(The following is a book review of Pipeline: Engaging the Church in Missionary Mobilization  by David and Lorene Wilson. Read and reviewed by Global Frontier Missions staff member: Laney Mills.)

“Have you read the book Pipeline ?”

You don’t have to be in the missions world long before this question inevitably comes up and, after having read this highly recommended book, I understand why. While Pipeline by David and Lorene Wilson isn’t a “classic” in terms of how long it’s been around (published in 2018), it seems to have quickly become a staple for anyone asking questions about how to engage churches in missionary mobilization and sending. This comprehensive book is marked by a plethora of contributors and a breadth of content that seems unique among books with a similar focus. 

Because of the sheer amount of information and perspectives that are presented in Pipeline , it is a highly valuable resource for anyone seeking to holistically understand the process of missionary mobilization and sending in the context of the local church. Each chapter examines a slightly different aspect of missions engagement within churches from varied angles, and in addition to finding affirmation and encouragement for where you are in this process, you’ll also be challenged to wrestle with paradigms you might not agree with and don’t ascribe to. I find this incredibly beneficial, especially in the missions world where we can easily get stuck in our own church or organizational silos. Stepping outside of our echo chambers of particular thought processes is needful for us as we seek to follow Jesus as faithfully as we possibly can in our cultural moment. 

However, I think all readers of Pipeline will agree with the consistent emphasis on the absolute necessity of prayer and intentional mobilization within the local church. Those two things rightly receive a lot of attention throughout the entirety of the book. On the topic of prayer, Doug Lucas writes the following in the introduction: “According to Jesus, to raise up the ‘reachers’ we have to pray hard. And never, never, never quit. That’s the framework for everything we do in mobilization. Everything else is just details.” What a profoundly true statement! 

As David Wilson openly assesses what he sees overarchingly when he looks at the local church’s current involvement in mobilization and sending, he writes: 

“Sure, we in the church celebrate when someone steps forward and says, ‘I think God is calling me to be a missionary.’ But often there is an element of surprise instead of expectation . We react to these moments of calling, instead of anticipating God to call them out because we have been praying for that to happen. Our default is to go through the motions of church-as-usual. So when someone raises their hand to join the Lord on His mission, it is almost like it was accidental rather than as a result of deliberate discipleship initiatives.”

This paradigm of “accidental mobilization” versus “deliberate mobilization” stood out to me as critical for churches to engage with as they assess their own missions pipeline, and I appreciated the differentiation between a posture of surprise and reaction from local churches as opposed to a posture of expectation and anticipation. 

As has already been stated, there is so much to Pipeline , and this brief review barely even scratches the surface. However, I would recommend it as an excellent resource and reference book for those desiring and pursuing greater levels of intentional prayer and mobilization within the context of their local church.

Written by: Laney Mills