Resources to Train Staff in Rescue Mission History and Values​​

History of the Rescue Mission Movement (Free on Archive.org)

• Enacted Christianity, Arthur Bonner, 2002. The most current history of the rescue mission movement.
• Romance of Rescue, W.E. Paul, 1946. One of the most inspirational histories of the rescue mission movement.
• Women Who Changed the Heart of the City, Delores Burger, 1997
• Unto the Least of These, Dr. William Seath, 1974. History with strong emphasis on the core values and methods of rescue missions
• Salvation In the Slums, Norri Magnuson, 1977
• Miracles of Rescue, William E Paul, 1950

Key Rescue Mission Founders & Historical Missions (Free on Archive.org)

• Memoirs of David Nasmith (Founder of City Mission Movement)
• Jerry McAuley: His Life and Work, Jeremiah McAuley, 1885
• Down in Water Street, Samuel Hadley, 1902
• Transformed: or the History of a River Thief, Briefly Told, Jerry McAuley, 1875
• Jerry McAuley: An Apostle to the Lost Robert M. Offord, 1907
• The Pacific Garden Mission: A Doorway to Heaven. Carl F. H Henry, 1942
• Gospel Work in New York City: A Memorial of Fifty Years in City Missions, Lewis Jackson, 1878

Books on Rescue Mission Values, Programs & Approaches

• More than a Homeless Shelter: A Perspective on Residential Rescue Ministry Programming, Chris Hedlund, Hope Gospel Mission, 2017. Great book on current rescue mission program models.
• Called to Serve, Lorraine Minor, 2021 (free PDF, free course, free workbook). This book was written to serve as an onboarding training for rescue mission program graduates serving as interns. Many missions have used it as a weekly “book club” with discussions on each chapter.

More Recent Books by Individual Missions & Mission Founders

• Meeting Homelessness with Hope: One Community’s Response, Springs Rescue Mission, 2023.
• Bowery Mission: Grit and Grace on Manhattan’s Oldest Street,  Jason Storbakken, 2019
• Miss Brenda and the Loveladies, Brenda Lovelady, 2015 and Miss Brenda and the Lovelady Movement, Brenda Lovelady, 2024

1. Download the free PDF history books above
2. Uploaded into https://notebooklm.google.com
3. Collect documents and videos from your ministry’s history & recent annual report.
4. Use a prompt in NotebookLM similar to this one to have it generate your history “Write a history of MINISTRY NAME to inspire new staff & supporters. Focus significantly on key historical figures and early stories. Summarize the organization’s impact. Summarize the organization’s mission, core values, the Biblical basis for the work, what is unique about their approach. Connect the movement to the works of Jesus and in the early centuries of the Christian church’s charity work. This should be at least 5,000 words. Your tone should be professional but encouraging and inspirational as if you were the Executive Director of the mission.”
5. If you have Google AI Subscription, you can have it create a custom audio history using a prompt like this: “Prepare this as an orientation for new staff and volunteers for the YOUR MINISTRY. Summarize YOUR MINISTRY’s history and impact to inspire. Connect its history to the larger rescue mission movement and history. Summarize the Biblical basis for the work rescue mission, what is unique about their approach and values and their overall impact. Connect its history to the works of Jesus and Charity in the early centuries of the Christian church

See example below:

• Rescue Mission History & Values Bay Area Rescue Mission
• Bay Area Rescue Mission History