In the world of missions sending, there is a surprising lack of resources available on risk. When searching for resources regarding risk in cross-cultural ministry, most conversations are tailored to suffering rather than actual risk. In part, this distinction between a theology of suffering and a theology of risk led author Anna Hampton to write Facing Danger: A Guide Through Risk.

Hampton and her husband Neil have three decades of ministry experience, including ten years living, working, and raising a young family in Afghanistan. Facing Danger is unique as Hampton carefully ensures that the material is faithful to Scripture while remaining practical and relevant for real-life questions and concerns. Hampton does this by weaving together biblical connections between the Old and New Testaments, practical wisdom, and stories from her experience overseas, thereby keeping the reader engaged.

In chapters 1–4, Hampton attempts to set a theological foundation for understanding risk in the Bible. To do this, she examines three passages in the New Testament (Acts 15:25–26; Phil 2:29–30; and Rom 16:3–4) that use some iteration of the word risk and uses the rules of intertextuality and a narrative critical methodology to show how these passages potentially point back to Israel’s battle with Amalek in Exodus 17 (p. 201). She asks if Luke and Paul could have had this Old Testament story in mind when they wrote these passages due to several overlapping themes and ideas.

Based on her proposed connections and interpretation, Hampton concludes that the people sent must be selected with the Holy Spirit’s care and guidance in cross-cultural ministry to dangerous places. While it’s difficult to know if these connections were in Paul and Luke’s minds while writing these letters, I don’t believe Hampton’s conclusions are wrong. Cross-cultural ministry in dangerous environments calls for servants who deeply abide in Jesus and walk in obedience with him. Church leaders need to discern who they will send from their flock for this type of ministry, and mission-sending organizations need wisdom on who they will allow to go to certain areas.

Another helpful theological aspect from the first chapters is Hampton’s writing on stewardship in risk. She notes, “Risk implies a potential loss and gain, which includes not only ourselves, but all the people impacted, as well as many physical and non-physical resources” (p. 35). Hampton helps the reader see that while there are times that God calls his people to “pour out” their lives and resources for him, there are other times that he calls them to steward those resources wisely. To do this, she compares the parable of the talents (Matt 25:14–28) with the story of the woman with the alabaster vase of expensive perfume (Luke 7:36–50). Hampton notes that, much like the servant who buried his master’s resources, we potentially have misconceptions of God’s character, and one of the ways that he corrects this is by bringing us through risk (p. 36). There are also times when we are called to pour out our resources or even our lives, and much like Jesus did with the woman, he receives it as a fragrant offering of worship (p. 37).

Chapters 5–7 are dedicated to discernment and personal transformation in risk. Here, Hampton begins moving from the conceptual to the practical. She answers the question, “Based on what we know is true, now what do we do?” She avoids giving her audience one-size-fits-all answers because different people, contexts, and risk situations call for different approaches. Instead, her goal seems to be to help people know how to use wisdom and discernment in risk. When thinking about making decisions in a crisis, she says, “There isn’t a formula. A careful and prayerful discussion of stewardship and risk, and weighing the potential outcomes with our callings in light of the goal of extending his kingdom is helpful” (p. 59).

Finally, chapters 8–13 give the reader tools for assessing and managing cross-cultural ministry risk. She helps the audience understand that risk assessment is both conceptual and situational, where we often tend to answer risk questions (situational) with a theology of suffering answer (conceptual). The conceptual answers typically help us endure as they are forward-thinking and theoretical, but in risk, people need answers that are tangible and focused on doing something in the present (p. 92). These chapters provide those who are in hard places and those who are sending people to hard places with assets like risk assessment theories, decision-making tools, and answers to common risk misconceptions.

As a risk management consultant to cross-cultural ministry workers, I have referred to her probability vs. impact scale in chapter 12 to help my colleagues understand the risk situation they are entering. This helps to empower them with knowledge as they seek guidance from the Holy Spirit to make God-honoring decisions. Those responsible for leading ministry workers can also benefit from the Risk Leadership Style graph, which discusses when leadership should become more or less directive as risk situations change (p. 163).

Hampton shares that she wrote this book for missions practitioners living in high-risk environments. It’s not a systematic theology but is a resource for understanding a holistic theology of risk that can be helpful at the ground level to those seeking to see kingdom advance in spiritually dark places (p. 202). I recommend this book to those preparing to go, those who are sending, and those already in high-risk cross-cultural environments.