Other Helpful Resources - Operation World

One of the most amazing changes over the last 30 years has been the multiplication of resources available for Christians. Here are a few of the websites and books that have been most formative for the Operation World team in our journeys in prayer, mission, and Christian spirituality, both individually and corporately as a team. We hope they will be as informative and edifying to you as they are to us!

This handful of links represents only a tiny fraction of the wide range of resources that have shaped us. Some, but not all, represent ministries with which Operation World has partnered at points in its history. These resources do not represent any official “Operation World position”; our own views within the team can be quite diverse on matters of theology! However, each of these works has had a profound influence on at least some of us. In some areas (such as spiritual warfare, discipleship/spirituality, and mission mobilization), it is often people/relationships and conferences/events, rather than books or websites, that have had the most significant impact.

Books on Prayer

Title, Author, URL	Why read it?
With Christ in the School of Prayer By: Andrew Murray On Goodreads	Andrew Murray wrote extensively on prayer, and his century-old wisdom helps you appreciate how Jesus taught his disciples on prayer as reported in the Gospels. Has been excellent food for thought in our team discussions on prayer.
How to Pray By: Pete Greig On Goodreads	The genius of this book is in its simplicity and accessibility. There is no better place to start reading about prayer than this book.
A Vision of the Deep: Uncovering the Treasure of Life in Christ By: Susan Sutton On Goodreads	One of our own! An International Director with WEC takes us beyond surface living – a sense of obligation and responsibility in the Christian life – to give us a vision of the deep: losing ourselves in the fathomless depths of Jesus Christ.
Understanding Spiritual Warfare: Four Views By: James Beilby, Paul Eddy (eds) On Goodreads	Very helpful exposure to four different approaches to spiritual warfare, including each proponent presenting their case and each other contributor offering a critique of that case. Where you go from here will depend on which view resonates with you the most!
The Powers That Be: Theology for a New Millenium By: Walter Wink On Goodreads	A unique and thought-provoking approach to prayer and intercession. Wink unpacks a philosophy of worldviews, the “domination systems” of our world, and the myth of redemptive violence in addition to writing profoundly about the power of intercession in the morass of human and spiritual systems.
A Praying Life By: Paul E Miller On Goodreads	A practical, biblical, encouraging book that provides real hope for those who struggle with prayer.
The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions By: Arthur Bennett On Goodreads	Each prayer in the book focuses on a different topic and manages to express all that is in the heart of the one praying, from confessing sin to commitment of service to the sheer joy of being in God’s presence.
God on Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer By: Pete Greig On dirtyglory.org	A refreshingly honest and personal treatment of unanswered prayer by a leader whose ministry is profoundly associated with prayer.
The Hour That Changes the World By: Dick Eastman On Goodreads	A true modern classic on prayer by a true giant of prayer. This short book shows believers how to divide an hour of prayer into 12 five-minute segments, each with a different focus. This tool has helped millions of believers engage in an hour of prayer that can be both effective and enjoyable.
Celtic Daily Prayer By: Northumbria Community northumbriacommunity.org	A collection taken from the daily rhythms of prayer in a community rooted in the spiritual heritage of Celtic Northumbria (UK). These prayers are a pathway into the rich experience of faithful Christians from centuries past. They can be a daily anchor for faith in seasons when we struggle to know how to pray.
A Sacred Sorrow: Reaching Out to God in the Lost Language of Lament By: Michael Card On Goodreads	A guide through prayers of lament in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. This book is informative, but its design leads you to – and through – prayers of lament, and to finding a way to worship honestly from the midst of suffering.
Shaped for Prayer Enjoyment By: David Macmillan wingspanprayer.org	Do you enjoy prayer? A question we never really think much about! The author is a fellow missionary sharing from his own journey into prayer. This book has many practical exercises, so many of which expand and deepen our experience of – and enjoyment of – personal and corporate prayer.
The Practice of the Presence of God By: Brother Lawrence On Goodreads	Teachings of a 17th Century friar, based on his pursuit of praying without ceasing. This short book helps shift our understanding of prayer from something that happens when we bow our heads and close our eyes, to a way of life – a lifelong pursuit, but well worth exploring.

Books on Mission

Title, Author, URL	Why read it?
Transforming Mission By: David Bosch On Goodreads	Deep but essential reading for anyone who wants to dig into Biblical paradigms of mission and understanding what “mission” is.
The Mission of God By: Chris Wright On ivpbooks.com	Profound yet accessible, Wright’s masterpiece shows that mission is really the central theme of the whole Bible.
Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (4th Ed): A Reader By: Ralph Winter, Steve Hawthorne (eds) On missionbooks.org	A multi-faceted collection of readings exploring the biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic dimensions of world evangelization. The reader is a part of the 15-week course that is offered in many nations.
Let the Nations Be Glad! By: John Piper On desiringgod.org	The perspective-shifting work that presents the worship of God as the fuel for missions and the ultimate end goal of all mission.
The Open Secret By: Lesslie Newbigin On lifeandleadership.com	Arguably, the finest, widest, deepest understanding of the missionary task one could ever read. Newbigin synthesizes and develops post-WWII theology into a brief book about the mission of God. His formulation of the church as ‘sign, instrument and foretaste’ of the Kingdom of God laid a foundation that N.T. Wright and others built upon.
With Christ on the Indian Road By: E Stanley Jones On Goodreads	One of the finest missionaries of the twentieth century, E Stanley Jones faces head-on the dilemma of coming as an American bearer-of-truth to a culture many times older than his own, with philosophical and religious heritage much deeper than his own. He asks, and offers practical responses to, the questions missionaries often ask themselves or are asked by others: What are you doing here? How dare you try to convert people? Who are you to do this? Nearly a century old and possibly still not surpassed in its field.
Christian Mission in the Modern World By: John Stott (& Chris Wright) On ivpress.com	A classic, now updated, by one of the most important thinkers in evangelicalism. John Stott’s balanced treatment of Christian mission and clear style of communication makes for an outstanding entry point into the domain of missiology and the biblical basis for mission.
Missionary Biographies By: Various On Goodreads	Many of us have learned more about mission from reading the life stories of missionaries past and present than from any other resource. Our own callings can be shaped and clarified through reading such missionary biographies – and our theology and faith will be stretched along the way!

Other Books

Title, Author, URL	Why read it?
World Christian Encyclopedia By: Todd M Johnson, Gina A Zurlo On gordonconwell.edu	This tome enumerates and describes in detail the shape and status of Christianity in every country. It is an amazing work full of valuable quantitative and qualitative information.
Satan and the Problem of Evil By: Greg Boyd On reknew.org	Boyd’s construction of a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy explains evil in a way that speaks volumes to the issues of God’s sovereignty, free will, and prayer. The framework concludes that prayer and intercession actually do matter. Volume two of a massive trilogy.
Celebration of Discipline By: Richard Foster On Goodreads	Hailed by many as the best modern book on Christian spirituality, Celebration of Discipline explores the “classic Disciplines,” or central spiritual practices, of the Christian faith. Along the way, Foster shows that it is only by and through these practices that the true path to spiritual growth can be found.
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream By: David Platt On radical.net	A very readable, but hard-hitting work that helps believers see how a life of authentic discipleship runs up against culturally prevalent priorities in Western/US culture.
Global Church: Reshaping Our Conversations, Renewing Our Mission, Revitalizing Our Churches By: Graham Hill On missionexus.org	There is probably no better volume for learning about the contours of Global Christianity – not in terms of mere numbers, but in thoughtful conversations around the themes and issues that reflect a truly global Church.
From Jerusalem to Timbuktu: A World Tour of the Spread of Christianity By: Brian Stiller On Goodreads	Ambassador of evangelicalism extraordinaire, Brian Stiller tracks five driving factors that help explain and expound how Christianity in the 21st century has become a Global South religion with a bright future.
The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity By: Philip Jenkins On Oxford Scholarship Online	This book is older now, but it opened the eyes of many to the size and diversity of global Christianity. What an amazing work of God in our own generation! Understanding these profound changes can draw us into a deeper walk with God.

Recommended Websites

Resource, Main Subject	Description
Joshua Project On: Prayer	The Joshua Project is our default site for people group information. Mountains of helpful data to encourage awareness of and prayer for unreached peoples.
Prayercast On: Prayer	Outstanding short videos that stimulate and fuel intercession using video footage with voiceover prayers, usually prayed by people from the country in question.
24-7 Prayer On: Prayer	Whether you want to learn how to pray, why to pray, or what to pray, 24-7 Prayer is our favourite first stop on the journey. You can also find practical resources for leading prayer meetings and hosting a prayer room.
International Prayer Connect On: Prayer	Home of International Prayer Connect – a network of prayer networks. Includes a monthly digital magazine full of resources and news of prayer events happening around the world and online.
Global Family 24-7 Prayer On: Prayer	An online, non-stop prayer gathering for the nations, where hour-long sessions are facilitated by diverse ministries, churches, and people from around the world. OW is delighted to be an active part of this initiative.
Celtic Daily Prayer On: Prayer	The Northumbria Community (rooted in Celtic spiritual heritage) makes some of their daily prayers and community practices available on their website.
Mission Commission of the WEA On: Mission	The Mission Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance – promoting greater effectiveness in mission, and encouraging and assisting churches to engage in mission.
Global Missiology On: Mission	A more scholarly journal for those interested, publishing the work of mission researchers around the globe. Available in several languages.
Global Mobilization Network On: Mission	A worldwide network that exists to help mission mobilizers be more effective through connecting together, resources, and training.
Justin Long’s Resources On: News	One of the best mission researchers out there, Justin produces an exceptional weekly Round Up with links to articles covering the news, global Christianity, and world mission.
Globe Trot – World News Summary On: News	An excellent concise summary of global news items curated by a US-based Christian journalist.
The Bible Project On: Bible& Spirituality	These podcasts and videos have opened the treasures of our Scriptures to a new generation. For many on our team, they are essential listening for growing in knowledge and understanding of God and His Word.
Progress.Bible On: Bible & Spirituality	You don’t need to think much farther than your own appreciation for the Bible to see that Bible Translation is a vital part of Christian activity globally – this site helps to track progress on translation around the world, especially where needs remain.
The Lausanne Movement On: Global Christianity	Home of the Lausanne Movement, a global evangelical network connecting, resourcing, and inspiring believers for greater impact in global mission.
World Evangelical Alliance On: Global Christianity	The global hub where all the 129 different national-level Evangelical Alliances come together.
Center for the Study of Global Christianity On: Global Christianity	Our friends and colleagues who produce the amazing World Christian Encyclopedia and World Christian Database also produce other excellent content, to be found here.
On Mission with Chris Wright On: Global Christianity	Noted theologian and author Chris Wright talks with leaders from Latin America, Africa, and Asia about their lives, interests, and more, exploring the vast wealth of wisdom “the Church of the West has to gain from their sisters and brothers around the world.”
The Global Church Project On: Global Christianity	A welcome (and long-overdue) platform for exploring the wisdom and theologies of Global Christianity.
Lausanne Global Analysis On: Global Christianity	Read about contemporary issues facing the Church in different parts of the world, written and compiled by evangelical Christian leaders from many countries.
Ethnologue On: Global Christianity	The languages of the world, catalogued. While much of the country-specific information requires a paid subscription, there are great guides (with facts and graphics) to the world’s 7,000+ languages!
InterVarsity Press On: Publishing	Our publisher offers an impressive collection of resources on prayer, mission, Christian living, the Church and more.
Langham Resources On: Publishing	Langham Publishing has helped make Majority World authors more accessible to the global Church, whether it’s bible studies, books on theology, preaching resources, or scholarly works.
Regnum Books On: Publishing	The Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, through Regnum, connects practitioners with its rich diversity of scholars for “authentic Christian engagement in the transformation of people and societies throughout the world.”