Ths page is an overview of the array of areas in which specialized training might be needed according to one's individual ministry. It includes appropriate links to the Evangelical Training Directory. The specific types of skills needed for cross-cultural service range from language and culture learning, evangelism, facilitating disciple-making and church planting movements, tentmaking and business as mission, child and orphan care, community development to a variety of other specific areas of ministries. Those highlighted above have special pages for them on this site.

Search the Evangelical Training Directory for training in specific areas of missionary work:

Missionaries are currently active around the globe in a great variety of roles. All missionaries require an understanding of the biblical basis of missions (missiology), as well as a good knowledge of the Bible, evangelistic experience, understanding of how to work in other cultures, how to learn another language, relating to the sending church, missionary team work. Apart from these, the preparation for each ministry is specific to that ministry.

A booklet outlining many resources for different areas missionary of missionary work is available here.

Holistic Missions

• Tim Chester, Good News to the Poor: sharing the gospel through social involvement. IVP. 2004. Formerly an international researcher for Tearfund UK, Chester now leads a group of church mission initiatives into a British unchurched city community. He speaks from familiarity with poverty in many different countries and contexts, and does an excellent job of showing the biblical imperative for holistic mission.
• Jayakumar Christian. God of the Empty-Handed: Poverty, Power and the Kingdom of God. Monrovia, CA: MARC, 1999. Christian, who has worked with the poor in India and the world for more than 30 years, explores the relationship of poverty to powerlessness, masterfully integrating anthropology, sociology, politics and a biblical theology. He includes seven pragmatic responses to the poor and identifies key guidelines for re-equipping grassroots practitioners and missionaries who work with them.
• Beyond Duty: A Passion for Christ a Heart for Mission. MARC, 1997. Dearborn was a Presbyterian missions pastor before directing World Vision’s Institute for Global Engagement. A superb six-part small study of the role of God’s people throughout the world, designed for small groups and classes.
• Gary A. Haugen. Just Courage, God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian. IVP, 2008. Author also of Good News About Injustice: A Witness of Courage in a Hurting World (1999) Haugen is president of International Justice Mission (IJM), a ministry of radical hope that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery and oppression around the globe.
• Sub-merge: Living deep in a shallow world. Regal, 2006. Hayes, the founder of a Christian order among the poor, invites today’s Christian radicals to “plunge in, go deeper, and sub-merge yourself!” Learn what it means to do more than give a handout, and discover how to build authentic faith-based relationships among the poorest of the poor.
• Dewi Hughes. God of the Poor: a Biblical vision of God’s present rule. Paternoster/OM Publishing, 1998. Dewi is the theological adviser to Tearfund UK. The book comes in two sections: biblical foundations, and practical applications. Well illustrated from around the world.
• Bryant L. Myers. Walking with the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1999. Veteran international development specialist Myers provides a masterpiece of biblical integration and application that draws widely on the best Christian and scientific sources of holistic development. Myers challenges us to follow Jesus by respectfully embracing the poor. A needed corrective to a very Word-oriented evangelical missions enterprise.

Community development

• Jayakumar Christian. God of the Empty-Handed. MARC, 1999.
• Donald B. Kraybill. The Upside-Down Kingdom. Herald Press, 1978.
• Scott McKnight. Embracing Grace: A Gospel for All of Us. Paraclete Press, 2005.
• Bryant L. Myers, Walking with the Poor. World Vision International/Orbis, 1999.

Missionary Life and Work:

• Janet and Geoff Benge. Christian Heroes: Then and Now.This realistic and easy-to-read series of 30 missionary biographies (about 200 pages each) will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is a series of newly-written missionary biographies designed for older children, but also helpful for all ages.
• Thomas Hale. On Being a Missionary.William Carey Library, 2003. Written by veteran medical missionary to Nepal, this is a highly readable, practical compilation of the ideas, experiences and insights of over one hundred missionaries. Highly recommended by Dr Steve Hoke.
• Paul Hiebert. Transforming World Views: An Anthropological Understanding of How People Change. Baker, 2008. This is Hiebert’s last book, published just a year after his death, and one of his best. He gives us essential Christian and anthropological reflections for anyone trying to understand differing worldviews—from rural oral societies through modernity, post-modernity and even post-post-modernity. An essential but challenging read. All Paul Hiebert's books are hightly recommended.
• Glenn M. Penner. In the Shadow of the Cross: A Biblical Theology of Persecution and Discipleship., Living Sacrifice Books, 2004. Dr Steve Hoke says, "Wow! Why have we waited so long to have something of this quality and depth? Rooted in serious biblical study through all of Scripture, it helps you build a personal, working theology of suffering, persecution and martyrdom. Not for the faint hearted!"
• Postmission: Mission by a Postmodern Generation. Paternoster, 2002. Pithy and spicy, this jewel emerges from the “Holy Island Gathering” in 2001, of a small group of Gen Xers who were thoughtfully reflecting on mission for and by their generation. Dr Steve Hoke says, "My wife Yvonne and I were privileged to be present as “elders” and hence able to contribute into the discussion and the book. This book rightfully irritates a few older mission leaders but is hopeful to so many others."

Medical Ministry

• Daniel E. Fountain. Health, the Bible and the Church. Billy Graham Center, 1989.

Peacebuilding and Reconciliation

• Peacebuilding and Reconciliation

Ministy Skills

• Using Media Effectively
• Lausanne Global Consulatation on the Gospel and Media

Pastoring and Counselling

• Pastoring and Counselling
• David J. Hesselgrave. Counseling Cross-Culturally. Baker Books, 1984.
• Search for Instruction in Pastoring and Counselling

Leader Development

• Leader Development
• Edgar J. Elliston. Home Grown Leaders. William Carey, 1992.

Mentoring

• Gunter Krallmann. Mentoring for Mission. Authentic Media, 2002.
• Steve Ogne and Tim Roehl. Transformissional Coaching. B&H Publishing, 2008.
• Stacy T. Rinehart. Upside Down: The Paradox of Servant Leadership. NAVPress, 1998.
• Connecting. Paul Stanley and J. Robert Clinton. NAVPress, 1992.