Global Mission Handbook - Part 4

Global Mission Handbook
Steve Hoke & Bill Taylor

Reviewed by Kevin Book-Satterlee

This marks the last brief review of the book, Global Mission Handbook, a book I was going through personally, reading each article and processing each of the worksheets. It is a fantastic cursory book for those entering missions, compiling a myriad of missions training and compiling the book.

The final portion of this book had to do with the first months/year of being on the field. Immersion is the typical buzz-word of missionary training, and Hoke and Taylor advocate an immersed, patient approach to enculturation. The suggestions they give seem to come standard, but are still good. While most missions sending organizations have very similar methodology to entering the field, this section would be valuable especially for missionaries not yet on the field and for supporters of missionaries who might want to see “results” more quickly.

Hoke and Taylor provide a section for finishing strong, which again is a valuable compilation of standard practice. They touch on the need for missionary care, issues regarding continuing education as well as issues regarding third-culture or missionary kids.

As I’ve stated in previous posts, this book is a valuable resource in missions. I would not be surprised to see it become standard reading for major sending organizations, and could be a great tool for missionaries to give to their missions committee. Hoke and Taylor leave out very little. While their view of missions and missional might be limited to a cross-contextual understanding, they know missions training and set the reader up with tools for success.