mission smartAfter a flurry of mentions in recent editions of Brigada, I have to admit — I now have three new books on my desktop. I’m looking forward to reading, “MissionSmart: 15 Critical Questions to Ask Before Launching Overseas.” After mentioning this book in a recent Brigada item, one of our great friends, Marti, commented, “Recently read this myself, primarily looking for its strengths and weaknesses. Have noticed that several of the “how to become a missionary” books and resources out there reflect assumptions or biases that limit their usefulness. It’s hard to produce something that is concrete, practical and clear without becoming unduly prescriptive. But I thought he kept a good balance on that. Emphasis on the importance of not simply “sending” yourself but building a strong relationship with the church, getting relevant experience before you go, dealing with family and identity issues, etc.” Marti added that the “Book does assume we’re talking about Americans/Westerners going out as long-term career missionaries, but acknowledges a variety of roles and approaches. See the author talking about this book here:”

She closed by saying, “I have a hunch this book will find a greater audience with church mission leaders (who have seen a few people crash and burn) than with the candidates themselves (who have a stronger felt need for encouragement rather than cautionary tales).” I can’t wait to read it myself. You can order MissionSmart at:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HN6OWZ8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HN6OWZ8&linkCode=as2&tag=teamexpansiononl&linkId=RPKEU2I7WECA2OX3