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Articles and books

New book released in April 2025!

Vulnerable Mission for Practitioners
A Simple—yet Challenging—Guide to Cross-cultural Service without Dominance
Edited by Deborah Bernhard and Marcus Grohmann

This little book in non-academic language is an introduction to vulnerable mission that is both comprehensive and compact. The short chapters, written in accessible language, present clearly how vulnerable mission differs from other approaches to mission. They explain why (more of) vulnerable mission is important. The book closes with some simple and concrete steps towards more vulnerable weakness in cross-cultural ministry.

Book Availability

  • Paperback & PDF eBook – via our website, offered on a donation basis.
    • If you’d like a copy, simply email us with the version and quantity you require, and we will arrange to send it via email or post.
    • Please note: The paperback version from our website is only available for postal delivery within Europe.
  • Kindle & Paperback edition – Available on Amazon.

An exploration of the thought and practice of ministry in vulnerable weakness

Paul Planted, Apollos Watered, but God
Vulnerable Weakness in Ministry and Mission
Edited by Christopher Sadowitz and Jim Harries

The book comes in three parts. The first five chapters lay the biblical-theological foundations for vulnerable weakness in ministry and mission. The second part considers culture and vulnerable weakness in ministry and mission, and the last part provides a number of case studies. A book suitable for those wanting to dive deeper into the theology, philosophy and practice of vulnerable mission.

Book Availability

  • Paperback, Hardcover & eBook – Via the publisher Wipf & Stock.
  • Paperback and Kindle Edition – Available on Amazon.
Further articles and books on vulnerable mission

Bernhard, Deborah. “Upending Cultural Dependency: Honouring Local Buddhist Traditions as a Principle of Vulnerable Mission in the Buddhist Context“. (All Nations Christians College, Ware, Hertfordshire, UK, 2018).

Bosch, David. “The Vulnerability of Mission“. Zeitschrift Für Missionswissenschaft Und Religionswissenschaft 76, no. 3 (1992): 201–16.

Grohmann, Marcus. “Religious liberties of missionaries under pressure from within: The unsettling nature and the potential of vulnerable approaches to mission“. Norsk Tidsskrift for Misjonsvitenskap / Norwegian Journal for Missiology 77, no. 1 (2024): 5-21.

Harries, Jim. New Foundations for Appreciating Africa: Beyond Religious and Secular Deceptions. Bonn: Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft, 2016.

Harries, Jim. “Western Theology in Africa: Christian Mission in the Light of the Undermining of Scientific Hegemony“. International Review of Mission 106, no. 2 (2017): 241–60.

Harries, Jim. “Magic, Divine Revelation and Translation in Theological Education in the Majority World Today (with a Focus on Africa)“. Missionalia 47, no. 2 (2019): 165–76.

Harries, Jim. “Overcoming Invented Ogres: African Traditional Religions and World Religions in African Christian Perspective“. Evangelical Review of Theology 42, no. 2 (2018): 171–84.

Harries, Jim. “How Western Anti-Racism Harms Africa and How We Can Do Better“. Chichester: Faithbuilders, 2021. (See on Amazon).

Sadowitz, Chris and Harries, Jim (eds). Paul Planted, Apollos Watered, but God: Vulnerable Weakness in Ministry and Mission. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2023. (See on Amazon).

More works by Jim Harries on Vulnerable Mission, from shorter articles to books, can be found on his personal website as well as on Amazon.

The case for using local resources

Harries, Jim. “Resource Use as Hindrance to Sustainable Overseas Development Intervention: A View Focused on Pentecostal Christianity“. Missiology: An International Review 46, no. 3 (July 2018): 251–67.

Maranz, David E. African Friends and Money Matters, Second Edition: Observations from Africa. 2nd ed. Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2016. (See on Amazon).

The case for using local languages

Harries, Jim. “The Great Delusion: Post-Colonial Language Policy for Mission and Development in Africa Reviewed“. Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies 29, no. 1 (2012): 44–61.

Harries, Jim. Communication in Mission and Development. Relating to the Church in Africa. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2013. (See on Amazon).

Harries, Jim. “The Glaring Gap, Anthropology, Religion, and Christianity in African Development“. Exchange 42 (2013): 232–51.

Harries, Jim. “The Importance of Local Language in Urban Ministry: Why European Languages Are Not Sufficient in African Contexts“. Lausanne Global Analysis 8, no. 2 (March 2019).

Vulnerable mission in practice

Harries, Jim. African Heartbeat and A Vulnerable Fool. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2019. (See on Amazon).

Horst, Willis, Ute Paul, and Frank Paul, eds. “Mission without Conquest: An Alternative Missionary Practice“. Carlisle: Langham Global Library, 2015. (See on Amazon).

Grohmann, Marcus. “A Foolish Proposal? Vulnerability as an Alternative Attempt to Contribute to Decolonisation and Reconciliation in Post-Colonial South Africa“. Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies 37, no. 2 (April 2020): 140–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265378820910452 (free manuscript available here).

Johnson, Jean. “We Are Not the Hero: A Missionary’s Guide to Sharing Christ, Not a Culture of Dependency“. Sisters, OR: Deep River Books LLC, 2012. (See on Amazon).

Johnson, Jean, and Darryl Meekins. “We Are Not The Hero – The Participant’s Guide“. CreateSpace Publishing, 2018. (See on Amazon).

Further reading

Texts and books we find inspiring

Bessenecker, Scott. Overturning Tables: Freeing Missions from the Christian-Industrial Complex. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014. (See on Amazon).

Brown, Brené. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. Reprint Edition. New York: Avery, 2015. (See on Amazon).

Corbett, Steve and Fikkert, Brian. When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014. (See on Amazon).

Lidstone, Julyan. Give Up the Purple: A Call for Servant Leadership in Hierarchical Cultures. Langham Global Library, 2019. (See on Amazon). – available also in Arabic, Farsi, German, Mandarin and Turkish. For an eBook-Version in Arabic and Farsi, please send a request via email.

Oblau, Gotthard and Währisch-Oblau, Claudia “Invite into your learning community!” What the “Great Commission” really says. In: Währisch-Oblau Claudia (ed.) Mission – still on? Why we need postcolonial perspectives’. United Evangelical Mission, 2025, pp. 43–57. (Download here).

Reese, Robert. Roots and Remedies of the Dependency Syndrome in World Missions. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2010. (See on Amazon).

Schwartz, Glenn J. 2007. When Charity Destroys Dignity: Overcoming Unhealthy Dependency in the Christian Movement. AuthorHouse. (See on Amazon).