Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…
As we journey through Hebrews as a church, I’m reminded of the huge encouragement of reading Christian biographies. Although chapter 11 of that great letter is not in the strict sense a set of bios, it does show what the life of faith looked like for many of God’s people of the past. A good biography will do the same, and I have found them amazingly strengthening.
Everyone will have their favourites, but here are some of mine:
George Whitefield by John Pollock – about the life, times and remarkable ministry of this great leader of the revival in eighteenth century England.
By Searching by Isobel Kuhn – a spiritual autobiography explaining her move from the “misty flats” of doubt to Christian conviction and usefulness.
Mountain Rain by Eileen Crossman – the story of the missionary James O Fraser, mountaineer and pianist, in China’s Lisuland.
John Newton by Jonathan Aitken – based on the John Newton Project archive, and very well-written – the life of the slave-ship captain, pastor and hymn-writer.
Charles Simeon by Handley Moule – the life and ministry of the famous Vicar of Holy Trinity Cambridge, who preached the gospel here for 54 years!
A Prophet with Honor by William Martin – the story of Billy Graham, the American evangelist, who preached the gospel to more people than anyone in history.
Warriors of Ethiopia by Dick McLellan – true stories of many evangelists in Ethiopia. Their bravery, faithfulness, endurance in suffering are remarkable – as was their fruitfulness.
From Cambridge to the World by Oliver Barclay and Bob Horne. The true story of CICCU, the Cambridge Christian Union, over its first 125 years. Amazing history, right here!
Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century by J C Ryle. Pen portraits of the gospel ministers who were at the heart of the huge revival in those days.
So here are just a few! Sadly, some of them are out of print, but should be available second hand (though I keep cornering the market on Aitken’s Newton bio).
