Connecting you with the best mission resources available as you move forward on your path to the nations. Don't just go, GO well prepared.

Vision leaks.  

Starting a library of excellent mission books is a perfect way to keep your world vision fresh and learn from some of the leaders in missions today.

The following reading list, put together by the Traveling Team, includes both old and new "must-reads" for those wanting to live for God's global purpose. 

Let’s just level here—celebrating holidays overseas can be hard.

The pain of feeling the distance from loved ones and familiar tastes, scents, and cultural traditions often intensifies during the run-up to the holidays.

One of the women in Central Asia I talked with recently confessed, “In all sincerity, Thanksgiving hurts our hearts. Being away from loved ones, and seeing the photos of everyone gathered together, of fall leaves changing, pumpkin patches, and hayrides is hard. But the distance draws us closer to the Giver every time. Every year we say we’re thankful for the simplicity of celebrating here. In fact, there’s something sacred about it.”
 

Cultivating a thankful heart has a way of soothing hurt.

Focusing on all the good that God has poured out in our lives over the year is the heart of Thanksgiving. And though missionaries serving around the world may not be able to dine on turkey, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce, their hearts are filled with thanks.

We asked them what they’ll be thankful for when they celebrate Thanksgiving this year. 
 

Oral Bible Translation

BUT they can still HEAR the saving truth of the Gospel. 

‍Oral Bible Translation (OBT) sidesteps the hurdle of having to read and write to translate the Bible, meaning that individuals living in unreached people groups who may never read can still hear God's Word and come to Christ. In fact, OBT is vital in achieving our Vision 2033 objectives. 

Now, a team of mother-tongue translators can be trained to work among their own people to clearly and accurately render God's Word in a format they can understand and use. Oral Bible Translation goes through all of the same rigorous checks of a written translation—team checking, community checks, back translation, and consultant checking. And as soon as a recording is approved—whether a few verses or a whole book—it becomes available to the community.

Pistachio or Rum and Raisin?

I faced a decision every Sunday on our walk home from church. Whether we took a bus or taxi, we always got off near the ice cream shop to purchase ice cream to eat on the walk home.

I’m not entirely sure how this tradition began. Maybe it was a reward for us kids sitting quietly for two hours in a warm church building listening to a sermon in a foreign language or maybe it was just my dad’s love for ice cream. Either way, a big scoop of this sweet, cold treat before lunch on Sunday was always a welcome indulgence.

They framed our lifestyle as an adventure.

Sunday after-church ice cream is just one of those small traditions that my parents incorporated into our lives as missionary kids that I have fond memories of and am grateful for. My parents did a great job of framing our life on the mission field as an adventure, inviting us into the journey and being mindful of our needs growing-up cross culturally.

Perspectives: Register NOW for January

God is on a mission to bless the peoples of the earth and you’re invited to join him!