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Mission Hits #66 (July 2025)

  • Writer: From Every Nation (Chris Howles)
    From Every Nation (Chris Howles)
  • Jul 31
  • 10 min read

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Welcome to Mission Hits, a monthly blog highlighting stimulating and significant recent resources related to world mission and world Christianity.


Welcome to Mission Hits # 66 (July 2025)

 

What does it mean to serve vulnerably?

How can we rekindle an apostolic imagination?

Why shouldn’t churches be ‘colourblind’?

Can Western missions still matter?


You'll find here questions worth asking and answers worth pondering.

 

From karmic Christianity to archaeological insights, from sending churches to suffering Christians, from insider movements to intercultural worship, I hope this edition both challenges and equips you for God’s global purposes.


If this blesses you, perhaps share it with someone else too. And do let me know what’s helpful, or what you’d like to see more of - chris.howles@fromeverynation.net.

 

Have a mission-minded month ahead, and I'll see you again soon for the next edition,


Chris (Howles)

Director of Cross-Cultural Training, Oak Hill College (UK)

Doctorate in Intercultural Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary (US)


ESSENTIALS (if you only have time for one...)


Essential for Missionaries


"Karmic Christianity is the common mode of interpreting God’s mysterious providences of blessing and discipline through contractual stipulations and transactional rituals. It’s a reap-what-you-sow, tit-for-tat religion of retribution…Though this is the normal Christian experience for many of us, it doesn’t need to be this way. There is gospel hope for the struggler." I doubt there are many missionaries out there right now who don't need this, from ED Burns…


Essential for Church Leaders


Chuck Lawless (Professor of Evangelism and Missions, SEBTS ) outlines some of the consequences when a church leader is zealous for the cause of God's global mission, including 'The church figures out how to reach internationals in their area' and 'The church teaches every generation (especially children) about missions'

Essential for Mission Agency Workers


I've never regretted taking time to read a Ted Esler post, and I certainly don't regret reading this one. In it, he lists twelve ways the Western church might be useful, experienced, gifted, and equipped in today’s global mission movement - clearly an important question for western mission agencies.

Essential for Christians Partnering as Senders


Mark Dever offers six words of wisdom for churches seeking to carefully consider their God-given responsibilities in His global purposes, including "Listen to the end of the Great Commission' and 'Treasure personal obedience'. From missionary.com

GENERAL (well worth your time)


A compelling case from a US missionary serving in Central Asia arguing that missionaries should actively establish and integrate into local churches rather than operate separately. "Missionaries, let's not sidestep the local church on the mission field. Let's either start one or join one…and please, let's not hold ourselves aloof from the local church for the sake of efficiency. After all, we are not called to be efficient above all else. We are called to be faithful. And that will often involve things that, at least initially, feel quite inefficient indeed."

 

"This post notes nine key barriers that must be addressed in order to rekindle the apostolic imagination. These are not mutually exclusive but woven together to create a great challenge for the Church." JD Payne (Professor of Christian Ministry at Samford University) helpfully highlights some theological and practical barriers preventing churches from fully engaging in the apostolic tasks of evangelism and church planting, including 'Domestic vs. international dichotomy' and 'Pastoral hegemony'.


Jessie Tang (Ethnomusicologist and Intercultural Ministry Director in the Diocese of Leicester, UK) argues that colourblindness ('I don't see colour') overlooks inequalities and fosters a false sense of unity within church settings, which often fails to benefit everyone or truly reflect a heavenly intercultural perspective. Blog post on the UK Evangelical Alliance website.

AUDIO/VISUAL (podcasts & videos)


Jason Mandryk, editor of Operation World on the role of strategic, Spirit-led intercession in the age of global change. "Jason helps us reimagine prayer not as an obligation but as a joyful, global act of partnership with God. We explore current global trends shaping the Church, the challenges of Western influence, and why now more than ever, believers must pray with insight." 52min episode of the Lausanne Movement podcast

 

Many of us are, or work alongside, human interpreters. I found this episode helpful in shedding light on the interpreting process from the interpreter’s perspective, offering valuable insights for working successfully alongside them. 16min episode from the Church Interpreting podcast.

 

"Ant Greenham, retired professor of Islamic Studies at SEBTS, addresses the theological and missiological dangers associated with Muslim Insider Movements  and insider Bible translations. He critiques the approach where biblical terminology is replaced with alternatives like to make the gospel palatable to Muslim audiences by explaining two major frameworks guiding missions: the theological approach, which emphasizes doctrinal faithfulness, and the anthropological approach, which focuses on cultural accessibility." 30min episode of The Missions Podcast

GOD ON THE MOVE (Oak Hill College conference plenary sessions)


Maybe a bit cheeky to include this here given I organised the event, but I hope you’ll agree it’s worth it. Here are the video recordings of the three plenary sessions from Oak Hill College’s 'God on the Move: Migration and Ministry in the UK Today' day conference held in June.


Together, these sessions explore the theology and missiology of migration and its impact on mission and ministry. The conference has sparked much fruitful discussion and engagement across the UK, and I hope these videos prove to be a blessing, challenge, and inspiration for you.


 

 

DIGGING DEEPER (challenging but rewarding)

An insightful essay that attempts to untangle the complexities involved in evaluating the missio Dei paradigm of mission. Harrison Perkins argues that the ‘wide’ view is misguided because it fails to distinguish between mission before and after the fall, advocating instead for a more ‘narrow,’ church-centred understanding of missio Dei. This strikes me as a significant step forward in the conversation…

 

I greatly enjoyed Darren’s reflections on last year’s Lausanne Congress, particularly how he wrestles with some of the conundrums and questions surrounding 'global Christianity' in light of his experiences there.

 

I've not seen much like this before, but it's fascinating: How archaeology can inform contemporary missiology. "The intersection of archaeology and missiology offers a rich field for exploring how early Christians navigated complex sociocultural terrains in Asia Minor. [These] 7 principles drawn from archaeological discoveries across the cities of Revelation illuminate patterns of early Christian practice and ecclesial formation. These are not merely historical insights; they are missiological trajectories rooted in real places, among real people, engaging real powers." From Michael Cooper at Ephesiology.com

BOOKS (recent releases)

Links are to Amazon for best info/reviews. Other outlets are available...


Tim Challies & Tim Keesee

"[This book] takes you on an unforgettable journey, showcasing how believers from all corners of the earth praise God in ways that are consistent with Scripture but faithful to the local language, customs, and culture. Starting in Fiji, you'll follow the sun as it rises and sets, moving through Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas, and beyond. From the hymns sung in Korea's bustling metropolises to the prayers offered in Zambia's open plains, you'll see and feel the unity and diversity of God's people." Book purchase includes a code for free streaming access to a 12-episode video series to watch what you are reading about.

 

Israel Oluwole Olofinjana, David Wise & Usha Reifsnider (Editors)

"We are living through a suffering context and a polarized world that requires a new ecclesiology. In [this book] theologians and practitioners together contend that intercultural churches create a counter-cultural kingdom narrative demonstrating how we can find unity in the midst of diversity and how this can enrich the lives of everybody involved. It offers new interdisciplinary perspectives on ecclesiology and missiology, envisioning a re-imagined church that is intercultural, intergenerational and interdenominational."

 

Deborah Bernhard & Marcus Grohmann (Editors)

"Vulnerable mission is about giving up rather than using power in cross-cultural Christian ministry. What would happen if more people embraced vulnerable mission by choosing to use only vernacular languages and local resources in key areas of their ministry? Kingdom growth would likely happen at a slower pace. Arguably, though, it would have greater depth, be more sustainable, and engage societal and theological issues in locally meaningful ways. This book is an introduction to vulnerable mission that is both comprehensive and compact."

MISCELLANEOUS (varied but valuable)


Greg Livingstone, founder of Frontiers, died on 19th July 2025. Read the tributes from John Piper, from Frontiers UK, and Frontiers US: "He would frequently email me to enthusiastically report that he was still working to recruit people to serve in some of the hardest to reach places. He never stopped. His passion for all Muslim peoples never dimmed. We are confident that the legacy of Greg’s ministry will be the wonderful chorus of tongues, tribes, and nations worshiping the Lamb."

 

I suspect some of you will be interested by this: 'Testament' - a new TV series imagining the events of the Book of Acts taking place in the modern era. You can read an extensive review in Christianity Today magazine here and a short summary in this article from Evangelical Focus. Watch clips, trailers, and interview on YouTube here, such as the healing of the lame beggar in Acts 3

 

This 9-volume series by Paul Hattaway (published by Langham) documents the extraordinary revival that has unfolded across nine provinces of China over recent decades. Drawing on over 35 years of experience in China and numerous first-hand interviews with church leaders, the series is beautifully designed and presented. It promises to be a remarkable resource for anyone interested in global Christianity.

QUOTES (wise one-liners)


(1) "Being in the Kingdom of God does not erase our cultural differences. To do so would be colonialism and God does not colonise."

Harvey Kwiyani

 

(2) “God is a missionary God. The Bible is a missionary book. The gospel is a missionary message. The church is a missionary institution. And when the church ceases to be missionary minded, it has denied its faith.” 

J. Herbert Kane

 

(3) “We have all eternity to tell of the victories won for Christ, but we have only a few hours before sunset to win them.”

Amy Carmichael

GLOBAL INSIGHT (critical news & trends)


This article about how Chinese Christians and churches are responding to growing opposition, threats, and persecution, is so humbling: "The resilience of China’s church is a reminder that, beyond the story of suffering - the steady drumbeat of reports of what oppressors are doing to the church - lies the sacred narrative of how the church continues to be the church in spite of, or in response to, the oppression." By Brent Fulton at the ChinaSource website.

 

"Over the past decade, the population nationwide has contracted by almost 1.9 million and the number of births has fallen for 16 consecutive years. On average, Italian women are now having just 1.18 babies, the lowest level ever recorded. That's under the EU average fertility rate of 1.38 and far below the 2.1 needed to sustain the population."

 

Here in the UK, we continue to be greatly blessed by the tens of thousands of Hong Kongese Christians who have immigrated over the past five years. But what about the churches they left behind? Christianity Today magazine explores the challenges faced by pastors and the dwindling congregations back in Hong Kong.


TWEETS (short but significant)

STATS (noteworthy numbers)


(1) Five countries (four of them in Africa) are expected to contribute more than 60% of the world’s population growth by 2100: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Tanzania. SOURCE

 

(2) The number of people ages 65 and older is expected to more than double, from 857 million today to 2.4 billion by 2100. That would increase their share of the global population from 10% to 24%. SOURCE

 

(3) By 2075, Asia will have more Christians than Europe. SOURCE (paywall)

HIGHLIGHTS (Most popular from last month's Mission Hits…)

 

 

JUST FOR FUN (unrelated but interesting!)


You can create some crazy maps here by centering on different countries, using different projections, and rotating, but they're all 'true'!! Go have a play, and enjoy the world in a new way…

 

This is bizarrely fascinating, but I suspect as people interested in culture you'll enjoy it too. Do societies dependent on rice function differently to societies dependent on wheat? Does this (partly) explain the differences between 'western' and 'eastern' cultures re: harmony, individualism, collectivism etc..

 

My kids greatly enjoyed this so I thought I'd share it with you. A side is added to the shape every time the ball hits it. What do you mean you'd never heard of a Pentacontaenneagon?! Turn your sound on too…


Full searchable archives of all Mission Hits resources from edition #1



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