Eric Wright is passionate about missions. He is passionate about missions because he is passionate about the Lord Jesus. And he wants you to become passionate too. So if you do not want to share that passion don’t read this book. Wright is concerned that missionary practice should be founded on principles that come from the Scriptures. So in Part 1 he lays out the biblical basis of missions, in Part 2 he opens up the missionary task and in Part 3 he explores the missionary message. Parts 4-8 cover the missionary, missionary teamwork, the missionary and culture, missionary strategy (I thought this part was particularly well-balanced) and what he calls ‘missionary work proper’. There are thirty short chapters altogether. It is an easy read. Wright, who worked as a missionary in Pakistan for many years and since then has pastored churches and taught in Toronto Baptist Seminary in his native Canada, explains concepts clearly, for the most part avoiding jargon. The book is enhanced by several examples of missionaries and their work which are a delight to read.

There are a few mistakes in the book: C. Griffiths (p.191) should in fact be Michael C. Griffiths and Paul Hesselgrave (p.116) should be David Hesselgrave. Also, although I realise it is not an academic book, I was disappointed not to find a source for some of his references. In addition I found some of the references and stories too dated to be useful, e.g. the survey of Christian workers in India from 1961 (p.274)!

However, my main issues with the book are as follows:

• Wright’s definition of mission (pp.18-19) is too people-centred. Mission is surely not firstly the task God has called His church to do but the task that God has set for Himself, which we the church are called to share (see Christopher J.H. Wright’s The Mission of God for a weighty study from that angle).
• Wright gives scant attention to other religions. When he does discuss them he sinks to the level of caricature (pp.85-86) which is grossly unfair – we wouldn’t want Christianity treated like that would we?
• Wright does not discuss contextualisation (the issue of how to express biblical truth in other languages and cultures) much but when he does it is simplistic, seemingly reducing it to the task of missionaries sorting out the issues of those they are working among (chapter 20).

Having got that off my chest I would still recommend you read this. Older people, as well as younger, need prayerfully to examine the Scriptures to work out their part in God’s mission. Eric Wright is, for the most part, a reliable guide. Buy a copy for yourself and another for someone you think could do with the challenge.

Mark Pickett