History of Missions

Christ charged His Church with two things: to disciple believers, and to spread the Gospel to every corner of the globe. The two go hand-in-hand, though we sometimes tend to compartmentalize them. Ultimately, even evangelism is a type of discipleship—it's just the most foundational stage in a process that never ends once it's begun.

The story of those who've taken Christ's message to every tribe and nation is often more exciting than any invented adventure novel. Christians have been driven by their burden to share God's Word to explore continents, challenge ungodly governments, smuggle Bibles, enter Communist countries in disguise, and die so that others could hear of God's redemption.

Missions began when Jesus first sent His disciples in pairs to preach throughout Israel. The Great Commission codified the importance of missionary work, and the Church has rightly practiced it ever since. It's important for Christian parents to tell these stories to their children, both to help them understand the importance of missionaries' work, and to offer examples of godliness and perseverance to the young saints.

Even though the human elements of these stories are usually fascinating, the emphasis ought to be on God's glory and the way He brings good out of even the most dire and hopeless circumstances. This is the greatest source of hope for the Christian: that, even when our own power fails, His is constant and will accomplish what He has determined regardless of our ability.

We offer surveys of the history of missions, as well as specific stories and biographies of well-known, lesser-known and unknown servants of Jesus Christ who have worked faithfully in His name. Whether you've been called to the mission field or devote yourself to prayer and support (all of God's people are missionaries), these are stories that can't be ignored by any who profess the name of Jesus.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

 

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'But Now I See': The Life of John Newton
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Against All Odds
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Arrow Pointing to Heaven
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At the Edge of the Village
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Autobiography of Charles G. Finney
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Between Worlds
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Bonhoeffer
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Born Again
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Bring Your Eyes and See
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Chance to Die
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Don't Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees
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Eternity in Their Hearts
by Don Richardson
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$16.99
Evidence Not Seen
by Darlene Deibler Rose
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Five Pioneer Missionaries
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Forgotten Spurgeon
by Iain H. Murray
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Francis Asbury
by Charles Ludwig
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Francis Schaeffer
by Bruce Little, ed.
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$12.99
From the Village to the Ends of the Earth
by Lisa Leidenfrost
from Canon Press
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$16.95
George Whitefield
by Arnold A. Dallimore
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God's Mountain Man
by Esther Vogt
from Gospel Publishing
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God's Samurai
by Gordon Prange, with Donald Goldstein & Katherine Dillon
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by Brother Andrew
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Hearts of Fire
by The Voice of the Martyrs
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Heavenly Man
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Hidden Sorrow, Lasting Joy
by Anneke Companjen
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How I Know God Answers Prayer
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I Dared to Call Him Father
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In Search of the Source
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Incredible Scofield and His Book
by Joseph M. Canfield
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Jonathan and Sarah
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Jonathan Edwards
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Killing Fields Living Fields
by Don Cormack
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Kisses from Katie
by Katie J. Davis
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Life and Diary of David Brainerd
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Life of Robert Murray M'Cheyne
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Light Force
by Brother Andrew
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Living on the Devil's Doorstep
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by Floyd McClung
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Lords of the Earth
by Don Richardson
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Lords of the Earth
by Don Richardson
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Man With the Bird on His Head
by Abbe Anderson, John Rush
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Marriage to a Difficult Man
by Elisabeth D. Dodds
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My Heart in His Hands
by Sharon L. James
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Narrow Road
by Brother Andrew, Elizabeth Sherrill, Jars of Clay, John Sherrill
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Passion for the Impossible
by Miriam Huffman Rockness
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Peace Child
by Don Richardson
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Peace Child
by Don Richardson
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Pigtail and Chopsticks Man
by Jim Cromarty
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Saint Patrick
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Sergeant York and the Great War
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Seven Men
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by Eric Metaxas
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Shadow of the Almighty
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Shadow of the Almighty
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Lives of Faith
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These are the Generations
by Mr. and Mrs. Bae, as told to the Rev. Eric Foley
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Through Gates of Splendor
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Tommorow You Die
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Totally Surrounded
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Warfield on the Christian Life
Theologians on the Christian Life
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We Died Before We Came Here
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Wesley on the Christian Life
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by George Storemont
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Worlds Apart
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