Mission Hits #67 (September 2025)
- From Every Nation (Chris Howles)
- Oct 1
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 1
Welcome to Mission Hits, a monthly blog highlighting stimulating and significant recent resources related to world mission and world Christianity.
Welcome to Mission Hits # 67 (September 2025)
Whatever your call, past, present, or future, in God's glorious global gospel purposes, you’ll find something in Mission Hits # 67 to help you be informed, inspired, and involved in Great Commission participation:
How to escape the productivity trap…how to prepare to go…how to prioritize the church in mission, and much more.
One small practical change to report going forward: Our 'Essentials' section at the start will be 3 resources now, not 4. This is to keep it consistent with other sections.
If Mission Hits 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
What are some of the mistakes, traps, blind spots that Western missionaries can exhibit when ministering cross-culturally? Everyone's different of course, but this long list is insightful. Includes points like 'We treat locals as projects rather than genuine friends' , 'We are anti-institutional' and 'We over-prioritise physical safety'.
Essential for Church Leaders
Helpful reflections here to equip church leaders as they pastor, counsel, and guide missionaries who are facing depression: "Managing mental health wisely is not a weakness. It’s a mark of maturity and faithful stewardship. Being self-aware, seeking help when needed and preparing well are all part of serving with integrity—and none of these disqualify you from being used by God." From Pioneers US.
Essential for Christians Partnering as Senders
Sound advice that mission agencies would do well to integrate into their pre-deployment processes: includes 'Pay attention to your relationship with God' , 'Know your whys' , and 'Serve where you are'. Great thoughts from Alex Hawke, UK Director of SIM.
GENERAL (well worth your time)
Extremely timely and significant for cross-cultural mission today, at home and abroad: From Darren Carlson (Founder, Training Leaders International): "There is one simple, stubborn truth to keep repeating until it sinks in: you cannot win people you hate. You cannot persuade those you secretly despise…May the Lord make us eager to love the very neighbors we are tempted to fear. And may he teach us again that the way of the cross is not just the way we are saved—it is also the way we speak, suffer, and stay faithful in a fractured age."
"I have devoted my life to Christian missions. Am I guilty of cultural assault?" Amy Medina reflects on a recent guardian article about mission work in the Amazon today (and the rather critical comments below it) to push back against the missionary = colonizer narrative..."The best missionaries help to redeem culture, not destroy it "
"Sometimes I wonder if God's plan in allowing so many languages and cultures is, in part, so that we might be better equipped to see more of aspects of the Scriptures' richness and beauty." How believers from different cultures can see different things in Scripture that some of us easily miss - in this case, God's hospitality:
AUDIO/VISUAL (podcasts & videos)
I appreciated the careful approach to some tricky questions in this 29-min episode of The Missions Podcast as Scott & Alex explore Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox in the global missions task, inc. 'Are they reached?' , 'Are they saved?' and 'Should we consider those groups in our mission strategies?'
"Missionary life can be an endless swirl of urgent needs, unfinished to-do lists, and pressure to prove your worth through results. Do you ever feel like you're running hard but still falling behind?" 50-min conversation between Stephanie Leigh Gutierrez and Amy Young on embracing 'slow productivity' and avoiding burnout.
40-min conversation on the Urbana podcast with Matthew Ellison of 16:15 Outfitters who argues that while all Christians are called to live on mission and be witnesses in their own communities, not everyone is a missionary:
DIGGING DEEPER (challenging but rewarding)
A new Pew Research Report presenting global religious trends 2010-2020. Significantly, they report the professing Christian population at just 28.8% of the world's population, 2-3 points lower than other similar reports.
Theologically-grounded thoughts on a crucial and complex topic from Congolese Reformed theologian Isaac Ilunga (Gospel Coalition Africa): "The Bible calls Christians to a balanced view: uphold justice and order, yet respond to migrants with discernment and grace. Integration should be encouraged; national identity respected. But compassion must not be abandoned."
This is not a 'top ten ways to increase your mission agency's productivity using AI' type-article, but rather a framework for thinking through the needs, opportunities, concerns, and spiritual dimensions of AI in Great Commission ministry. Rev. Dr. James Hwang writing for Chinasource.org
BOOKS (recent releases)
Links are to Amazon for best info/reviews. Other outlets are available...
Harvey C Kwiyani
"For the past 500 years, the idea of the mission of God has been synonymous with that of the expansion of the Western civilisation and its influence in the world. Mission methods have developed that use western supremacy and militarism as a justifiable means to convert the world and make disciples for Christ. Imagining what mission without imperialism would look like, [the author] sheds light on the connection between colonialism and mission and invites us to realign our missional methods with God's."
John Folmar & Scott Logsdon
"The church is the origin, means, and end of missions. But today, many Christians downplay the role of the church in favor of pragmatism and parachurch ministries, weakening the missions cause. Showing how healthy churches are essential for fulfilling the Great Commission, [these authors] teach biblical ecclesiology and missiology with wisdom and real-world advice from the field."
Larry W. Caldwell
"How can believers across cultures faithfully read and apply Scripture in a way that honors both the biblical text and their unique cultural contexts? [This book] introduces ethnohermeneutics - a revolutionary yet biblical approach to reading Scripture with, rather than for, the world. Through real-life illustrations, interactive activities, and case studies, readers will discover how they can also read and interpret God's word in their own cultures."
MISCELLANEOUS (varied but valuable)
Every Voice is a 'centre for kingdom diversity in Christian theological education'. It’s a website (with searchable database) with links to works by minority ethnic and majority world theologians. Curated by scholars from MBTS, Wheaton, Biola, SEBTS, Regent, SMBC, and more, this resource blesses and benefits us all.
An eight-session course by Chris Wright about God's mission and what that means for us as God's people in the world today. Each session provides a video resource, relevant reading from the Scriptures, and an opportunity for reflection and discussion.
Great advice here (and links to helpful apps) for helping grandparents to connect well with missionary kids living far away. It will always be painful, but there may be ways to ease that burden a little…
QUOTES (wise one-liners)
(1) “Hearing the missionary call has a great deal to do with what you are listening for.”
David Sills
(2) "Typically, we try to do with money what we should do with witness."
Nik Ripken
(3) "We know that the call to mission is not a thing of the past. Today too Jesus needs [people] to go forth to the peripheries of our world as messengers and agents of compassion."
Pope Francis
GLOBAL INSIGHT (critical news & trends)
“Now we worship here in shadows, praying no one reports us again.” Government regulations, meant to curb rogue preachers and ensure safety, push thousands of churches into hiding." A regulation enacted in March now requires all pastors or branch leaders to have at least 1,200 hours of theological training, 1,000 supporting signatures from local residents, and a fee of ~US$1,400 to register each new church (Justin Long).
The role of witch doctors in Uganda's elections “Witch doctors now are reaping money from politicians because the real hope is in the witch doctor....[he] cited a politician who, urged on by a witch doctor, skinned a goat alive without slaughtering it. He then won the election."
"We are living in an extraordinary moment in history when the greatest obstacle to world mission is being dismantled. Bible translation is not about producing books on shelves. It is about unlocking eternal hope. It is about giving people the opportunity to hear God speak to them in the language they dream in, laugh in, and cry in." Thrilling, from Dr James Poole, Executive Director Wycliffe Bible translators
TWEETS (short but significant)
STATS (noteworthy numbers)
(1) The world’s median age is projected to rise to 42 by 2100, up from 31 today and 22 in 1950. SOURCE
(2) Vietnam, Egypt, Eritrea, and China all have higher percentages of their population as evangelical Christian believers than any of Spain, Italy, France or Germany. SOURCE
(3) 65% of all Muslims live east of Karachi, and fewer than one in five Muslims speaks Arabic. SOURCE
ONLINE EVENTS (Zoom webinars)
My own college, Oak Hill College, in partnership with UFM and Upstream Collective, are hosting an event (in-person and on Zoom) for anyone interested in sending in mission well. Discover how God’s character as a sending God shapes the calling of every local church, and be inspired by practical examples of churches sending well. With Brad Bell and Larry McClary (Upstream Collective). 90 minutes, FREE ! 7.30-9pm UK time Wed 15th October.
The following day to the event above, we'll have Brad and Larry (again, in person in London or on Zoom) talking in more depth about thoughtfully and prayerfully cultivating strong mobilisation and sending pathways in global mission from a local church setting. Aimed at all those with some leadership responsibilities in local churches. Free ! 10-1pm (UK time), Thurs 16th October.
"Why was Paul, the world's most effective missionary sent out with Barnabas from the Antioch church, not Jerusalem? What was the difference between them? The book of Acts is full of pointers to help us become a church that will make an eternal impact. Based on Ross Paterson's impactful book, this webinar will give you fresh vision, along with practical tips to become an 'Antioch Church'." Thursday 2nd October, 1pm (UK time), free!
HIGHLIGHTS (Most popular from last month's Mission Hits…)
JUST FOR FUN (unrelated but interesting!)
Watch the world assemble country-by-country based on a specific statistic e.g. life expectancy, size, GDP etc. More fascinating than it sounds for anyone interested in trying to understand global inequality today.
StoryTerra is an immersive map where you can zoom into hundreds of different towns/cities around the world and see what films/tv shows/books etc are based there. A great way to get to know a place through its creative arts!
This feels a better way of killing some time. Click to see a feed of 'random' Wikipedia articles that you can just scroll through learning about new people and places and events
Full searchable archives of all Mission Hits resources from edition #1
Questions, comments, or suggestions for the next edition?
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