In this edition:
As always, we’ve folded in links to other items that might interest you. Thanks for sending suggestions our way!
Dear Readers,
The Missio Nexus 2026 Mission Leaders Conference has kicked off in Orlando. For the first time in years, I’m not there: Taking a sabbatical has dampened my FOMO tendencies and finances are a bit tight, anyway. But “Missio” is a good place to meet people, hear what everyone is talking about, and pick up new resources. I usually come home with a stack of books and brochures and more than a few fliers, stickers, and pens.
So, I could use your help. I don’t need more pens. But if you’re there—or moving in other circles where you come across news, ideas, and resources that Missions Catalyst readers would want to know about—let me know!
Have you noticed that a growing number of mission leaders seem to be back into blogging, primarily by publishing pieces on Substack? I’ve started to follow some mission-related accounts and on the lookout for others. Drop me a line and share what you’re reading.
Thanks!
Marti Wade
Source: Various
Following in the Footsteps of Barnabas
The Barnabas Factor: How Crosscultural Partnership Amplifies Global Mission, ed. Josh Irby. InterVarsity Press, 2026. 224 pages.
Looking for missionary models? Many start with Paul as a pioneer who took the gospel to people who had never heard it. But consider Barnabas, who introduced Paul to the apostles, invited him to use his gifts, led the way on their first missionary journey, and knew how to encourage and empower emerging leaders. In this multi-author book, mission practitioners from around the world unpack the life and ministry of Barnabas and reflect on key characteristics we need to see more of today, like generosity, mutuality, and trust. So good!
Get the gist in interviews on The Mission Matters podcast and Global Missions podcast, or pick up the latest season of the Mission Shift podcast, which will be featuring many of the contributors.
Prayers for Those Who Send
For Those Who Send: Prayers for Those With Loved Ones Serving Abroad, by Heather Fallis. 2026, 139 pages.
Have you followed Liturgies for a Life Abroad and read or shared the two volumes of Liturgies and Laments for the Sojourner or Crafting Liturgies for a Life Abroad?
Now, there’s a volume for the loved ones sojourners leave behind. This volume may be less helpful to put in the hands of a large team of supporters (you might try this one or this one instead). But it’s a gem for cross-cultural workers to share with their parents, siblings, and closest friends.
Learn more about these resources or find them on Amazon.
The China Chronicles: Beijing
Beijing: China’s Seat of Power, by Paul Hattaway. Langham Global Library and Asia Harvest, 2026. 499 pages.
Many have heard about the extraordinary growth of Christianity in recent decades, but do you know much about how it happened? Hattaway of Asia Harvest has tackled the topic in a series of volumes that go province by province, from the oldest efforts to share Christ in China to current day. Volume 10 is focused on Beijing and includes stories from Marco Polo and Kublai Khan, Mateo Ricci and Adam Schall, Catholic and Protestant missionaries, and many amazing local believers.
Read an excerpt about Wang Mingdao, China’s “Son of Iron.” Praise God; he is building his church.
Speaking of books, see this roundup of 13 mission books for kids.
Source: Lausanne Movement
A new five-part video series is designed to help believers take small but meaningful steps into God’s global mission. Through biblical teaching, global insight, and intentional spiritual practices, this resource invites followers of Jesus to catch God’s heart for the nations, learn from the global church, grow in prayer and friendship, and live out God’s mission where God has placed them.
Take a look. Registration required to access the discussion guide and devotional materials, but you can watch the videos (roughly 10-20 minutes long) on YouTube without it. Is this something you could use with your church or small group? What I’ve watched seems well done.
See also The State of Global Christianity, a series of videos created for the 2025 Urbana conference.
You might also be interested in Drive Thru History: The Ends of The Earth, a 20-episode streaming video series on how Christianity has changed the world. Came out around 2020 and now available from Tubi, Amazon Prime, or TBN or on a set of DVDs.
Finally, looks like updated materials for International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (November 1) are now available from International Christian Concern or Open Doors.
Sources: various
10 Ways to Improve Your Missions Serve
Source: Catalyst Services Postings
Want to expand your missions impact? Here are 10 suggestions, none of which requires a large church, a big budget, or a huge amount of time.
Look at the list. Been working on one or more of these lately?
How to Become a Missional Church
Source: TEAM
God chose the church to be the primary vehicle to carry out his mission. How can church leadership best steward their congregations to become missional?
10 Reasons Missionaries Are Getting Older
Source: Ted Esler
Doesn’t student mobilization work anymore? Check out a list of possible explanations for the increasing age of the average new missionary.
Read the reasons. How does that compare with your experience?
12 Ways to Grow Kids Who Love the World
Source: Pioneers USA
What will it take to raise another generation ready to travel the world, pray for the nations and support God’s global work?
Explore the ways. Love to hear what you’d add.
Sources: various
Unreached of the Day
Join thousands of people worldwide praying for a different unreached people group each day. The app delivers a daily profile with background, population, and prayer points, available in nine languages for iOS and Android.
31 Frontier People Groups
Pray each day of the month for the 31 largest frontier people groups: the least reached unreached groups, each with less than one-tenth of one percent of the population following Jesus.
Pray for Eurasia
Pray for an 178 unreached people groups across Europe and Asia throughout the year. The app has a new look and is now available in 10 languages (promo materials, too).
Check your app store for these or follow links from Joshua Project.
Finally, one more tip, and this one needs no app.
Mission mobilizers often ask audiences to set an alarm for 10:02 to pray Luke 10:2, asking the Lord of the harvest to send out workers. You can get a jump on them by praying at 9:38, per Matthew 9:38 which says much the same. Or what about this: Find a clock, blow off the dust, remove the battery, set it for 10:02 or 9:38, and pray whenever you see it!
Whether you use a fancy app, a phone alarm, a clock, a fridge magnet, or just a Post-it note, thanks for praying. What a privilege to partner with the maker of the universe as he carries out his global purposes.
Source: Missions Catalyst Calendar
October 1-3, B4T Expo (Dallas, TX, USA). Transforming people and nations through business.
October 4-30, Equipping for Life and Ministry (Union Mills, NC, USA). Pre-field training provided by the Center for Intercultural Training; followed by a language acquisition course November 1-13.
October 5-7, Children’s Ministry Training (Benton, PA, USA). From 1for50, a global training ministry equipping the church to minister to children.
October 5 to February 7, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online class). New online classes begin regularly.
October 6-7, The Mobilized Church Workshop (Cambridge, ON, Canada). Provided by Sixteen:Fifteen in partnership with the Global Missions Toolbox and others.
October 6-9, Pastoral Training in Member Care (Ridgecrest, NC, USA). An annual event from Barnabas International.
October 9-10, Evangelical Missiological Society Annual Conference (Dallas, TX, USA and online). Theme: Theological Anthropology for Missiological Engagement.
October 10, Remedy West Conference (Riverside, CA, USA). Mobilizing Christian health care professionals; provided by the Christian Medical & Dental Association.
October 10, Telling Jesus Stories Workshop (Kansas City, MO, USA and online). Training from All Nations. Click the link for more training opportunities.
October 12-15, Thrive Retreat for Women (Melbourne, Australia). Open to women serving in full-time cross-cultural roles. Events like these held periodically in various regions.
October 12-18, International Wholistic Missions Conference (Tuxtla Guterrez, Chiapas, Mexico). From IWMC with Billion Soul Harvest and Transform World.
October 12 to December 4, Animissions (online). Eight-week course on reaching the nations through art and animation, from Create International.
October 14-16, Missionary National Conference (Fort Worth, TX, USA). Focused on sending missionaries to the unreached and sponsored by Desiring God, Crossway, Voice of the Martyrs and others.
October 16-17, Missions Fest Seattle (Bothell, WA, USA). Free, annual community missions conference.
October 18-22, Recalibrate! Debriefing Training (Peshastin, WA, USA). Debriefing and renewal retreat for missionaries sponsored by Paracletos.
October 19 to November 14, COMPASS (Palmer Lake, CO, USA). Language and culture acquisition provided by Missionary Training International.
October 21, Mobilizers, Join the Conversation! (online). Join this call for ongoing, practical conversations about engaging the next generation in global mission. Provided by Gospel Mobilization and Missio Nexus. Happens every month.
October 21-22, Amplify Conference (Wheaton, IL, USA). An annual event from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
October 21-23, Crisis Management Workshop (Tblisi, Georgia). Preceded by workshops on personal security and interrogation management, all from Crisis Consulting International.
October 22-23, Support Raising Bootcamp (online). Provided by Via; also held in-person in various locations throughout the year.
October 20-22, Standards Introductory Workshop (online). Make your mission trips better with the seven standards of excellence.
October 29, How to Be on Everyday Mission (online). Training from All Nations. Discover how to live with purpose and spiritual awareness right where God has placed you.
See the complete calendar. Submissions are welcome.
Greetings!
This Friday, May 1, I begin a three-month sabbatical. The last one I took was 15 years ago. Since then, I’ve gotten married, started and finished a master’s degree, made three cross-country moves, survived a global pandemic (you, too?!), and more. Somewhere along the way, I also said yes to more interesting and strategic things than I can manage with just 24 hours a day, and now I’m struggling.
So, it’s time for a hard reset. I look forward to rediscovering who I am when not behind a keyboard and screen and spending more time with the Lord and other people. Could you pray toward that end?
This will be our last edition of Resource Reviews until August. You may get a few more editions of News Briefs. And in a few months, I expect to return refreshed and renewed, ready to follow God in what’s next.
Wishing you all the best,
Marti Wade
Source: William Carey Publishing
Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader (Fifth Edition), edited by Ralph Winter, Steven C. Hawthorne, and Pam Arlund. William Carey Publishing: 2026. 558 pages.
Each year more than 10,000 students—in nearly 40 countries and 9 languages—participate in Perspectives courses, discovering their role in God’s story and joining his global purpose. Others use the Perspectives reader for teaching or training.
I think you’ll like the new edition. It includes 20% new content but is 25% shorter (by word count). The 150 contributors include more women and people from diverse backgrounds, and the whole book is more accessible for global audience than previous editions, with many articles updated and edited for greater clarity.
I got a pre-release version of the digital book and study guide and am impressed. Printed books are expected to begin shipping in early May, with the digital edition released more broadly in August.
Learn more or pre-order books. A Spanish edition will be available soon.
William Carey Publishing has many other new books you might appreciate, including a fun, pray-for-the-world alphabet book for kids called From Argentina to Zimbabwe, and, from Patrick Johnstone, God’s World to Win: The Story of Operation World.