An eclectic list of books that have served me well
The ESV Archaeology Study Bible – As someone who values the historical and cultural background of the biblical text, I have loved using this Bible over the years. The notes are full of fascinating and helpful insights into the ancient world of the original audience.
The Church of the East by Cristoph Baumer – This book is one of the best out there for understanding the Church of the East, the Church (sometimes called Nestorian) outside the Roman Empire in the Parthian/Sassanian/Islamic/Mongol eras of the Middle East and Asia. It’s a scholarly book, but easy to read, and full of amazing photographs of ancient Christian sites.
The Qur’an, translated by A.J. Droge – Most translations of the Qur’an are barely intelligible, since most translators seem to believe that a religious text like this needs to be rendered in archaic King-James-style language. This, together with the fact that the Qur’an is classical Arabic poetry makes for very difficult reading. Droge, however, not only translates it into intelligible English, but he also includes fascinating study notes on the various sources the Qur’anic material is drawn from. Spoiler alert: much of it is non-canonical, sometimes heretical Jewish and Christian sources.
How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill. This fascinating book focuses on the history of the Irish and how through the work of Patrick and the spread of the gospel, they were transformed into missionary scribes who re-Christianized Europe after the fall of Rome and into the early Middle Ages. Note: not recommended for readers younger than college-age because of some detailed descriptions of pagan practices.
Center Church by Timothy Keller. Even though I’ve read a lot of books about missions, I’ve never come across a better framework for contextualization than Keller presents in his book for city church planters. The ministry principles in this book are also better grounded than is the case in most missions books. Far too many are fixated on methods when they should be focusing on the principles and how they can be locally applied. Keller is an expert guide in how to do this.
Empires of the Word by Nicholas Ostler. This book tells the stories of the great languages of history, from Sumerian until English. Ostler discusses what leads to a language gaining ascendancy, the unique strengths of specific languages, and what leads to a language’s demise. I love both history and language, so I have greatly enjoyed reading and rereading this book.
Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Purity by David A. DeSilva. I have found DeSilva’s work on New Testament culture incredibly helpful for understanding the honor-shame, patronage, and kinship dynamics of our own Central Asian people group. It’s also been helpful for gaining insight into NT background. Even though some of his theological assumptions and conclusions are not what I hold to, his work on NT culture is powerfully relevant for those ministering to similar cultural environments.
Foundations Document by International Mission Board. This document is a very solid summary of the principles of biblical missiology. In particular, the sections on the missionary task and the 12 characteristics of a healthy church are things every missionary should be well-versed in.
To the Golden Shore by Courtney Anderson. The life and ministry of Adoniram Judson. This book is a must-read because of the lessons on missions, suffering, and longterm fruitfulness that emerge from the story. Because of this book, one my bucket list items is to make it to the tiny S. Antlatic island of St Helena, and visit the grave of Ann Judson.
Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri. One of the funniest books I’ve read in years, this irreverent and colorful memoir tells the story of a young Iranian boy whose family must flee to the US because of his mother’s Christian faith. It’s a great window into the immigrant experience, a good example of Middle Eastern/Central Asian storytelling, and a surprising apologetic for Christianity.
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. This veteran PTSD researcher writes a book that not only makes trauma actually understandable, but then he goes on to explore ways in which trauma healing can occur. It’s fascinating to see an unbelieving author grappling with the complexity of the human body and mind and the unity and diversity intertwined there. My family has struggled with anxiety attacks and other forms of complex trauma. This book was a major step toward growing in understanding as well as knowing about some practical ways forward.
Words On The Move by John McWhorter. This book explores and even delights in the ever-changing nature of English, and every other language for that matter. This is a great book for moving away from being a language purist towards being someone who enjoys language as it is in the real world, always changing, always full of surprises.
Democratic Religion by Greg Wills. This academic work focuses on the practice of church discipline among the Baptist churches of the American south, from the late 1700s until the practice largely died out in the early 20th century. Not only is it a fascinating and helpful window into how Baptists sought to apply the Bible in this area in their own time and culture, but Wills draws out how church discipline played a role in transforming the honor-shame culture of the old south. For anyone working in an honor-shame culture, there are some fascinating takeaways here.
The Reformers and Their Stepchildren by Leonard Verduin. I was profoundly shaped by this book and its critique of church-state religion. Verduin focuses on the story of the Anabaptists and tells another side of the Reformation not often heard. I’ll never forget reading how Luther and Zwingli were initially convinced by the Scriptures regarding believers’ baptism, only to change positions later due to fears of societal collapse if individual freedom of conscience were to replace a state church and its tradition of society-wide infant baptism.
A History of Christianity in Asia, vol. 1, by Samuel Hugh Moffett. This is the book that started my love of Christian history. Moffett tells the grand story of the spread of Christianity in Asia from apostolic times until 1500. Did you know that ancient and medieval Christian missionaries planted churches as far afield as India, China, and Mongolia? Or that Genghis Khan’s mother and wife were both Christians? Read this book if you want your understanding of global Christian history turned upside down.
Raising Up a Generation of Healthy TCKs by Lauren Wells. As an adult TCK, this book pegged me. Wells demonstrates how the TCK lifestyle leads to layers of unresolved grief that often go unaddressed, and points to better ways to care for TCKs (missionary kids are a subset of the TCK category). Highly recommended for missionaries or those who care for them.
The Harp of the Spirit by Sebastian Brock. Have you heard of Ephrem the Syrian, the deacon on the eastern borders of the Roman empire in the 300s who was a prolific theological poet? Here, a collection of his hymns and poems are translated and provide an fascinating look into early Christianity.
Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey. This book takes another look at the gospels and their Middle Eastern context and what we miss or misinterpret because of our western cultural lenses. Be warned, if you read this book nativity scenes may be ruined for you going forward.
From Eden to the New Jerusalem by T. Desmond Alexander. This is a wonderful introduction to biblical theology that focuses on the biblical themes of garden, city, and temple and how all of these will be fully realized in the new heavens and new earth.
The Prodigal God by Tim Keller. This is still my favorite book to give to an unbelieving friend who wants to learn more about the gospel. Keller winsomely explains the gospel by unpacking the story of the prodigal son and older brother vs. younger brother lostness. I have used this framework to share the gospel with Muslims countless times.
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi. In this autobiography, Pakistani-American Muslim Qureshi tells how as a devout Muslim he was eventually brought to faith in Jesus. This book deals with many issues that are very relevant to Muslim ministry that few other books on Islam deal with, such as how Muslims heavily rely on science to “prove” the validity of the Qur’an and how even devout Muslims do not know what their sources actually say.
The Soul in Paraphrase by Leland Ryken. This is a wonderful collection of Christian poems throughout the centuries. Want to read the first known poem in the English language? Ryken makes it accessible, briefly analyzes it, then leads you to meditate on its biblical truth. He does this with dozens of rich poems, resulting in the first devotional book that I have stuck with in many years.
The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis. I have often said that Lewis’s fiction has been just as effective as any non-fiction I’ve read in making me a convictional complementarian. The exploration of the nature of masculinity and femininity in these books is not only profound, by downright prophetic. I’m amazed at how clearly Lewis anticipated the attack on sex, gender, and male-female roles that was coming for Western culture.
Miracles by C.S. Lewis. I don’t think Lewis was a young earth creationist. But his treatment on miracles is a big reason that I am. Spoiler alert: the creator has the right to manipulate the speed (water to wine), scale (5 loaves feed 5,000), and direction of his creation (death reversed in resurrection) anytime he wants to.
Foreign to Familiar by Sarah Lanier. This has been my go-to recommendation for anyone just getting started in understanding cross-cultural differences. Short and sweet, this is a great resource for understanding some big categories that make cultures so foreign to one another.
No Shortcut to Success by Matt Rhodes. This recent book on missions is the first real robust takedown of movement methodology in missions. The author has a background in statistics, and he effectively uses this expertise as well as sound biblical reasoning to show that much of what is popular in missions is actually unhealthy and shortsighted. His emphasis on the importance of language learning is also very solid.
Solid travel gear for missionaries and other nomads
Airalo global e-sim. This electronic data sim card has been a game-changer for us, especially when things go wrong and you’re stranded in a foreign airport with no coverage and you can’t find wifi. With Airalo, when I sign up for one of their temporary e-sim packages that covers my country of destination plus any other countries I transit through, I can stay in touch pretty seamlessly with my family when traveling. If you have a newish smartphone, e-sim technology should be compatible with your device.
Nausea bands. If you, your spouse, or your kids get nauseous during travel (or pregnancy), these simple wrist bands can provide some welcome relief. Also, don’t forget to bring a roll of small trash bags in your carryon (we like ginger chews as well).
Patagonia MLC Backpack/Suitcase. I bought a MLC (maximum legal carryon) backpack as a new missions pastor back in 2013. Ten years and dozens of trips later, it continues to hold up really well. Even though it fits a ton of stuff inside, I’ve still never been forced to check it when I want to carry it into the cabin, where I usually am able to shove it under the seat in front of me. But when I want to check it, I can stow the straps inside it and it becomes a suitcase.
trtl Travel Pillow. Sleeping on a plane was easy when I was a kid, but no longer. These unique travel pillows save you from the dreaded head bobbing and can mean deeper sleep on a plane is actually possible – depending on how your kids are doing, of course.
Bubble Bum Inflatable Booster Seat. If you are flying with younger kids and needing to figure out having booster seats on hand for the vehicles when you land, these inflatable boosters are a great option. They’re lightweight, durable, and a creative alternative to using the bulkier and heavier plastic ones.
Doona Infant Car Seat/Stroller. We splurged and bought one of these for our third-born and it was totally worth it. Because this is a car seat and stroller in one, you don’t need to transfer your infant out of a car seat and into a stroller when traveling, and that means 1) he can continue to sleep uninterrupted and 2) one less piece of gear to haul around with you. It also works on most plane seats, although we occasionally had to convince flight attendants to let us show them that it would work.
Samsonite Tote-A-Ton Duffel Bags. These bags are hardy, spacious when filled, and easy to stuff into other bags when empty. We typically bring one stuffed inside another suitcase for those trips when we’re likely to need more checked luggage on the way back.
Apple Air Tags. A little more than a year ago the suitcase that contained almost my entire wardrobe got lost for good by the airlines (“Sir, you were going to Cancun, right?” “No, I was going to Kentucky…”). To prevent this from ever happening again, we’ve decided to help the airlines out by supplementing their tracking system with our own, by putting one gps air tag into every checked bag. Unless you’re traveling to our corner of Central Asia, airport security is fine with this. In our neck of the woods, we did accidentally get a friend detained because the airport police thought an air tag was some kind of spy device.
Travel Luggage Scale. If you’ve got a by-the-book check-in agent, an extra few kilos can cost hundreds of dollars in overweight fees. So, we travel with this scale to make sure our bags are packed right up to the weight limit, but not beyond.
Foldable Silicone v60 Pourover. We’ve often found that to get decent coffee when traveling, you have to bring it with you. But traveling with coffee equipment can be tricky. This v60 pourover has been great for travel because it won’t break and it’s light weight.
Aeropress Coffee Maker. While also very light-weight, many of my missionary friends swear by the aeropress for producing the best quality cup of coffee they can make. We’ve also had seasons where we’ve used it heavily.
Chase Sapphire Reserve. We’ve received thousands of dollars worth of free hotels, flights, and lounge access from using the points from this card. Plus, the delayed or canceled trip/luggage insurance has meant we were able to pivot quickly when things on a trip went wrong and we had to buy (usually overpriced) food, clothing, or lodging. One time we dropped $500 on sweatshirts (the cheapest ones!) in the Doha airport because we were stuck there for 17 hours and the kids were freezing. Thankfully, it all got reimbursed because of trip delay coverage. Don’t balk at the annual fee on this card because most of it gets reimbursed with only one flight or two hotel stays.
italki.com Online Language Tutoring. While not technically travel gear, this is a great site to find affordable online tutors for thousands of languages. There’s even a good selection of tutors for the different dialects of our Central Asian language, which is very impressive. Knowing even the basics of the local language can transform travel, so it’s worth investing in. Registering with this link will get you $10 in credit after your first lesson.
Start a WordPress Blog – Travel and writing have always gone together. This link gets you $25 in credit for starting a new blog or website with WordPress. I have loved blogging over the past four years. Writing has been such a helpful way to reflect on our ministry and travels, and the WordPress platform has made it easy to do. If you are considering beginning a blog, check out this very helpful post from Tim Challies that helped me get started a few years ago.
*Many of these are affiliate links, meaning that if you click on a link and purchase one of these items, Amazon or another company may pay me a small referral commission. Thanks for supporting us in this way!
Entrusted to the Dirt 