EMQ » April–June 2019 » Volume 55 Issue 2
By Sharon R. Hoover
InterVarsity Press, 2018
Downers Grove
193 pages
ISBN: 978-0830841462
USD $13.00
Reviewed by Geoff Hartt is Executive Director of Hispanics for Christ (resourcing church-planting among Hispanics), and has served as a local church pastor for over twenty years.
A quick search on Amazon will reveal there are very few titles dealing with the practical aspects of developing and leading healthy church mission committees or teams. This book brings much welcomed wisdom and guidance to anyone tasked with leading their church into greater mission engagement, especially in an increasingly complex world. Sharon Hoover provides solid counsel and direction based on her own experiences and knowledge of the issues facing mission committees in the local church.
The book is structured around seven conversations mission committees/teams would be well advised to have. The benefit of having these intentional conversations will be “an improved sense of direction… to navigate the terrain and improve our ability to serve well” (15). These conversations confront differing points of view and uncover hidden agendas that have the potential to render a church’s mission effort ineffective.
Each of the seven conversational topics span a continuum of viewpoints, which represent the opinions most committee/team members might have on each topic. The author thoughtfully presents the different positions without being judgmental, while moving toward a section of each chapter sub-titled “Finding Our Place.” This process serves the church well to educate itself on the topic and form an agreeable position for them to work from.
The topics presented are: doing good deeds or telling the good news, local or global focus, emergency crisis relief or sustainability, gifts of time or money, short term missions or long term only, caring for others or equipping believers, and finally minimizing risk or high-risk engagement. Each topic is explored, both sides presented and then each chapter closes with a set of questions the mission committee/team could complete and discuss together which will hopefully lead to a corporate position to assist the church in making decisions.
There are two additional resources provided by this book. First is Appendix 1—Beyond “Minute for Missions.” This has some great tips to connect an entire congregation with mission activities in a variety of ways. Second, the Notes section in the back lists a number of texts, articles, websites and ministries that can provide further information on all the topics covered. This book will be valuable to both existing church mission teams and those just starting to take form. I will be ordering copies for my own church mission team to read!
For Further Reading
Borthwick, Paul. A Mind for Missions: 10 Ways to Build Your World Vision. Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress, 1987.
Hartt, Geoffrey, Christopher R. Little, and John Wang, eds. Churches on Mission: God’s Grace Abounding to the Nations. Pasadena, CA: William Carey, 2017.
Johnson, Alan. Missions: How the Local Church Goes Global. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017.
