EMQ » July–September 2022 » Volume 58 Issue 3

Journey With Me: Spiritual Formation for Global Workers

By Herbert F. Lamp

William Carey Publishing, 2021
192 pages
US$16.99

Reviewed by Bob Bagley who is currently the associate executive director of Global Partners (GP) after serving in a variety of roles in Africa with GP for over three decades.

Missionary service may prove hazardous to your spiritual health. Ironic as it may seem, it is not unusual for cross-cultural workers to pour themselves into ministering to others while their own souls become increasingly parched. The demands of missionary work and cross-cultural living can become barriers to the practice of the spiritual disciplines. It should not be surprising then that the ReMAP study on missionary attrition found that about a third of preventable missionary attrition is related to poor spiritual health.

While many helpful books have been written to guide believers in the practice of spiritual disciplines, little has been specifically written for cross-cultural workers. Drawing from his years serving in eastern Europe and subsequent ministry leading spiritual formation retreats for missionaries, Herbert Lamp has written this book to address that need.

Lamp’s book provides a basic introduction to foundational spiritual disciplines and practices that are critical for all believers, but especially for those in cross-cultural ministry. He puts the disciplines both in historical context, describing them as “ancient pathways” as well as in context for those in the trenches of missionary work. It is an easy read, written in a very personal and accessible manner. But it is not a quick read. The rich content demands that readers slow down to ponder and digest its riches.

I found the following aspects of the book particularly praiseworthy:

• Each chapter begins with a testimonial from a cross-cultural worker that relates to the spiritual pathway that will be explored in the chapter.
• While Lamp explores the classic pathways such as solitude and the “rule of life” (daily or regularly planned spiritual disciplines), he also includes pathways not often thought of as spiritual disciplines such as hospitality and forgiveness.
• Each chapter draws to a close with “Reflection and Points to Ponder” containing questions for personal reflection or for use in group study.
• After the reflection questions, there is an annotated list of suggested resources for people who want to explore more deeply the pathway introduced in the chapter.

It is easy to recommend that this book become the “go to” resource for helping new missionaries develop a pattern of practicing spiritual disciplines as part of their pre-field preparation. It would also be helpful for use with cross-cultural workers who are struggling to maintain their spiritual vitality amid their ministries. While the content of the book could be valuably covered in an intensive retreat setting, it would likely prove to be more helpful spread out over time to allow readers time for reflection and implementation.

For Further Reading

Spiritual Equipping for Mission: Thriving as God’s Message Bearers by R. Shaw (InterVarsity Press, 2014)

Godly Servants: Discipleship and Spiritual Formation for Missionaries by D. P. Teague (Mission Imprints, 2018)

EMQ, Volume 58, Issue 3. Copyright © 2022 by Missio Nexus. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from Missio Nexus. Email: EMQ@MissioNexus.org.