Biography – serie

This is the first hand account of a young man's entry into World War II in 1941, culminating in his role in the bombing of Dresden in February 1945 by RAF Bomber Command. This is not a gung-ho account of flying with Bomber Command, instead Musgrove takes the form of a basic narrative in his memoir, paying particular attention to fear, morale and, as the author explains, the myth of leadership felt by those involved first hand.Several raids are described in detail and illustrate the variety of experiences, problems and dangers involved in such hazardous warfare. First published nearly 60 years after his experiences, Musgrove delves in to his recollections of the bombing of factories and cities to reflect on the grave moral issues brought on by this particular raid.

Read the story of a life lived safely within the lines, that God turned upside down. From social star of 1930’s Chicago to a Wycliffe missionary in South America and the USSR,Elaine Townsend’s life was far from boring. Meet the woman who became Cameron Townsend’s wife, and discover how a life can be filled with adventure, by simply saying ‘yes’ to God.Through each stage of Elaine’s life her trust and dependence on her Saviour shines as an example to believers everywhere, yet there are also weaknesses with which we can all identify. This account of her struggles and successes is filled with stories gathered from those who knew Elaine best, as well as insights into the mission work that renewed a generation’s passion for Bible translation. Both encouraging and challenging, this thorough biography leads the reader to rightly recognise Elaine Townsend as one of the great Christian women of the 20th century – a demonstration of what God can do with a willing heart.

British missionaries David and Shirley Donovan were running a health centre in Nigeria when a pounding on their bedroom door tipped their lives upside down. Threatened at gunpoint,held hostage and ransomed for a billion naira, they tell of the grace that allowed them to witness to their kidnappers in the midst of the chilling and disturbing realisation of what man is capable of.

Columba’s name dominates the narrative of early Scottish Christianity. What was established on Iona through Columba’s astonishing leadership, and through a succession of energetic and resourceful abbots, exerted a unique influence on the development of Christianity in Scotland and beyond. Bruce Ritchie’s analytical biography is the key to understanding the real Columba, his theology, his spirituality, and the faith that drove him across the sea.

I think there is real hope to be found, in the middle of our deepest traumas, in the good news about Jesus Christ. I also think that there is a place for us to find hope and community within the church. Because of these two beliefs, I truly think,distant though it may be, that we may even get to a place of peace within our souls and a place of forgiveness for those who hurt us so much. This is a book that has no easy answers and will offer none. This is a book that tries to get behind the tough questions of why God permits such abuses to occur in this world. Using his own story of childhood abuse, Mez McConnell tells us about a God who is just,sovereign and loving. A good father who knows the pain of rejection and abuse,who hates evil, who can bring hope even in the darkest place. ‘It’s not a pagan rags to Christian riches story. It’s real, raw and radical. I suspect that there will be as many people shocked by the Bible teaching that Mez wrestles with, as there will be those shocked by the abuse he suffered. With chapters like ‘The glorious, wonderful reality of Hell’ and ‘The terrible reality of Heaven’, there is no chance of this book being perceived as comfortable.’ – David Robertson, Christian Today https://christiantoday.com/article/my-favourite-christian-book-of-2019/133774.htm

Ten fascinating bite–sized biographies of the Christians people expect you to know.While Christians have always prized the Bible as our ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice, we also recognize that the Christian life is an intergenerational and communal activity. This collection of ten short biographies will introduce you to Christians from a variety of places and times, who all boldly preached the gospel, despite the risk to personal reputations and safety. How short–sighted it would be not to glean insights from our ancestors, whether that entails learning how to walk in their steps – or else avoiding their missteps.Written by Ian Maddock, Rachel Ciano and Stuart Colton, who all teach church history and edited by Ian Maddock. Each chapter has suggested further reading, and additional suggestions ‘for the adventurous’. Chapter Headings:1. Athanasius: Against the World2. Augustine: The Grace of God Defeated Me3. Anselm: Faith Seeking Understanding4. Martin Luther: Here I Stand5. Thomas Cranmer: Lord Jesus, Receive My Spirit6. Richard Baxter: Keep These Hearts Above7. John Wesley: A Brand Plucked from the Burning8. Hudson Taylor: These I Must Bring Also9. Spurgeon: Preaching, Prayer and Perseverance10. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Discipleship This book is ideal for anyone wanting a biref, entertaing and illuminating overview of the lives and beliefs of these ten giants of Christian history.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne was a 19th century preacher who is known not only for his powerful preaching, but for his personal holiness. Jordan Stone examines the force behind this holiness – his love for and communion with Christ. M’Cheyne prayed for, preached for and pursued holiness because he understood it to be the mature expression of love to Christ. Let us allow his unrelenting passion for piety convict our contemporary complacency and help us learn how to abide in the love of Christ.

Tom Nettles examines the life of one of the world’s most famous preachers. He isolates key convictions that appear in Spurgeon’s life either before or immediately after his conversion, and traces them through his life as he develops into the charming, interesting, confident, humble, spiritual–minded man and pastor whose work and witness dominated evangelicalism in the last half of the nineteenth century.

We all have heroes – people we admire, look up to, and want to be like. Here are twenty–one heroes who stood up for their faith. We remember them because they did great and brave things for their God. Learn about them, and find that you can be a Christian Hero too!

“There is more to life than football, fame and fortune. There is a greater joy and a greater glory to be had.”Premier league footballer turned pastor Gavin Peacock tells the story of his career and his faith in this fascinating, thought–provoking and personal read. What makes a man walk away from his life as a professional footballer turned BBC pundit to become a church minister? They say it is every schoolboy’s dream to play in the F.A. Cup Final. It’s a dream that came true for Gavin Peacock. In his riveting autobiography, follow Gavin’s journey from a child growing up in a footballing family to Chelsea captain; from a son following in his father’s footsteps to a husband and father supporting his own family; from pundit to preacher. This riveting autobiography follows Gavin’s life through the lens of his journeys with football, family and faith: football fan to Chelsea captain, son to father, pundit to preacher. Experience the rollercoaster of highs and lows as he tells his story and explains the driving force behind it all – his love for football, his love for his family, and most importantly his love for God.

These women made sacrifices for their faith. They endured pain and suffering in order to give glory to their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and they have given us a legacy. With these twenty–six heroines you can go through history and see how these women made a difference in their world and in the church. From the slave girl Blandina through to the young mother Betty Stam, we discover the women from the early church to modern missionaries who face their struggles with the strength of God. Nothing could separate them, or us, from the love of God.

The Gurvsy family arrived in China during 2017. Two years later they were back home, reeling from the experience and asking, ‘What happened?’.After being sent out to missional work, the Gurvsys look back at newsletters, diaries, examining memories and their culture shocks; all with the prayer–fuelled awareness of God, His ways, His Word and His promises.This book is a narrative made possible by reflection. It’s a story of waiting, action and benching. It’s less an account of missional life in Asia. Rather, a story which reflects the complexities, challenges, choices and changes humanity experiences while here on earth. It’s a letter to all who are called to go, be it at home,in work or overseas.

Known primarily for his allegorical work, The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan was also a preacher, a gifted theologian and interpreter of Scripture. Academically, he was not a learned man, but when it came to practical and experiential mastery of the Scriptures and their theology, he was as gifted as anyone. His writings have a beauty and practicality not often found. He teaches that the greater the Christian’s understanding of truth, the stronger their own passion for Jesus will be, and the greater their worship and doxology will become.Jacob Tanner’s enlightening biography traces Bunyan’s life from his humble beginnings to his calling home to the Celestial City. From his debaucherous youth to glimpses of grace and eventual calling to ministry.There are lessons here for any twenty–first century Christian. He can teach men to be mature, fathers to be loving, husbands to be faithful, pastors to be tender,saints to suffer well, Christians to be steadfast. One of his greatest lessons to modern Christians is how to live faithfully for Christ in a world that is antagonistic to God.

This gripping in–depth biography is a must–read insight into a fascinating man. David Livingstone was one of the most consequential individuals who lived in the nineteenth century. An unpretentious Scottish missionary doctor, explorer and abolitionist, he opened the door for Christianity in southern Africa. Vance Christie’s biography is the most comprehensive and accurate account ever written about Livingstone. During his lifetime he was a hero in Britain and beyond, and gained a degree of respect, trust,appreciation and even affection with many African people. He was a man who overcame many deprivations and discouragements, and displayed the utmost measure of courage, self–control, faith, wisdom and ingenuity. Christie takes a balanced look at Livingstone’s amazing achievements, but also at his very real flaws.

Bite–sized biographies of inspirational Christian women.Spanning two millennia and multiple continents, these stories will introduce you to great women in the history of the Christian faith. From Mary in first century Judea,to Catherine Booth in nineteenth century Britain, to Gladys Aylward in twentieth century China. Perpetua and Jane Grey lived brief lives cut short by their conspicuous and brave fidelity to Jesus, while Corrie ten Boom, although no less courageous, lived a long life that testified to God’s compassion and forgiveness.For all their differences, each one of these women has left an indelible legacy on our collective intergenerational Christian consciousness.Each are worth knowing. To know someone’s story is a privilege. We hope you’re encouraged in your Christian walk as you read of theirs.The women whose stories are included in this book are:MaryPerpetuaCatherine of SienaJane GreyAnne HutchinsonAnne DuttonSelina, Countess of HuntingdonCatherine BoothGladys AylwardCorrie Ten Boom

“Hurt people hurt people. But those who have been called by grace become new creations.”Emotional and raw, Sean DeMars tells his story of a life turned around. It is a tale of two families: one scarred by brokenness, another renewed by grace. In his storytelling, the tragedy and horror of his early years are punctuated with the beauty of restoration evident in the life he now leads. Abandoned by a father and abused by a mother, his search for a father finds a home with the King of heaven who graces him with love and sonship. Follow his journey through abuse, drugs and prison, across the battlefield and mission field and into marriage, family, and ministry in this personal, engaging, and honest testament to God’s grace. As his life and his church are turned around, their stories become a platform to display how God chooses the nothings of the world.  His story is the story of every sinner saved by grace: once a victim and rebel,now redeemed and reconciled.

All three volumes of Helen Roseveare’s autobiography combined for the first time, with a foreword by John & Noël Piper, and an introduction and afterword by Betsy Childs Howard. Throughout her eight years in training for the mission field and her first twelve years in the Congo, Helen Roseveare had prayed that God would give her a mountain–top experience of his glory and power. God’s answers formed the basis of her best–selling autobiography, Give Me This Mountain.However, after enduring civil war, brutal mistreatment, and having to rebuild work from scratch, and later while caring for her elderly mother, she realised that God’s work is also done in the valleys.The third of her autobiographies, written after her mother passed away, emphasises her faithful, daily obedience, digging ditches as God led and trusting him to fill them with life–giving water in his time. These three books are combined in one volume for the first time giving an overarching view of the amazing ways God used Helen’s life. Includes the books Give me This Mountain, He Gave Us a Valley and Digging Ditches.

Fascinating insight into life and faith of 18th century best–selling author, educationalist and abolitionist There has never been anyone quite like Hannah More…  Her books were kept in the homes of presidents, and peers of the realm. They were a best–selling phenomenon, and she “the most successful British author of the romantic period,”—more successful, financially, than Sir Walter Scott, and more than Jane Austen.  A gifted poet and playwright Hannah More was, by her early 30s, the toast of literary London. Samuel Johnson collaborated with her in writing verse, and David Garrick, one of the greatest Shakespearian actors in theatre history, was her mentor and devoted patron. Hannah, as a member of the Bluestocking circle of the late 1700s, was a pioneering artist and celebrity. Throughout the English–speaking world, she became a household name.  In later years, after her passing in 1833, her legacy lived on.  C.S.Lewis knew her story, and wrote about it—her good works, born of faith.   As a philanthropist and reformer, she was a cherished colleague of William Wilberforce.  Their friendship, and endeavours, were famous in their own right.  Together,they were abolitionists, and together (with Wilberforce’s backing) Hannah More and her sisters created nine schools, where there were none, and educated 1,000poor students a year, for decades. Her own charities were legion, and supported by her great royalties as a writer.  Yet there were broken moments in her life. She overcame tragedy, and debilitating pain.  She knew what loss and failure were—and she learned the ways of grace, amid it all.  And so, in a word…  Hannah More is one of the most fascinating figures in the pages of history: and her faith was a benison for the time in which she lived. Her life was illumined by the sacred flame of Christian belief. It inspired books that speak to us now,with power and eloquence—charting the reasons for hope—lending timeless words it is our privilege to know, and return to.   To purchase this book is to discover why.

D. Martyn Lloyd–Jones and the Holy Spirit: A Theological AssessmentWith a Foreword by Sinclair B. FergusonThis groundbreaking study examines D. Martyn Lloyd–Jones’s theology of the Holy Spirit, particularly focusing on his controversial teaching about the baptism of the Spirit, revival, and the relationship between Word and Spirit in preaching. Drawing extensively on Lloyd–Jones’s sermons, lectures, and previously unpublished materials, Philip Eveson demonstrates that Lloyd–Jones stood firmly within the Reformed tradition while emphasising the experiential aspect of Christianity that characterised early Calvinistic Methodism.The book provides fresh insights into Lloyd–Jones’s thinking by exploring his medical background, his Welsh Methodist roots, and his profound engagement with Puritan writers. It carefully analyses his understanding of Spirit baptism, assurance,and revival, showing how his position differed from both Pentecostalism and cessationism.Particularly valuable is the detailed examination of Lloyd–Jones’s philosophy of preaching and his insistence on both doctrinal accuracy and spiritual power. The author convincingly argues that Lloyd–Jones’s emphasis on the Holy Spirit’s work offers vital insights for contemporary Reformed Christianity.Two valuable appendices provide previously unpublished material: Lloyd–Jones’s important address on the Welsh Revival of 1904–05, and his personal spiritual journal from 1930–31. An extensive bibliography guides readers to primary and secondary sources for further study.Essential reading for ministers, theological students, and anyone interested in Lloyd–Jones’s legacy or the role of the Holy Spirit in Christian life and ministry.

An ordinary man in the hands of an extraordinary God.  Discover the remarkable true story of a man who dared to test the faithfulness of God—and found Him faithful every time.In this compelling biography, Roger Steer traces the dramatic journey of George Müller (1805–1898), from rebellious “Prussian playboy” to one of the most trusted Christian leaders of the nineteenth century. Known worldwide for his orphan homes in Bristol and his unwavering commitment to prayer, Müller refused ever to ask for financial support—choosing instead to rely entirely on God.This new edition features a refreshed cover, bringing Müller’s timeless story to a new generation of readers.Inside, you’ll discover:The gripping transformation of a dishonest youth into a man of radiant faithThe story behind Müller’s famous orphan houses that cared for thousandsHis bold decision to depend solely on prayer for every needPowerful testimonies of answered prayer that challenged scepticsThe spiritual principles that shaped a lifetime of impactRich in historical detail and spiritual insight, George Müller: Delighted in God is more than a biography—it is a stirring call to trust, pray, and live wholeheartedly for God.Be inspired by a life that proved, beyond doubt, that God still answers prayer.

Understanding John Wesley: A Fresh Look at the Heart of His FaithUnderstanding John Wesley offers a compelling, accessible exploration of one of Christianity’s most influential leaders. Drawing from rigorous historical research and the author’s original theological study, this book reintroduces readers to the real Wesley – scholar, preacher, organiser, and spiritual pioneer – whose defining message of justification by faith ignited the eighteenth-century Evangelical Revival and continues to shape global Christianity today.Designed for pastors, students, and thoughtful readers, this volume cuts through centuries of debate to reveal a clear, balanced portrait of Wesley’s convictions. From his early formation in the deeply devout Epworth Rectory, through his transformative Aldersgate experience, to his lifelong mission of spreading the “religion of love,” Roger William Fay traces how Wesley’s theology developed, where it diverged from competing traditions, and why it still matters.With clarity and care, the book re-examines key moments: Wesley’s Oxford years, his mission to Georgia, his break with Moravian teaching, and his evolving understanding of assurance and holiness. It also brings fresh insight by engaging the latest historical research, including newly evaluated diaries, letters, and scholarly reassessments.Readers will discover:The central role of justification by faith in Wesley’s understanding of salvationHow family, education, and social climate shaped his religious identityWhy Wesley’s Aldersgate experience remains the focal point of Methodist spiritualityThe tensions and triumphs that defined his long ministryHow his legacy influenced both Evangelical and Methodist movementsWhat today’s church can learn from Wesley’s passion for reasoned, practical holinessUnderstanding John Wesley is both a scholarly contribution and an inspiring invitation to rediscover a life, and a faith, of extraordinary depth.

We shouldn't be surprised when we have the examples in the Bible of David and Saul of Tarsus! John Pollock's deft, biographical pen sweeps over great reformers, liberators and evangelists of the 18th and 19th centuries. He shows their spiritual development, often from unpromising beginnings, and encourages us to believe that God can use us too. Characters include:John Newton, William Wilberforce, James Ramsey, Sir Charles MiddletonSir George Williams, The 7th Earl of Shaftsbury, Robert Raikes, Elizabeth FryThomas "Stonewall" Jackson, Sir Henry Havelock, Sir Herbert EdwardesD L Moody, Brownlow North, R A Torrey, Bramwell Booth, Lord RadstockHudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson, Mildred Cable, Stanley Smith, Rosalie Harvey, James Chalmers, Ernest Presswood, John and Betty Stam, Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Mary Slessor and Rowland Bingham.

Isaac Watts(1674-1748) is one of the best-known hymn-Writers in history. He wrote over 700 hymns including the well-known "When I survey the Wondrous Cross", "O God, our help in ages past" and "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun" - hymns which are still sung to this day. Brought up in a non-conformist church and family, Isaac Watts knew what it was to be a pastor whilst also battling prolonged periods of illness. Leading a life, that like us all, was not without difficulty or controversy, he was able to write hymns of almost unparalleled depth and beauty, though they were often unappreciated by his own congregation. This fascinating study considers his life, writings and continuing influence on Christians today, in a way that will illuminate and inspire.