How do you decide what books to read? Read a blog post by Ken Guenther on this topic. In the post, Ken shares some thoughts from Bobby Clinton's booklet, “Reading on the Run”.

Have you experienced challenges in recalling and retaining information from your readings? Read Ken's blog post about this topic. Ken discusses the difficulty of recalling information from the many books he reads and shares methods and apps he uses to enhance his ability to remember and retain what he learns.

• A weekly book review (Book Look) on mission topics is provided by Missio Nexus for any members who have created a profile on the Missio Nexus website. These book reviews are provided courtesy of The Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College and Evangelical Missions Quarterly.
• Leader's Edge Book Summary. “Missio Nexus’ leadership thoughtfully summarize books, giving you the Leader’s Edge to help inform, stimulate and provoke profitable discussion. A monthly email includes a link to one book in each of three categories: Leadership, Mission/Ministry and Spiritual Formation.”In addition to a 75-word summary, each edition of Leader’s Edge unpacks the best information including the best chapter, the best quotes, the best illustration, the best idea, and the best take away.
• Mary Lou's Reviews A blog and book review service for people working cross-culturally. The purpose of this service is to provide weekly Christian resources for spiritual depth and intellectual vigor based on a different book each week. There is a sound bite to consider each week and a brief review that summarizes the book’s highlights. Books are chosen in the areas of global concerns, cross-cultural work, discipleship, and spiritual formation. They are recent books, most published since 2008. The purpose of the service is to keep you current with literature in your field without having to read each book. The reviewer is Dr. M.L. Codman-Wilson, a veteran of cross-cultural ministry and a professional both academically and practically in international teaching and mission outreach. She currently works with TEAM’s Lifelong Learning Center. If you are interested in being added to the weekly sound bite and review list, contact mailto:mlcodman@aol.com.

• Dialogical Apologetics: A Person-Centered Approach to Christian Defense by David K. Clark. Reviewed by Gary Ridley. Clark’s book emphasizes dialogue, a common topic in missiology, especially when interacting with adherents of other religions. Dialogue is often seen as antithetical to proclamation and defense of Christianity. The author makes a case that dialogue does not require neutrality or a commitment to pluralism. The book provides a model for authentic dialogue that is compatible with the defense and proclamation of the gospel.
• Telling a Better Story: How to Talk about God in a Skeptical Age by Joshua Chatraw. Reviewed by Gary Ridley on the SEND U blog.

• What is Biblical Theology?: A Guide to the Bible’s Story, Symbolism, and Patterns. by James M. Hamilton Jr. Reviewed by Gary Ridley on the SEND U blog.
• Prepared by Grace, For Grace: the Puritans on God's Ordinary Way of Leading Sinners to Christ by Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley. This book addresses what the Puritans taught about how God prepares people for conversion. The Puritans talked about the importance of using the law to convict sinners. Gary Ridley reviewed this book on this post on the SEND U blog.
• Against the Darkness: The Doctrine of Angels, Satan and Demons by Graham A. Cole. Reviewed by Gary Ridley on the SEND U blog.
• The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost Vision by Kevin J. Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan. In Gary Ridley's review of this book, he argues that missionaries also must be theologians, and even public theologians.
• The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy by Timothy Keller. Reviewed by Gary Ridley on the SEND U blog.
• Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage by Gavin Orlund. Reviewed by Gary Ridley on the SEND U blog.
• The Whole Christ by Sinclair B. Ferguson. See book review by Gary Ridley on SEND U Blog.

• see book section under church planting

• Ministering Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Personal Relationships by Sherwood G. Lingenfelter and Marvin K. Mayers. This book's discussion on basic personal values is used in MOP.

• Don't Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees: The Adventures of an American Surgeon in Nepal by Thomas Hale.

• Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards. Those who grew up in the west are quite often unaware that those in different cultures don't approach the Bible with the same assumptions that we do. This doesn't necessarily make us (or them) wrong, but it can lead to problems in communicating effectively. Since the Bible wan't written from a Western perspective, it can hamper our own understanding of Scripture as well.

• Communicating Across Cultures by Stella Ting-Toomey
• Global Humility: Attitudes for Mission by Andy McCullough. Reviewed on the A Life Overseas blog.

• English Teaching as Christian Mission: An Applied Theology by Donald B. Snow. Review by Ken Guenther
• See Resources on TESOL Resources page

• Writing Ethnographic Field Notes by Emerson, Fretz, Shaw
• Tales of the Field by John Van Maanen – how to write ethnographies
• The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What can be Done About Itby Paul Collier – opens our eyes to the real world and how the rich and the poor influence each other

• Spirituality Of Fundraising.pdf by Henri Nouwen
• Funding Your Ministry: An In-depth, Biblical Guide for Successfully Raising Personal Support by Scott Morton
• The God Ask: A Fresh, Biblical Approach to Personal Support Raising by Steve Shadrach. Highly recommended. Reviewed by Ken Guenther on the SEND U blog.

see books listed on the Leadership books page

see books listed on the Member Care page

see books listed on Missiology page

• Biography of James Hudson Taylor by Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor. Recommended by Bruce Harris.

• John Piper's audio biographies, particularly the one on Adoniram Judson. Recommended by Ron Smith (WorldTeam missionary)

• A reading list compiled from the lists of two of our experienced workers for those preparing for Muslim ministries.

• See also on Engaging Unreached.

• When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. reviewed by Tim Baker. Chosen as the 2010 Book of the Year in the mission category by David Mays.

see books listed on Spiritual Formation page

• Teaching Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Learning and Teaching by Judith and Sherwood Lingenfelter.
• The Learning Cycle: Insights for Faithful Teaching from Neuroscience and the Social Sciences by Muriel I. Elmer > Reviewed by Gary Ridley on the SEND U blog.
• Teaching and Learning across Cultures: A Guide to Theory and Practice by Craig Ott > Reviewed by Gary Ridley on the SEND U blog.

• World Evangelical Alliance books, free for download:
  • Establishing Ministry Training
  • Integral Ministry Training Design and Evaluation
  • Preparing to Serve: Training for Cross-cultural Mission
  • Send me!: Your Journey to the Nations
  • Toward Best Practices in Missionary Training
• Well Sent: Reimaging the Church's Missionary-Sending Process by Steve Beirn, Global Ministries Pastor at Calvary Church in Lancaster, PA. Reviewed by Gary Ridley on the SEND U blog.
• Relational Missionary Training by Mark Hedinger. See book review by Gary Ridley on the SEND U blog.

Wondering how you will get these good books to your country? Consider purchasing the Amazon Kindle, and reading your books on it. Not only are digital books significantly cheaper, the shipping costs are non-existent, and you can carry your books with you wherever you go. But Amazon digital books can also be read on your computer (PC or Mac) or on your IPhone, Android Phone, IPad or Blackberry. These Kindle applications are all free!

Free software to keep track of books you own, want to read or have read

• Calibre is a great software program designed to manage all your e-books on your computer. Best of all, it is also free. It works great with the Kindle.
• Goodreads. An online site that works well with Amazon and the Kindle