The Outreach Resources of the Year honors the past year’s best books that emphasize outreach-oriented ideas that churches and organizations of all sizes can use.
Last fall we invited publishers and authors to submit resources that released between Nov. 1, 2023, and Oct. 31, 2024. The Outreach magazine editorial team then placed the qualifying titles into 13 key categories for review by expert panelists in each field. After thoughtful consideration, they selected one or more entries as an Outreach Resource of the Year and spotlighted some titles as “Also Recommended.”
In this section you will discover valuable tools that belong in your library of resources to further the kingdom of God. You will reach for them time and again as they enhance your effectiveness in ministry through the years.
EVANGELISM & DISCIPLESHIP
Evaluated by Bobby Harrington, point leader of Discipleship.org and Renew.org.
RESOURCE OF THE YEAR
John Mark Comer clearly states that to be a Christian is to be a disciple of Jesus. He then makes the argument that the point of being a disciple of Jesus is to learn from him and be conformed into his image. It is a great distillation of Dallas Willard’s influence with thoughtful psychological insights, but most importantly, it is grounded in Scripture. This is a wonderful and very helpful book, especially for those just getting started learning and understanding what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. I recommend it to everyone.
APOLOGETICS
Evaluated by R. York Moore, CEO and president of the Coalition for Christian Outreach; co-founder of the EveryCampus movement; and co-author of Seen. Known. Loved.
RESOURCES OF THE YEAR
The 100 Most Asked Questions About God and the Bible: Scripture’s Answers on Sin, Salvation, Sexuality, End Times, Heaven, & More by S. Michael Houdmann (Bethany House)
While there are many “sophisticated” books on apologetics, we are now in an age where everything old is new again. Many people are asking classic apologetic questions, but we can no longer assume they have basic biblical knowledge. The amount of data we can glean from the public’s search appetite demonstrates that a book like The 100 Most Asked Questions serves as a very helpful guide into people’s queries. S. Michael Houdmann does a masterful job at giving dignity to the most basic questions, honoring the heart of them and providing balanced answers.
The more advanced Christian reader may find this book overly simplistic, but it is one that is very well-timed with the zeitgeist of the non-Christian public. I recommend having it on hand for debates and discussions with those who are beginning to ask questions.
Bridge-Building Apologetics: How to Get Along Even When We Disagree by Lindsey Medenwaldt (Harvest House)
Lindsey Medenwaldt places the practice of apologetics squarely where it belongs—in the context of human relationships. Bridge-Building Apologetics takes seriously the messy context of people’s emotions, circumstances and fears while rightly demonstrating the fundamental relationality of apologetics.
This book stands appropriately in stark contrast to the age-old posture in apologetics that overly emphasizes winning arguments through propositional truths, logic and communication. Most importantly, in an age of perpetual schism and a lack of civility, Medenwaldt elegantly demonstrates how to disagree well, which is an art that all who engage seriously in apologetics must master now more than ever. She gives much-needed serious treatment to elements of human engagement like active listening, self-awareness, the quality of our demonstrated character, and humble presence.
CHURCH
Evaluated by Knute Larson, pastoral coach; founder of Adult Bible Fellowships; and former pastor of The Chapel in Akron, Ohio.
RESOURCES OF THE YEAR
AI and the Church: A Clear Guide for the Curious and Courageous by Jason Moore (Invite Press)
In AI and the Church, Jason Moore considers the hesitations church leaders may have regarding AI while providing a deep dive into its benefits (and answers everything else most of us would ask).
The section “Demystifying AI” is a great help for tech beginners. In “Rooted in Scripture,” Moore brings up appropriate concerns and gives cautions or stop signs. The section on how to ethically use ChatGPT, AI video generators and other AI tools is instructive. Moore writes, “I’d like to boldly suggest that AI is a chance for us to turn our verbal illustrations into transformational, inspiring, modern-day visual parables.”
As a reference book, AI and the Church is helpful to anyone. It provides a thoughtful exploration of the concerns regarding AI as well as its advantages.
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De-sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What’s Next by Karl Vaters (Moody Publishers)
This book starts with a critique of the Church Growth Movement, which is pretty fair. I started pastoring in 1966 and remember the pressure among pastors to try to grow big.
Vaters looks at various motives and methods, but digs deep into the goal we should have—quality—over making numbers the emphasis. He is very clear about what our priorities should be: faithfulness over performance, people more than buildings, ministry before programs, and more. He includes a candid section on worship rather than just music, and good church health over growth.
While most of us may refuse to believe we obsess about size instead of quality and care for people, such warnings are necessary, and the challenge for a healthy church of any size is certainly worthy of our embrace. Leaders of every size church should look in the mirror with De-sizing in hand.
ALSO RECOMMENDED
Confronting Sexism in the Church: How We Got Here and What We Can Do About It by Heather Matthews (IVP)
Heather Matthews tackles a timely and sensitive topic with grace and wisdom; a valuable read for any church leader seeking to understand and address the hurt experienced by women in the church.
LEADERSHIP
Evaluated by Todd Adkins, a leadership expert specializing in building systems for growth and development. He is the executive vice president of Inspire.org.
RESOURCES OF THE YEAR
Healthy Leadership for Thriving Organizations: Creating Contexts Where People Flourish by Justin A. Irving (Baker Academic)
Healthy Leadership for Thriving Organizations truly integrates biblical principles that stand the test of time with practical strategies based on current qualitative research. While you may quip back “Culture eats practical strategies for breakfast,” I would remind you that culture gets its appetite from purpose.
Justin A. Irving masterfully equips leaders to cultivate biblical communities marked by purpose, trust and growth through practical insights rooted in Scripture and modern organizational psychology. This leadership book will stay on your desk for a while and on your shelf for years to come.
Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leaders by Daniel Yang, Adelle M. Banks and Warren Bird (Zondervan Reflective)
A big part of a church leader’s role is to define reality while providing hope and direction to those they lead. Becoming a Future-Ready Church helps to define the real challenges we face by starting each chapter with a dated question, a better question and a suggested shift in practice. After providing compelling commentary and case studies supporting each shift, the authors present simple assessments at the conclusion of each chapter that can be shared. They also will spark catalytic conversations with your team. You may not agree with every suggested shift, but it would be hard to walk away from this book without being challenged and ready to implement change somewhere in your ministry.
Editor’s Note: Warren Bird is an Outreach magazine contributing editor.
THEOLOGY & BIBLICAL STUDIES
Evaluated by Trevin Wax, vice president of resources and marketing at the North American Mission Board and author of The Thrill of Orthodoxy, Rethink Your Self and This Is Our Time.
RESOURCE OF THE YEAR
What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church by Gavin Ortlund (Zondervan Reflective)
Whenever I speak at Christian universities or churches with thriving college ministries, I’m struck by the growing number of young people who are wrestling with questions about the different branches of Christianity: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. They are asking questions about their heritage, what sets evangelicals apart from other traditions, and what commonalities we enjoy. What It Means to Be Protestant combines a rigorous commitment to scholarship with an irenic tone, making the case for a Protestantism that is more (little C) catholic than those who claim to belong to the one true church in institutional form. This book will become more and more valuable in the coming years.
ALSO RECOMMENDED
The Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with God by Dallas Willard (Zondervan)
This posthumous release brings together Dallas Willard’s teachings on Jesus’ parables and what they mean for understanding and experiencing the kingdom of God. The Scandal of the Kingdom includes the primary insights Willard was known for, and the postures and practices necessary for a life abandoned to God, alongside fresh interpretations of the stories and sayings of Jesus.
KIDS & YOUTH
Evaluated by Russell St. Bernard, an Outreach magazine contributing editor; director of ministry operations at Kingdom Fellowship AME Church in Calverton, Maryland; and founder of After the Music Stops LLC and Ministry Pivot.
RESOURCES OF THE YEAR
Hey-O! Stories of the Bible by Saddleback Kids (Zonderkidz)
This awesome biblical tool will help kids learn about God and his Word. Saddleback does a great job walking through several key stories of the Bible, from Creation to the New Testament message of Jesus Christ and some of the apostle Paul. There are also video tools accessed via a QR code to engage young readers.
The illustrations in the book are well done with characters that represent different skin tones. Lastly, how each biblical character and story is told will relate to younger readers and have them understand the Scriptures. Hey-O! is a great resource that my daughter loved reading with me.
The Adventure Bible Guide: Explore the Stories, People and Places of Every Book in the Bible (Zonderkidz)
This Bible study tool for children is filled with key points, people and places for each book of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, young Bible scholars will learn about key facts, such as how the gospel traveled from Jesus to Paul and Paul’s journey. They will also learn about important events from the 10 plagues to Queen Esther and more.
Along with the Bible facts listed in this book, children will also learn about important Christian principles to encourage them to live better lives. This resource would be a great gift or study tool to accompany a child’s Bible.
ALSO RECOMMENDED
Lulu Fleming: The Doctor Who Shared Jesus by Jasmine L. Holmes; illustrated by Marcin Piwowarski (B&H Kids)
This book shares the story of Lulu Fleming, a young African American doctor and missionary. Her story of going from slavery to segregation, all the while empowering those around her through the love of Jesus Christ, is very encouraging.
All Together Sunday School (Book 1): When You Have Kids of All Ages in One Room (Group Publishing)
The team at Group has created a great tool for a small church with a kids’ ministry that has children of all ages together each week. The lesson plans and activity guides allow the teacher to engage each student in a group setting.
Go Tell Everyone: 9 Missionaries Who Shared the Good News by Meredith Cook; illustrated by Ela Smietanka (B&H Kids)
This picture book shares the story of nine missionaries from all over the world who shared their faith to change the world. The compelling artwork and stories will help shape young minds toward the importance of sharing their faith.
CULTURE
Evaluated by Ken Wytsma, award-winning author of The Myth of Equality, Pursuing Justice and The Grand Paradox.
RESOURCE OF THE YEAR
Priests of History: Stewarding the Past in an Ahistoric Age by Sarah Irving-Stonebraker (Zondervan Reflective)
Many books explore the spiritual needs of today, borrowing from church history to point the way. Priests of History stands apart. It does not simply reference history—it treats it as a vital lens for understanding our times. With clarity and grace, Sarah Irving-Stonebraker illuminates history not as a distant relic but as a living necessity for understanding our present.
The book is masterfully structured and beautifully written, offering a much-needed corrective to a world often disconnected from its roots. The title itself reminds us of the priestly task: mediating between what was and what is. By drawing on the narratives of the past, Priests of History helps us see how the spiritual formation of today depends on our understanding of yesterday.
Irving-Stonebraker’s voice is both prophetic and pastoral, making this book an indispensable invitation for anyone serious about faith and formation in a fragmented world.
ALSO RECOMMENDED
Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous and Compelling by Nijay K. Gupta (Brazos)
Nijay Gupta’s well-crafted exploration of early Christianity is both fascinating and fun to read. It is a rich story about the world of first century Christians, their unique place in it, and how we can embrace the same uniqueness in our own faith and communities. If there was a competition for best group study books, this would win first, second and third place.
SOCIAL ISSUES
Evaluated by Mark DeYmaz, an Outreach magazine contributing editor and founding pastor and directional leader of Mosaic Church, and co-founder of the Mosaix Global Network. He is the author of The Coming Revolution in Church Economics.
RESOURCE OF THE YEAR
Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal by Matthew T. Martens (Crossway)
In this well-researched, experientially informed and comprehensive work, Matthew T. Martens challenges Christians to confront a critical issue: the why, how and what of criminal justice in the United States and, more specifically, the urgent need for its reform. Beyond trite conclusions often associated with politics or ideology, this timely work offers both hope and a practical road map for change.
The author invites readers to embrace a biblical vision of justice rooted in love that is accurately, fairly and objectively applied. Grounded in the gospel, the author paints a compelling picture of how justice and mercy can work together to bring redemption and restoration both to victims and their offenders. Indeed, he believes and explains that criminal justice reform is not only ideal but possible. Thus, he inspires believers to act by challenging systems of inequity while embodying Christ’s call to seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
ALSO RECOMMENDED
Does the Bible Affirm Same-Sex Relationships? Examining 10 Claims About Scripture and Sexuality by Rebecca McLaughlin (The Good Book Co.)
This book is thoughtful, informed and engages biblically with influential assumptions, conveniently packaged for personal reference, reading or as a gift for others longing for truth in an age of competing narratives.
The Wages of Peace: How to Confront Economic Inequality and Love Your Neighbor Well by Brian Humphreys (Herald Press)
For individuals and communities to truly flourish, it’s not enough to give a fish or even teach others how to fish. We must help them own the pond. Community economic development professional Brian Humphreys lights the way.
COUNSELING & RELATIONSHIPS
Evaluated by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, founders of the marriage assessment SYMBIS.com and authors of Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts.
RESOURCE OF THE YEAR
![Fighting Shadows: Overcoming 7 Lies That Keep Men from Becoming Fully Alive [Book]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81eTAT5DbBL._AC_UF350,350_QL50_.jpg)
Fighting Shadows: Overcoming 7 Lies That Keep Men From Becoming Fully Alive by Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson (Thomas Nelson)
Fighting Shadows is a bold wake-up call for men feeling crushed under the weight of expectations, insecurities and the suffocating grind of cultural pressures. It tears back the curtain on seven insidious lies or “shadows”—false narratives that warp identity, wreck relationships and stunt growth. These falsehoods obscure the path to a life of real freedom, purpose and fulfillment.
With unflinching storytelling, soul-stirring biblical wisdom, and hard-hitting practical advice, Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson challenge readers to confront these shadows, smashing through the darkness with the radiant truth of who God says they are. They tackle head-on the real stuff—vulnerability, emotional health, authentic masculinity and spiritual depth—delivering a battle-tested blueprint for living fully alive. In short, this book shows men how to lead boldly, love fiercely and live with unshakable courage.
MISSIONS & CROSS-CULTURAL
Evaluated by Robert Gallagher, professor of intercultural studies emeritus at Wheaton College Graduate School. He has served as the chair of the intercultural studies department, president of the American Society of Missiology, and an executive pastor in Australia.
RESOURCE OF THE YEAR
Crossing Cultures With the Gospel: Anthropological Wisdom for Effective Christian Witness by Darrell L. Whiteman (Baker Academic)
In Crossing Cultures With the Gospel, internationally renowned missiologist Darrell L. Whiteman distills over 40 years of anthropological wisdom into a delightfully readable and lively guide for effective Christian witness today. This masterwork explores key topics such as the concept of culture, incarnational ministry, common communication problems, overcoming culture shock, and growing into effective communicators.
Brimming with vivid and personal stories and illustrations, this volume will enlarge your calling to the gospel of Jesus for your ministry context. If you are going to read one book this year, make it this one. You will not be disappointed as you seek to minister effectively in our contemporary multicultural world.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Evaluated by Thomas Bandy, director of Thriving Church Consulting and the author of more than 60 books and articles.
RESOURCES OF THE YEAR
Organic Prayer: Discover the Presence and Power of God in the Everyday by Sherry Harney with Kevin Harney (Zondervan Reflective)
This book lifts prayer from pop pettiness to profound spirituality. Sherry Harney helps Christians intentionally shape their lives to observe and see God moving in their relationships and working in their unique situations. She shows how earnest seekers can get beyond self-interest to be open to the greater power and mystery of God that overcomes anxiety and opens hearts toward others. This book can be readily incorporated into your weekly devotional life.
Editor’s Note: Kevin Harney is an Outreach contributing editor.
A Short Guide to Spiritual Formation: Finding Life in Truth, Goodness, Beauty and Community by Alex Sosler (Brazos)
A Short Guide to Spiritual Formation restores prayer from repetitive religious ritual to the key element of Christian faith formation. Prayer is the way Christians recognize truth in a confusing world, live virtuously in competitive society, discern purpose beyond progress, and live in community across time and culture. Church leaders from all Christian traditions will appreciate Alex Sosler’s references to ancient and modern sources. This book would be a valuable resource for adult study classes and small groups.
CHRISTIAN LIVING
Evaluated by Andrew MacDonald, associate director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center and a guest faculty at Wheaton College.
RESOURCE OF THE YEAR
Gratitude: Why Giving Thanks Is the Key to Our Well-Being by Cornelius Plantinga (Brazos)
As both division and burnout feel widespread, Cornelius Plantinga’s Gratitude is a necessary balm for Christians to both live faithfully and engage our world. Taking on a familiar yet core theme to the Christian life, Plantinga breathes new life into its thought and practice. Gratitude can easily become a background or superficial concept in Christian writing, deployed with little thought and therefore provoking little reflection. Yet, as Plantinga notes, it is a central theme in Scripture that deserves attention and, in doing so, offers powerful application.
ALSO RECOMMENDED
Van Gogh Has a Broken Heart: What Art Teaches Us About the Wonder and Struggle of Being Alive by Russ Ramsey (Zondervan Reflective)
Van Gogh has a Broken Heart is yet another unique and creative work of the intersection of art and faith from Russ Ramsey, author of Rembrandt Is in the Wind, that is equally enjoyable and compelling.
Church Girl: A Gospel Vision to Encourage and Challenge Black Christian Women by Sarita T. Lyons (WaterBrook)
Church Girl is a thoughtful investigation of the unique challenges facing Black women that, while narrowly focused, contains powerful insights that have broader application.
