Tradecraft: For the Church on Mission

by Larry E. McCrary, Caleb Crider, Wade Stephens

The Western Church world is abuzz with talk of being missional. Church leaders, conference speakers, and authors are weighing the merits of the attractional church movement of the past few decades, and where they find it lacking, prescribing changes in the way we need to approach our cultures with the Gospel. There has been a consensus shift among many churches, networks, and denominations to become more focused on mission. The result is a renewed interest in reaching the lost in our cities and around the world. The Church, in many places in the Western world, is in fact returning to a biblical missional focus.  Yet there is something still to be addressed in the the how. For centuries, God has called missionaries to cross cultures with the Gospel, and along the way, they have developed the necessary skill-sets for a cultural translation of the Good News. These skills need to be shared with the rest of the Church in order to help them as well be effective missionaries. Tradecraft for the Church on Mission does exactly that. This book, in essence, pulls back the curtain on tools once accessible only to full-time Christian workers moving overseas, and offers them to anyone anywhere who desires to live missionally.

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Ecclesiology, Christian Living

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2013

Reviews

[Hannah Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this over the summer and kinda forgot about it but it had pretty good content

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually finished this a couple weeks ago. It’s very informative.

[Leah Ginion · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful and practical guide on how the church as a whole can be supporting, discipling, and training its members to live on mission. Thought provoking and insightful points to consider and implement. A recognition of mistakes that have been made in missional history and how to take a more biblical approach to missions and church planting.

Docking one star for the intro that felt angsty and a desire to be rebellious/against the grain for kind of no reason? Like are there really people who are mad that you’re releasing this book? Who is your opp be so for real

——Also as a graphic designer and a sucker for the details…. the typesetting and various typos/extra spacebars throughout gave me agita but I digress

[Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe that this book helps a Christian understand that the term "missionary" does not have to be reserved for people who move across the globe to share the Good News. Everyone who has placed their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior is now deemed a "missionary". This book provides the practical know-hows to share the Good News.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good.

“All Christians are on mission, but not all of us are good at being missionaries. We need to learn to think as ones who are sent, and it takes practice and experience to become good at what we have been saved to do.”

[Megan Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! A book all believers should read.

[Johnnie Each · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

The information was good, it was just. so. boring. I dreaded picking it up every time.

[Rick Dugan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Tradecraft" is required reading for anyone desiring to improve their skills in engaging their neighborhood and culture with the gospel of the kingdom. These skills shouldn't be limited to career missionaries, but can be practiced by anyone.

The book begins with the assumption that, in the words of Charles Spurgeon, everyone is either a mission field or a missionary. We're all called to present and live the gospel among unbelievers. "Mission isn't about location, it's about identity." (pg 24) "Mission isn't an activity of the church, but an attribute of God." (Pg 24)

"Tradecraft" is an excellent manual for learning the skills of mission. Skills move the Christian from being a volunteer in the church to being a partner in mission.

The authors address nine skill areas for one to become an effective missionary. They are:

1. Following the Spirit
2. Mapping
3. Exegeting Culture
4. Building Relationships
5. Identifying Persons of Peace
6. Engaging Tribes
7. Contextualization
8. Pursuing Alternative Paths
9. Protecting Indigeneity

Based on previous experiences, I was skeptical of the concepts of mapping and identifying persons of peace. However, this book presented these two topics in a way that can add tremendous value to the person in mission.

The practice of mapping (gathering intelligence to understand the neighborhood and culture) puts the missionary into the position of a student who is learning about God's unique design of a particular people or city. Just as important as the information that one can gain about the people is the attitude of a learner that develops. Too many people with the heart of a missionary begin by speaking rather than listening. Mapping can correct this.

The concept of a person of peace, which comes from Luke 10:6, is another one that I've often found unhelpful. Rather than sowing seeds of the kingdom or loving those around us, some have gone on hunts for such a person missing opportunities for ministry all around them. The authors suggest that we're not to seek out persons of peace, but simply proclaim the gospel. Those who welcome the messenger (even if they don't initially welcome the message) are people of peace. Spend time with them.

This is especially helpful in secular cultures where people may welcome a relationship even if they don't welcome a religious conversation. Relationship comes first. An immediate harvest isn't necessary or possible.

For any church that seeks to equip it's people for mission in their city or for a mission agency that is sending career missionaries cross-culturally, "Tradecraft" is the best manual for skills training that I've found. There are many examples, which for the inexperienced may be helpful, but for me they made the book too wordy. For this reason I give it 4 instead of 5 stars.

[David Shelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book on some of the basics of Christian mission. The book is based on the belief that all Christians are responsible for fulfilling the Great Commission by making disciples, and thus should all be considered missionaries. The writers want to help equip Christians to be able to faithfully accomplish this calling. Most of the book is very practical and includes chapters on mapping, building relationships, and engaging persons on peace. The book also does a good job right from the beginning of reminding readers that Mission is a Work of the Spirit. All our strategic plans are nothing unless led by the Spirit of God. The organization is a little bit strange with chapters on Contextualization and Protecting Indigeneity being near the end of the book. These chapters contain some foundational arguments for the modern mission movement that some of the other chapters are built on, so it seemed strange to wait until the end to bring them up. All in all Tradecraft is a very good book and I didn't find anything to strongly disagree with. But I also didn't find anything really new either. I have read numerous books on the subject of Christian mission and taken some seminary classes including the Perspectives Class that have shaped my thinking. If I had not read previously I doubt I would have been convinced by some of the arguments that have little depth. If you have a lot of knowledge of mission, there isn't much new in this book. If you don't, you will probably need to read some other books before you will understand and be convinced of some of the other arguments. I would recommend Center Church by Tim Keller as the best place to start.

[Nick birri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tactical masterpiece that misses a key developmental standpoint of evangelism which is the actual relationship building required to make something happen. It basically assumes that you'll have enough shots on goal to share the gospel with someone without paying too much attention to the skill required to get there.

[Paige Redwine · Rating 4 out of 5]

How does the Christian live on mission? A foundation is laid and practical tips are contained in this book. The over arching theme of following the Holy Spirit's guidance is emphasized over a one-size-fits-all-in-all-contexts mentality. This is a very helpful book.

[David Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid book on the importance for all followers of Jesus to know the same trades as overseas missionaries so that we can live with the same missional intentionality. A great encouragement to me as I seek to live on mission in my workplace and neighborhood!

[Scarlett Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, practical read on living missionally for Jesus.

[Derek Logsdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for church planting!

[Lily Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great resource! Happy to have this knowledge

[William Horton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for learning how the practices of missionaries can impact ordinary Christians in America.

[Kenneth Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides very practical principles for a Christian who is on mission to reach the lost, especially those doing so in an unfamiliar cultural context.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really practical. Wish I had access to this in 1978. Some chapters especially resonated with me. The mapping chapter alone worth the price of the book. Overall, excellent.

[Jeff Noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's actually a very limited amount of books available to help Christians understand the whats, whys and hows of missions today. Those that do exist are pretty hefty. What these authors have done in a small book is golden. They've condensed missiological principles to where they're digestible and palatable to Christians who don't have a seminary background.

In doing so, the authors have provided a rich resource for helping the church to rethink how it does missions, to whom it goes, and how disciples are most effectively made in different cultural contexts.

The only chapter I'm not sold on is the one on mapping. I see the point, but don't give it the same weight as they do in strategic necessity. That's not to say one should be ignorant of one's city or adopted culture and sit behind a desk. Rather, the process of mapping they describe seems like one of those processes the authors describe as working for others but that may not need to pragmatically adopted in every context.

[Marti Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for good material about research, learning, and strategy, and I certainly found some here. The material on urban mapping and understanding "tribes," though not new or original, is here practical and accessible. Unfortunately, it was wrapped up in what felt to me an unnecessary emphasis on how missionaries and mission agencies have been hoarding such material and keeping it from other Christians and Christian entities. Enough of the content is wrapped in an anti-mission-industry agenda that will keep me from recommending the book to anybody who works for a mission agency. Come on, guys; we're on the same team.

[Julia Nixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perspective of this book is quite different from the mission lessons I learned as a child, but the idea of learning the culture of a place and becoming a part of it as well as supporting leaders in the community makes a lot more sense to me than trying to rush in and pretend to know the answers of how things should be done. I think these ideas reflect the efforts of how River Road Church, Baptist tries to reach out to others and certainly reflects the mission trips I participated in where I did construction work and communicated with the people rather than offending them by trying to "convert" them to our way of doing things.

[Caleb McCary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful book for churches that want to learn how to approach their communities from a missionary mindset. The book is written with urban settings in mind but I found many of the ideas to be applicable to rural areas and smaller towns as well. So don't let a book about missions in an urban context keep you away if you do not minister in an urban setting. Highly recommended.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely made me think. I don't know if I agree with all of the assumptions or conclusions. And I think it's maybe a bit too technical for an introduction to these topics. But it's one I will come back to as I seek to learn and grow in these areas myself and help others do the same.

[Mike Grober · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good alternative to much of the "why" literature. this one focuses on the "how" of living a life of missions

[Ethan Henshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is genuinely one of the best practical mission books I have ever read that is practical to all Christ followers everywhere.