As summer begins, it’s the perfect time to slow down, grab a good book, and let God stretch your heart and mind. In this edition, we’re sharing four powerful books and four honest reviews — a summer reading list curated for those who care about cross-cultural mission and long to see the gospel take root in every people and place.
At the heart of the Unreached Network is a deep desire to listen, learn, and live faithfully in God’s global mission. In a world marked by cultural complexity and spiritual need, what we read shapes how we think, how we serve, and how we grow. That’s why we’re launching Shelf Talk — a space where we reflect on the books that are informing our understanding of cross-cultural mission and deepening our commitment to the unreached.
Whether you’re a mission practitioner, a student, or simply exploring what it means to follow Jesus across cultures, Shelf Talk invites you into the conversation — because what we’re reading really does matter.
We hope you enjoy these. For more inspiration, visit our Read page at www.unreached.network/read, where you’ll find a rich source of books — academic, theological, biographical, and story-driven — as well as papers from across our Newfrontiers family. Check it out here.
A couple of chapters (The Post-Colonial/Decolonial option in Theology & Middle Eastern Theologies) from Emerging Theologies from the Global South, edited by Mitri Raheb & Mark A. Lamport. Reviewed by Tex read here
One of the main strengths of Emerging Theologies from the Global South is, firstly, it is a much-needed voice for the Global North – making it aware that the Global South has a significant part to play in global theological development.
Another strength is that it recognises that theological thought is more fluid and being shaped by contextual elements such as linguistic or cultural traditions, rather than something that is static or rigid.
I found it particularly helpful to reframe how Western theologies focus on the persecution of Christians by Islam – which can often be divisive or combative. This short section helped affirm in me a more contextually winsome approach to mission amongst the “cousins”.
I’d recommend it because it is able to help give a breadth of what God is doing in the Global South in terms of theological development (there are 32 chapters focusing on various regions in the Global South), which in turn equips me to pastor in a world that is becoming more and more globalised. I’d recommend it to those who are studying theology and/or those involved in pastoral ministry.
Truth that sticks: how to communicate Velcro truth in a Teflon world, Willis and Snowden. Reviewed by Marie (Foundational Training Participant.) read here
I loved reading this book as part of the Foundational Training Programme this year. It is written in such an accessible way with plenty of stories of how it has been applied and pictures and metaphors to help you understand and remember the ideas. It details how we can share the gospel with people for whom reading and writing is not their preferred method of learning. It goes even further and shows how this approach can be useful in discipling people regardless of their background.
Learning that the majority of the world struggle to process or remember a church sermon but connect much better with information presented in dynamic, multisensory ways, helped me to have more grace for myself. I often have a short attention span in church (despite being someone who loves reading and academic work) but have really enjoyed thinking about the Bible using all of the senses and from a place of community. I was also excited to see how teaching the word in this way can help people to align their world view to that of the gospel.
With every chapter I was itching to put things into practice. I started using acting as a way of connecting with scripture in youth group. I saw kids get excited and passionate about Bible passages. A highlight was definitely seeing a group of girls act out Psalm 11 on a Sunday morning, embracing the highs and lows of the Psalm through movement and drama.
If you want to read a book that will help you to share the gospel in creative ways, breaking barriers of language and literacy then this is the book for you!
The Asian Jesus, Michael Amaladoss (2025) – Reviewed by Andy McCullough read here
This little book is easy to read and packed full of powerful and eye-opening ideas about how Jesus resonates with Asian readers of the gospels. Chapters like “Jesus, the Way”, “Jesus, the Guru”, “Jesus, the Compassionate” highlight how Asian readers often first perceive Jesus when they meet him in the pages of Scripture, and some of the things that are most attractive and compelling about Him in Asian contexts.
I found this book really exciting! It’s quite devotional, stirring the heart. It’s very stimulating, giving lots of cultural insight. And, as always, it opens our eyes to a bigger world, reminding us that Jesus does not belong exclusively to one group or perspective, and that his life and mission belong to all the peoples of the world.
‘Reading The World: How I read a book from every country’, Ann Morgan – Reviewed by Bea read here
I underestimated this book when I borrowed it from our local library. In 2012, the Olympics came to London, and UK-based writer Ann Morgan was inspired to read a book from every nation. Based on the title and blurb, I picked up her book with both interest and trepidation, expecting it to be a trip through book recommendations, interspersed with anecdotes about the process. What I found was much more thoughtful and thought-provoking. As people around the world help Morgan expand her book list, she grapples with big questions. What is a nation and a national identity? How can we read to learn without falling into Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s ‘danger of a single story’ of a place or people group? Where borders are disputed, do stories reinforce or break down boundaries? Is the growth of translation into English – the most published language in the world – a positive step, or reinforcing the power of the ‘colonial sieve’ of the very language that I am writing in now? The book doesn’t settle for neat answers, but it’s certainly challenged me to sit with some of these questions. (And for those who want it, her reading list is there at the end.)
Scattered and Gathering: A Global Compendium of Diaspora Missiology, Sadie’s Joy Tira & Tetsunao Yamamori – Reviewed by John Ford read here
I had rarely thought much about the importance of the theme of migration in the Bible and this book helped me see the how diaspora was key to understanding the story of the Old Testament and how so much of the growth and spread of the early church in the New Testament was through diaspora communities.
I was freshly awakened to the reality that God uses people on the move to fulfil his purpose for the gospel to go to the ends of the earth and the salvation of people from very unreached places. Diaspora Missiology is of importance as it is predicted that ‘in the next 30 years more people will migrate than in the previous three centuries’ and we need see the Kingdom and gospel opportunities in this. In the UK it brings great blessing – as Christians from other nations come and revitalise our churches; it brings great opportunity – as our neighbours and work colleagues may be from very unreached nations; it brings great challenge – as we need to see churches established that reflect this multi-cultural Kingdom showing beauty in cultural diversity.
Quite by George 2023 Growing numbers: Data and trends; Lausanne Movement 2024
The Forgotten Manifesto of Jesus, Phil Moore – Reviewed by Sara read here
is a powerful and accessible book that reminds us Jesus’ core mission wasn’t limited to the Great Commission but was lived out through His entire ministry. Using Luke 10 as a framework, Phil combines biblical truth with real stories from disciple-makers around the world, making it relatable across cultures and contexts. The short chapters and engaging testimonies make it an easy read, whether you’re in a traditional mission field or a Western setting. As a cross-cultural worker in the Middle East, I found it deeply encouraging and helpful in sparking meaningful conversations about mission. I’d recommend it to anyone ready to follow Jesus and lead others into that same adventure.
Jesus Freaks – Stories of Those who Stood for Jesus: The Ultimate Jesus Freaks. DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs Revised and Updated Edition. Reviewed by Susie Howe read here
“…It has come at last – salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our bothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth – the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.” (Revelation 12:10-11 NLT)
Anila and Perveen; Ivan Moiseyev; Nikolai Khamara; Tsehay Tolessa – all names of those who were tortured or martyred for their faith and for resolutely being witnesses to Jesus Christ in contexts where to do so meant almost certain death.
Jesus Freaks – Stories of Those who Stood for Jesus: The Ultimate Jesus Freaks is not your average summer beach read. But in these days of slick and shiny church services served up with coffee and croissants, it’s challenging, provoking and utterly inspiring.
The stories of the martyrs from New Testament times through to today are visceral and uncompromising. They are soaked not only in blood but also a joy that transcends all understanding. You can almost hear heaven roaring through each story!
This book is one that I use a couple of times a week. I read and reflect on the story of one of the martyrs, read the accompanying passages of scripture and then pray for those in our world who are being gospel witnesses amongst unreached people groups (whether their own people group or another) or who are persecuted for their faith. I then pray for Holy Spirit to help me to be uncompromising in my witness to Jesus Christ in the contexts that he leads me into.
John Ortburg wrote that to be a follower of Jesus ‘You must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life. And that’s sobering news for most of us because we’re into comfort.’ Comfort is one of the great siren-calls of our age. Our desire to stay comfortable may may stop many of us from partnering with God on his mission. Some are not prepared to cross over the road let alone to cross continents to share the gospel with those who are unreached.
This book is for anyone who is a Christ-follower who, like me, loves their comfort, but who, like me longs to authentically take up their cross to follow Jesus, no matter where he leads and no matter what it takes, in order that we may make him known.
