This old, but still great, free, downloadable handbook is a treasure trove for churches navigating the evolving landscape of missions. It offers 86 concise, practical guides—from short-term mission policies to job descriptions for mission pastors. Mays emphasizes contextual relevance, helping churches move beyond outdated models and toward globally aware, locally rooted engagement. Find it here: https://davidmays.org/Resources/resmays.html.
7) Handbook of Missions in the Local Church – David Mays
Love the resources and still use them. David is dearly missed but his work lives on.
I spent a day at Dave’s house once I Indiana on the way to an ACNC retreat. First time I heard him was at N ACMC conference at MBC in Portland. Put me on the path to becoming a missions pastor. Dave was a great guy
Your connection with David Mays prompted me to suggest two books on Missions and local churches.
One is The Pilgrim Church by E H Broadbent and the other is my own memoirs entitled ” God’s Sonrise on Japan’s Samurais” the latter being purchasable from Amazon.
I really miss ACMC. The organizations that has taken it’s place (not to name names) do not provide nearly as well thought out content but are money making scams IMAO. I believe that it is modern simonisium for Missions mobilization/networking organizations to change the membership fees that they charge to pay salary when the missionaries have to get individual support. ACMC bent over backwards to keep everything affordable and would forgo fees for students or struggling ministries or individuals. If we receive from the Lord for free how can we morally place what He has given us behind a pay wall?
David was a great man. So thoughtful and a fine thinker. Privileged to work with him years ago.