Mission Ministry

Church leaders and pastors can sometimes struggle with a sudden increase in church attendance. And yet, what if the church in one nation is experiencing toward a million people each month being added? What would be the challenges? What about unity, communication, or discipleship? What are the church models that are applied to cope with revival and also in facing daily persecution?

In the midst of societal disruption and disillusionment, we're seeing signs of a new season of God bringing people into renewal and revival. Jesus is the Sent One who invites us to become like him and live as sent people. God is leading us into a new normal where all of us—not just the professionals—can encounter him and experience his work. Apostolic mission leaders Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty reveal God's invitation into everyday mission in the way of Jesus.

Filled with real-life stories and practical advice, Called to Care starts by helping you honestly assess your motivation to help - sometimes the wrong motivation sets the stage for an unsuccessful experience. From there, the book shows what adoption and foster care really look like in a variety of situations, from domestic and international adoptions to short-term foster care and foster-to-adopt arrangements. Also included is how churches and individuals can minister to refugees.

The New Book of Christian Martyrs commemorates those modern-day heroes. In this update to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Johnnie Moore and Jerry Pattengale highlight key martyrs of past centuries and feature stories of contemporary martyrs around the world. Through tears, Johnnie and Jerry offer this compendium of heroes from the first century to the twenty-first century, from Europe to Africa and from Asia to the Americas, to inspire Christians around the globe.

We’ve all seen fundraising and giving done poorly, but how do we get it right? Rob Martin was a grant maker for over 20 years and has been in and around the world of funding for a long time. He shares all that he’s learned about fundraising and giving in today’s world, the do’s and don’ts, and how it can be a mutual blessing to all parties involved.

In The Future is Bivocational, Andrew Hamilton casts a compelling vision for bivocational mission and ministry. He not only provides a strong biblical and missiological rationale for bivocational leadership, but he also shares practical insight on the benefits and challenges of being bivocational.

Dr. Marlene Payne provides a guide to mental health for missionaries, their families, church leaders and therapists. Through anonymous case studies and personal interviews with mission presidents and returned missionaries, she addresses the most common psychiatric disorders, their definition, course, and treatment, including: bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, body dysmorphic disorder and Asperger's syndrome.

Ministry Makeover examines the decline within the church, especially the United Methodist Church (UMC), and some causes for this decline. It calls for a reforming of United Methodist structure and polity by drawing more attention to the value of the bi-vocational model of ministry and a re-visitation of the Wesleyan/United Brethren view and historical perspective.

On Loving God is first a touching description of God's love for us as a unmistakably demonstrated in the death of his Son. Second, it is a call for us to joyfully respond to God like the child who runs to and embraces her father whose love is sure.

Evangelism and missions are parts of the Christian life often accompanied by fears, insecurities, and cultural pressures. In this addition to the Union series, Daniel Hames and Michael Reeves argue that an individual's relationship with God influences their evangelism and missions more than anything else. Scripture clearly shows that a believer's responsibility is to make God known in the world, but this cannot be done without first knowing and enjoying God.

The church is the origin, means, and end of missions. Scripture calls on missionaries to start and strengthen churches where new believers—and more missionaries—can grow. But today, many Christians downplay the role of the church in favor of pragmatism and parachurch ministries, weakening the missions cause. In this brief guide, pastors John Folmar and Scott Logsdon share their decades of experience working as pastors in Muslim countries. Showing how healthy churches are essential for fulfilling the Great Commission, they teach biblical ecclesiology and missiology with wisdom.

You’ve said “yes” to God’s call to go, and now you will pack up your things and step into the unknown of a new location, people, and culture. The following years will likely include great joy, frustration, homesickness, difficulty, and excitement. In this book, ten women who have served on the mission field share what they wish they had known before they began. This book is a handbook for entering the mission field.

Ce livre peut révolutionner l’Eglise et contribuer à la guérison de toute forme de stérilité spirituelle. Dans ce livre, l’auteur fustige les égarements qui détournent le message évangélique. Il veut, à travers un rappel des vérités fondamentales, ramener le peuple de Dieu à une conquête révolutionnaire des âmes. Car, explique-t-il, l’évangélisation est le fait de présenter Jésus à une personne qui ne le connait pas, de manière à provoquer une véritable rencontre avec Jésus.

"In this life, I have lost. I lost my husband and best friend. My children lost their father. But Stephen didn't lose his life. He found it." Early one morning, just down the street from the local mosque, gunshots shattered the silence. A young American lay in a pool of blood, murdered by al-Qaeda extremists. When God called Emily and Stephen Foreman to bring the gospel to a Muslim nation where Christianity was illegal, they knew they were being called to a life of sacrifice. "We died before we came here" was their common refrain.

For far too long, the church has tried to make disciples using a one-size-fits-all approach. Some churches advocate 1-on-1 discipling, others try getting everyone into a small group, while still others training through mission trips or service projects. Yet others focus all their efforts on...

Brother Lawrence, a 17th century cook and shoe repairman in a monastery in Paris, was known for his peaceful devotion to God. Though not formally educated, his life experiences in war and his humble service in the priory led others to look to him for wise counsel. His words were later collected into this marvelous short audiobook that has inspired Christians for centuries. The Practice of the Presence of God has been of great help to believers such as John Wesley and A.W. Tozer.

It happens to every parent. One day, you have a sweet son or daughter who loves to snuggle on the couch and who puts a smile on your face just by walking into the room. The next day, it's as if someone left the door open and let in an alien with a smart mouth and an attitude that, frankly, you could do without. Entering middle school is like stepping onto a different planet - for parent and child alike. It's a planet where peer pressure, social media, and hormones can wreak havoc in your child's life.

One of the first Methodist bishops in America, English-born Francis Asbury devoted his life to ministry, traveling on horseback to preach and teach to those living on the vastly isolated American frontier. Alone in a new country, with no home of his own, Asbury rode over 300,000 miles—across rivers and through rocky, overgrown roads—shining God’s light on the fledgling colonies.

Tom Doyle, who has a passion for both Muslims and Jews, travels to the Middle East frequently. He reports that in recent years amazing numbers of people in this war-torn region - Muslims and Jews alike - have come to Christ.

What world missions ministry would arise if you only had the Bible? Answer: It would start and end with the local church. A focus on the local church is biblical, practical, and effective. It aligns with the New Testament. Local churches everywhere display God's wisdom and the glory of Christ in the gospel. You’ll see it from the view of Christ, the Great Commission, first-century Christians, Paul, and the New Testament canon itself. Once you see it, you can’t un-see it! This book walks through these steps: A.