EMQ » July–September 2020 » Volume 56 Issue 3
By L. Earl Hammons
Franklin Publishing, 2019
245 pages
USD $11.99
Reviewed by Richard Cook (PhD, University of Iowa), Associate Professor of Church History and Missions at Logos Evangelical Seminary in El Monte, California, and former missionary in Taiwan.
Attrition is a perennial dilemma for the missionary movement, and the overwhelming challenges facing missionaries in the contemporary world shift constantly. Earl Hammons in How to Become a Missionary provides an up-to-date and enjoyable book to help new and potential missionaries navigate the process of landing on the mission field. The book is intended to help “current missionaries, future missionaries, and those who desire to send missionaries” (16). Hammons is a missionary kid, who returned to the United States and became a pastor and then, midcareer he left to become a faith-funded missionary in the Dominican Republic. His personal journey informs his discussion of missionary preparation.
The book is based on an adequate amount of research, mostly, it seems, completed on the Internet. There is no bibliography, but there are several pages of endnotes. There is a short list of “Resources,” which includes ten websites. Unfortunately, there are typos and some problems with the typesetting, but the information is all decipherable. The strength of the book, however, is the personal touch of the author. He identifies numerous relevant issues, and, drawing on personal stories, he addresses them with wit and aplomb.
The book is divided into seven sections, designed to guide a missionary through seven essential steps to move from home to the missions field: Calling of God, Counting the Cost, Choosing Wisely, The Commissioning, The Cultivation, Crossing, and Caretaking from the Senders.
Throughout the journey, Hammons provides anecdotes and material for thoughtful reflection. For instance, in the first chapter on “Calling,” he provides a list of 10 Reasons not to become a missionary (22–24). If people wonder if he is trying to talk them out of becoming a missionary, he answers, “EXACTLY! If anyone else can talk you out of it, then so be it!” (24). In chapter 3 Hammons provides a list of Spiritual Qualifications for missions (37–47), including a powerful testimony from Marjorie Browning, a missionary who was killed in 2015 in Brazil (38–40).
As an example of Hammons’ effective use of eclectic sources, he quotes from John Maxwell’s book, Good Leaders Ask Great Questions, then he provides a list of good questions that future missionaries should ask missions organizations and veteran missionaries (45–47). In chapter 6, there is a useful (and maybe controversial) list of men’s needs in marriage as well as women’s needs in marriage (63–64), and discussion of children as Third Culture Kids. He mentions the challenge of single ministry, and even introduces a dating app for singles seeking marriage and missions (69).
The wide-ranging book provides an engaging story that is relatable, and it may be particularly valuable to midcareer people considering missions. Hammons even considered titling the book, “Mid-Life Crisis, Missions” (15). It is easy to read, helpful for the potential missionary candidate, and, as I have already found, useful in classroom discussion in a seminary.
For Further Reading
Steffen, Tom, and Lois McKinney Douglas. Encountering Missionary Life and Work: Preparing for Intercultural Ministry. Encountering Mission, edited by Scott A. Moreau. Baker Academic, 2008.
Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. and Marvin K. Mayers. Ministering Cross-Culturally: A Model for Effective Personal Relationships (3rd ed.). Baker, 2016.
