I had coffee with Steve Moore, Director of Missions Exchange, yesterday morning. We talked for about half an hour and then his phone rang. He apologized and took the call.

When he finished, I asked, "Is everything OK?"

"No, it's not," Steve said. "Last night my operations guy died of a massive heart attack."

"I'm so sorry. What was his name?" I asked.

When he responded, "David Mays," my heart fell.

David was a long distance acquaintance who for years has been sending me weekly book summaries for free. He has been a missions mobilizer par-excellence. He and his wife Marcy are heroes of the faith, impacting thousands for the kingdom. David was 68 and in great shape.

Just two days earlier, David had sent me a book summary* with the following section in it. How well it described his life and death:

The Purpose-Driven Death
Choosing to live against the world for the world can be downright deadly.

When faced with the world's intense pressure, we'll give in and go along unless we ... have a compelling vision..., the same vision that compelled Jesus. We need to be aware, as he was, of what God is working to achieve, the direction God is taking.

Redemption is God's arrangement to reverse the curse of sin and to renew all things--to restore creation, not destroy it. God is on a mission to reclaim and replenish his corrupted territory, redirecting it back to himself and thereby 'making all things new' (Revelation 21:5).

God promises nothing short of total cosmic renewal.

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I for one will greatly miss David and his ministry. He was a wonderful encouragement to me and a huge blessing to so many of us who follow Jesus.

* See this one by Tullian Tchivijian here.