In recent history, many books have been written on the topic of Christian missions. There have been books about strategy and best practices, books about innovation and trends in missions, books about the grand narrative of Scripture and the biblical basis of missions… all of which are incredibly important aspects of missions to examine. 

There have also been a plethora of books written on spiritual formation, the importance of liturgy in the everyday life of the believer, and the need for a “slowdown spirituality.” However, there seems to be a noticeable lack of books written and resources available on the topic of spiritual formation for the globally-minded Christian… which is unfortunate, because a lot of work could be done in the union of these two critical streams of thought and practice.

But in 2021,  Journey with Me: Spiritual Formation for Global Workers was published. And while not the first book written to recommend the importance of spiritual formation in the life of cross-cultural workers, it’s the first book I’ve seen that outlines that connection in a very practical way.  

Each of the 19 chapters in Journey with Me highlights an “ancient pathway” — a historically tried-and-true practice of spiritual formation that addresses various aspects of the global workers’ life. Some of the disciplines outlined include soul care, the Word of God, prayer, a rule of life, sabbath and retreat, lifelong learning, spiritual direction, hospitality, incarnational ministry, and suffering. Each chapter is biblically grounded, highly practical, and able to stand alone in the grand scheme of the book. 

Probably one of the most noteworthy aspects of this book, at least in my opinion, is just how well-read and researched the author is. Herbert F. Lamp, Jr. has done the work of reading widely on the topic of spiritual formation and he disseminates the concepts and practices in a very straightforward, down-to-earth way. He doesn’t seem to position himself as a competition to all of the work that has previously been done on the topic of spiritual formation in the Christian tradition. If anything, he builds on that already-laid foundation and seems to see this book as a launching pad for global workers into further reading and study. Every chapter is chock-full with quotes and references from other great thinkers and writers, and each chapter ends with a “For Further Reading” section with his top book recommendations on that specific topic. 

As someone who spent years on the field and saw the devastating results of not having a high level of intentionality in his own spiritual development, he speaks directly to current and future cross-cultural missionaries as a mentor and a guide:

“Mission work should not be driven by speed, show, or solely upon results, but by the concern that planted faith communities are able to have deep roots and survive under the challenges that will inevitably arise. Life transformation takes place when the all-encompassing nature of the gospel is realized, not just in head knowledge but through changes in the hearts of global servants and in those they disciple . If this doesn’t take place, then the gospel won’t become rooted where it is planted.” (Pg. 21)

He also addresses leadership within existing mission structures with challenging poignancy: 

“ Christian mission boards spend a great deal of effort and resources in strategizing and promoting their work, but often neglect the hearts of their people. They assume the work of the Holy Spirit has already taken root and has been developed through the global servant’s local church. They spend a great deal of time evaluating a new candidate’s church involvement, but little on what their church has actually produced in the spirituality of the prospective missionary.” (Pg. 15)

And once again: 

“ If spiritual formation is the central problem facing the church today, it is of utmost importance that we train young missionaries in these pathways before and during their mission service. There must be more to spiritual formation than being active in Christian community, affirming a certain set of beliefs, and acting with a certain pattern of behavior. Genuine spiritual formation is much deeper than this. It must be intentional, disciplined, and focused on day-to-day choices of obedience -- which, however seemingly small in the beginning, continually grow.” (Pg. 21)

While I hope this book is not the last word on the topic of spiritual formation within the life of a global worker, this is a great introductory resource for current and future missionaries, as well as their supporting networks and missions leadership.