Reaching Out to Buddhists: Five Books to Help You Get Started
Buddhists number approximately a half a billion people worldwide. The following books can help you better understand them, their beliefs and practices, as well as gain insight into sharing the gospel in relevant ways.
- Reaching People With a Buddhist Worldview: Insights and Field-Based Strategies for Sharing Christ, by Alan Johnson & Lauren Becker, 2026. These authors share why workers so often struggle to reach Buddhists by looking at the tenants of their worldview.
- Sharing Jesus in the Buddhist World, edited by David Lim, Steve Spaulding and Paul H. de Neui, 2003. Reviewers say this book lives up to the editors' goal "to provide the global church with knowledge and understanding of the Buddhist world and how to reach it for Christ."
- Buddhism: A Christian Exploration and Appraisal, by Keith Yandell & Harold Netland, 2009. This book provides a clear, engaging introduction to Buddhism's history and teachings.
- The Spirit of Buddhism: A Christian Perspective on Buddhist Thought, by David Burnett, 2020. This thoughtfully written resource for Christians seeking to understand Buddhist perspectives includes many helpful links and references.
- Communicating Christ Through Story and Song: Orality in Buddhist Contexts, edited by Paul H. de Neui, 2008. Oral communication is the best means for sharing truth with Buddhists. This book provides both models and case studies for doing so.
- Buddhism in the Light of Christ: A Former Buddhist Nun's Reflections, with Some Helpful Suggestions on How to Reach Out to Your Buddhist Friend, by Esther Baker, 2014. Baker shares her story of life within Theravada and Western Buddhism—and draws on her experience as a missionary in Hong Kong and Thailand—to help believers think about how to communicate the gospel to Buddhists and how to disciple new believers from Buddhist backgrounds.
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