M.D.m, Ph.D, head of the Human Genome Project. https://www.premierchristianradio.com/Shows/Saturday/Unbelievable/Unbelievable-blog/How-a-world-famous-geneticist-went-from-staunch-atheist-to-Christian-convert
Movies and Documentaries
Please note: When purchasing DVDs on culture and other countries, make sure they are formatted for Region 1 if you are viewing in North America. Europe is Region 2, and there are four more regions. Blu-Ray has a total of three regions.
Beyond the Gates of Splendor. Dir. Jim Hanon. Perf. Steve Saint. 20th Century Fox, 2005. DVD. A documentary account of the martyrdom of five missionaries in Ecuador and of the miraculous salvation of those who murdered them.
End of the Spear. Dir./Writer Jim Hanon. 20th Century Fox, 2006. DVD. Steve Saint, the son of a martyred missionary, moves his family to live in Ecuador with the tribe that killed his father.
The Gods Must Be Crazy 1. Dir. Marius Weyers. Columbia Tristar, 2004. DVD. A hilarious clash of many cultures in southern Africa – South Africa, tribal, England
The Hundred-Foot Journey. Dir. Lasse Hallström. Perf. Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Charlotte Le Bon. DreamWorks Pictures, 2015. DVD. A family from India moves to France and opens a restaurant across the road from a fancy French restaurant. Racial prejudice and cultural clashes.
The Jesus Film. Dir. John Heyman. 35th Anniversary edition, 2014, includes versions in eight languages. Translated into many languages, this film tells the story of Jesus and has been used in many settings to awaken the curiosity of people for knowing more of the Lord Jesus.
In Love and War. Dir. John Kent Harrison. Perf. Callum Blue, Barbara Bobulova. Hallmark Hall of Fame, 2001. TV Film. During World War 2, an American soldier is on the run from the Germans in war-torn Italy. His desire to learn the language wins the hearts of the people and teaches him to love Italians.
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. Dir. Mark Robson. Perf. Ingrid Bergman. 20th Century Fox, 1957. DVD. A young English woman, against all advice, travels alone to China and wins her village to Christ, saving the children during the war.
Mostly Martha. Dir. Sandra Nettlebeck. Paramount, 2002. DVD. German with English subtitles. When purchasing, make sure it will play on your DVD player. Martha is a chef in Germany, and when her life turns upside down, her boss hires a chef from Italy. Culture clashes in the kitchen and life.
Not Without My Daughter. Dir. Brian Gilbert. Perf. Sally Field, Robert Molina. Fox, 1990. DVD. Held prisoner by her husband, an American wife escapes from totalitarian Iran.
Peace Child. Vision Video, 2009. DVD. A missionary and his wife risk their lives to live with the cannibalistic Sawi tribe in New Guinea.
Risen. Dir. Kevin Reynolds. Perf. Joseph Feinnes. Columbia Pictures, 2016. DVD. The Jewish Messiah, after his dead body disappears, wins the heart of a Roman Centurion.
Seven Years in Tibet. Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud. Perf. Brad Pitt. DVD. An Austrian, seeking peace after a mountaineering tragedy, treks to Tibet to meet the Dali Lama.