Missionary Biographies

My absolute favorite type of book to read with my kids is missionary biographies. Page after page, chapter after chapter, book after book, these are the ones we hate to stop reading. I could read these an hour a day and still not get enough.

We have enjoyed many, many over the years, but here are a few of the resources, books, and lists that we have journeyed through.

Stand alone books we have enjoyed 

(not all suitable for young children, I tend to edit as I read aloud when necessary):

• Trial and Triumph (an anthology). Love this book that we read a few timeline appropriate entries from each school year.
• Missionary Stories with the Millers (another anthology)
• End of the Spear by Steve Saint (just finished this and it is amazing!)
• The Hiding Place (much more than a missionary bio)by Corrie Ten Boom, along with her follow up story, Tramp for the Lord
• Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot
• God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew
• Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand
• Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis
• Daktar by Viggo Olsen
• Bruchko by Bruce Olson
• Peace Child by Don Richardson
• The Cross and the Switchblade  by David Wilkerson

Series that contain many interesting books: 

• YWAM books - Christian Heroes, Then and Now
• Torchlighters (these have activity pages and DVDs available)

Links with other lists: 

• Gospel Coalition has compiled a list and reasons to read them. 
• Sonlight wrote a blog post with a dozen titles
• More missionary biographies

Other books that we have yet to read:

• And The Word Came With Power by Joanne Shetler 
• Jungle Pilot  by Russell T Hitt   
• Lords of the Earth  by Don Richardson 
• Eric Lidell: Pure Gold, by David McCasland
• A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot
• Oswald Chambers, Abandoned to God: The Life Story of the Author of My Utmost for His Highest  by David McCasland
• These Strange Ashes  by Elisabeth Elliot
• Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Deibler Rose
• In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham 
• To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson. by Courtney Anderson
• The Heavenly Man: The Remarkable True Story of Chinese Christian Brother Yun, by Paul Hattaway
• Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testimony of Jim Elliot by Elisabeth Elliot
• Faithful Witness: The Life and Mission of William Carey by Timothy George
• Legacy of William Carey: A Model for the Transformation of a Culture by Vishal and Ruth Mangalwadi
• Give Me This Mountain. by Dr. Helen Roseveare
• Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission: The Growth of a Work of God. by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor
• Hudson Taylor in Early Years: The Growth of a Soul.by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor
• Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret. by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor
• The Triumph of John and Betty Stam. by Mrs. Howard Taylor

 

What does this look like in our homeschool? 

We start each day with bible time and the missionary bio is incorporated into that part of our day.

I usually read for about 15 minutes from whatever book we are working our way through at the time. We tend to complete 4-6 books a year this way. My adult kids have mentioned this as being a favorite part of their school day as they look back now. I'm thankful that I was able to excite in them a passion for missions and provide some powerful role models that knew how to live by faith. They were by no means perfect and struggled with doubt, illness, broken relationships, disobedience, rebellion, addiction, and many other weaknesses. 

Yet, God used them. And so we read.

Opening our eyes to our own frailty and the power that God manifests despite, and often because of,
those weaknesses.These books must be read with open hands, because they have helped inspire more than one of our kids to commit some or all of their lives to time on the foreign mission field. I wouldn't have it any other way.