Before reading any book, the first and most important book every man sent by God should read is the Bible. This is the foundation of truth and it is on this foundation you can build your ministry upon.

After this, you also have a plethora of writings containing relatable experiences of men to learn from. The life stories of men—dead or alive—are God’s gift to us to glean from. 

Many men—missionaries—have gone ahead of you and have towed a similar path that you might be currently towing (or about to), so you are not alone. 

As a missionary, here are a few books you should explore:

1. Embracing the call – Lester Sumrall 

Lester was on the brink of death when God presented to him an offer in a vision: life or death, and he chose life, which included obeying the call to be a preacher of the gospel. 

It didn’t end there. Another vision he had of souls falling off a steep end into hellfire shifted his attitude towards mission and made his heart burn for many years. This burning was responsible for all the exploits he did in taking the gospel to the nook and cranny of the continents of the world.

But starting was not as smooth as he thought it would be. God began to work on him and permit certain challenges in his evangelistic endeavors, to groom him into the kind of missionary He has called him to be. 

If you’re scared of embracing the call of God on your life, this book will push you to respond promptly! 

2. Tramp for the Lord – Corrie Ten Boom

How do you move from suffering under the cruelty of a prison guard in a concentration camp to preaching to him, and receiving the friendly handshake of this same guard who once dehumanized you? 

Corrie’s story is one that combines faith, love, resilience, forgiveness, and obedience amid situations that trigger the opposites. Even after enduring unimaginable trauma, Corrie radiated love and hope. 

Her missionary labours began after she stepped out of the prison gates of Ravensbruck, yet she never carried the aura of trauma around her.  

Her life serves as a testament to the human spirit’s capacity for resilience and the restorative power of faith in the face of adversity. 

The book also illustrates how she relied entirely on God’s guidance and provision as she travelled the globe with no fixed itinerary or resources, believing that her life was a gift for a divine purpose, showcasing a total surrender to God’s will.

• Evangelism by Fire – Reinhard Bonnke. 

Bonnke challenges the passive waiting for revival, asserting that God acts when you “go out and preach everywhere.” He encourages a proactive approach, believing that God’s power is released as missionaries step out in faith and obedience to the Great Commission.

“Evangelism by Fire” is a spiritual charge that equips missionaries with the theological grounding and practical encouragement to engage in evangelism backed up with supernatural power, driven by a deep passion for the lost and an absolute reliance on the Holy Spirit.

If you are a missionary desiring to see tangible results in your ministry, or you have lost the fire and zeal you once had for the lost, you should read this book immediately. 

• Run with the Vision – Lester Sumrall. 

This book highlights Lester’s missionary labours involving church planting, and effective cross-cultural missionary work. 

He recounts countless instances of stepping out in faith, often with minimal resources but with God’s leading to pioneer churches in challenging regions like the Philippines and establishing global media ministries. 

“Run with the Vision” demonstrates a lifetime of unwavering dedication to the missionary call, spanning over 60 years. Sumrall faced numerous challenges, yet he maintained his commitment to preaching the Gospel globally. This instills in you as a missionary, the need for long-term vision and perseverance, understanding that the missionary journey is often a marathon, not a sprint. 

There are many more books about missions you can read about, but these highlighted four are a good starting point. As you read them, you will experience a shift, for sure. Your heart will be heavily impacted and maybe an answer you have long been searching for will meet you there.