Day: October 22, 2025

1. Article: 8 Ways North American Churches Approach Missions
2. Small Group Resource: A Firestarter to Light the Spark
3. Resource Roundup: This Link May Be for You
4. Picture Book: Perfect Peace Child
5. Events: What’s on the Calendar for November

Greetings, friends!

This edition has a bit of everything—books, articles, events, and a few things hard to classify. I hope you find something that’s just what you and your church, group, or family needs.

Does this email scratch an itch? Or is there something you’d like to share in a future edition? I’d love to hear from you.

Grace and peace,
Marti Wade

P.S: Did you miss it? Last month’s Resource Reviews email included a new documentary about campus revival, a series about worship around the world, and a video showing you how to find the unreached in your city.

Source: Catalyst Services Postings

Whenever your church makes missions decisions, you are looking at the options through a particular set of lenses. Those lenses focus on an approach to missions that determines what opportunities you will pursue and when you will say “no.”

This Postings describes eight of the most common missions approaches in roughly the chronological order in which they have appeared on the North American missions scene. Understanding these different approaches can help you more objectively evaluate them and the priorities that they represent. Each has strengths and weaknesses. While it may be possible to use more than one lens, it is not possible to employ all of them, and some combinations are incongruous.

Read the article.

Readers might also be interested in the Church Missions Assessment from Missio Nexus. It could help you and your church evaluate and strengthen your global mission contribution.

Source: Firestarter

This pack of cards is a creative take on discovery Bible study designed with youth in mind. A simple instruction booklet is included but little experience or preparation is required. 

• Connect cards ask simple questions to get things started (What are you thankful for? What challenges and difficulties are you going through? What specific ways can we help?)
• Firestarter cards list 15 Bible passages illustrating the life and teachings of Jesus (like Luke 15:1-24 and John 11:1-44).
• Explore cards help a group digest and discuss the passage and spark meaningful conversations (What did we learn about God?)
• Ignite cards walk through ways to respond to and apply the passage, encouraging boldness (This week, I will …)
• Multiply cards suggest ways to pass it on. 

Learn more or purchase. You won’t need more than one deck per group. Available in the US now, but coming soon in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and beyond.

Of course, you don’t have to buy anything to bring a group through this kind of process. Check out Discovery Bible Study. (Or, write and tell us about your favorite resources).

For a different kind of card deck, download Let’s Talk About It! 50 Conversations on Home, Belonging & Loving Your Neighbor (World Relief). Warning, this could be a “firestarter,” too, so the authors include this helpful tip: If at any point during the game the discussion gets too heated, draw a prayer card to recenter the group’s hearts.

Sources: Various

Cultivating a Passion for Missions

Philip Crouse Jr. unpacks three ways pastors can fan the flames for global missions (The Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership).

Missions Isn’t Just About the People Who Go

In case you need a reminder. This one is eloquent (Gene Daniels, for A Life Overseas).

Tired of Timid Prayers? A New Guide to Praying Boldly

Get yourself and your church or group ready for International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, November 3 (Global Christian Relief).

Basic Missions Literacy

What is a reasonable expectation for us to have regarding “missions literacy” for the average Christian? Ted Elser suggests four basic ideas we could focus on, particularly from the pulpit (TedQuarters).

Understanding Missions: A Study Guide for the Church

This eight-session course from Christopher Wright includes videos, scripture readings, and discussion questions (Langham Global Library).

You might also be interested in a new, updated edition of Wright’s influential book The Mission of God published this week (Intervarsity Press).

Hacking for Human Flourishing

Nearly 700 techies recently gathered for a three-day hackathon to pursue innovative and God-honoring solutions to problems and opportunities; an annual event (Church Leaders).

Michael Youssef Unveils Faith-Based Chatbot Rooted in Scripture

What if you could ask your pastor anything at any time? This ministry leader and megachurch pastor and his staff harnessed AI to bring his congregation and followers his Bible-based advice whenever they ask (The Christian Post).

Source: William Carey Publishing

Stop me if you’ve heard this one… Perfect Peace Child tells the true story of how God used the Sawi people’s own tradition—giving a baby to make peace—to show them that Jesus is God’s Peace Child.

Sound familiar? It’s a retelling of Don Richardson’s classic, Peace Child, but this time in a way you can read it to your kids or grandkids.

Learn more or buy a copy. Note that this is WCP’s second in a new line of mission books for kids.

Love Sarah Nunnally’s artwork? Check out her website. Another new book, Every Nation, encourages families everywhere to see God’s glory in the places and people of the world and will be followed by a sequel, Every Neighbor, in early 2026 (David C. Cook).

For more ways to help your child think globally, see Parenting with a Global Vision (Via Families).

Source: Missions Catalyst Calendar

November 3, International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (global). An annual event.

November 3-6, Pre-Field Orientation for New Healthcare Missionaries (Louisville, KY, USA). For all medical workers preparing to go. Provided by the Christian Medical and Dental Associations.

November 3-7, Fall Care Week (online). Four-day virtual event for global women provided by Thrive Ministries.

November 3-7, Storytelling Training (online). Get hands-on experience with oral Bible storytelling with five three-hour sessions provided by Story Runners.

November 3 to March 8, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online). New online classes begin regularly.

November 6, Identifying and Inviting NextGen Leaders (And why you need them!) (online). Part 2 of 3 in webinar series from Missio Nexus; part 3 will be November 20: Investing in NextGen Leaders (And what it will cost you!)

November 6-8, Global Missions Health Conference (Louisville, KY, USA). An annual event from the Christian Medical and Dental Associations.

November 7-8, MissionConnexion Southwest (Glendale, AZ, USA). A free regional mission conference held annually. Come early for a pre-conference focused events, including a MissionExcellence workshop on standards of excellence in short-term missions.

November 7-8, Northwest Arkansas for the Nations (Fayetteville, AK, USA). An annual regional mission event.

November 9-13, Training in Formational Debriefing (Aurora, IN, USA). What if you could offer debriefing to missionaries in a way that furthered their spiritual formation? Provided by Paracletos.

November 13-14, Support Raising Bootcamp (Raleigh, NC, USA). Provided by Via in various locations throughout the year.

November 15, The Ephesians 4 All-play: Maturity and Mutuality Through the 5-fold Gifts (online). Training event from AllNations.

November 16-21, Debrief Retreat (Union Mills, NC, USA). Retreats provided throughout the year by the Center for Intercultural Training.

November 18, Contend: Monthly Day of Prayer for Mission Mobilization (global). Coordinated by GMMI for the third Tuesday of each month.

November 19, Sending our Own and Partnering with Indigenous Missions (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

November 20, Generative AI in Christian Evangelism (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

November 20, Technology and Digital Scripture Engagement (online). Webinar from Wycliffe Bible Translators.

November 19-22, The International Conference on Missions (Atlanta, GA, USA). An annual event rooted in the Christian/Disciples of Christ tradition.

November 29, Opening Day (Ephrata, PA, USA). Drop-in prayer event at Gateway House of Prayer and focused on unreached peoples.

View the complete calendar, updated throughout the year. Your submissions are always welcome.