“As having nothing, and yet possessing all things” (2 Cor 6:10). Sometimes we excuse our evangelistic inactivity because of a shortage of funds. But the poverty of the early Christians was an asset, not a liability. As J.C. Ryle (1816–1900) points out: “A religion which turned the world upside down, while its first preachers were […]
Author: Nicholson
Posts by Nicholson
Anthony Cetola, a young shepherd living south of Rome, jumped at the chance to emigrate to the United States. He found a night-shift job in East Orange, New Jersey and a bed at the YMCA. He had heard the Protestants might try to brainwash him, so was reluctant to accept the tract offered him on […]
Buddhism, founded in India by Siddharta Gautama (the Buddha, or Enlightened One) in 520 bc, has 360 million adherents. Beliefs differ: Theravada Buddhism is atheistic; Mahayana is more polytheistic. Buddha taught nothing is permanent. Life’s purpose is to avoid suffering, gain enlightenment and release from the cycle of rebirth, or at least attain a better […]
Faith is often needed not only for spiritual efforts but for financial provision as well. In dark days, when funds were low for the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor received a letter from George Müller: “My chief object is to tell you that I love you in the Lord; that I feel deeply interested about […]
John Townsend was born into a well-to-do family in Exeter, England. At the age of 20, while studying to become a clergyman, he realized to his shock that he was an unconverted man himself. He abandoned the ambition of his life which he had chosen, feeling he could not lead others to Christ until he […]
“For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor 16:9). “Praying also for us, that God would open to us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ…” (Col 4:3). “Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God […]
One evening, H.A. Ironside came upon a gospel meeting at the corner of Market and Grant in San Francisco. When they recognized Ironside, they asked if he would give his testimony. As he closed, a well-dressed man gave him a card. He read it aloud: “Sir, I challenge you to debate in the Academy of […]
“You shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Some believers think the witness of the Church is only to be conducted by those gifted as evangelists. Was that what the early church did? In Acts 8, we […]
“…Tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev 20:10). Lorenzo Dow (1777–1834) preached to more people than any other man of his time. During more than 30 years of ceaseless travel, mostly by foot, Dow preached in almost all parts of the U.S., as well as in Canada, England, Ireland and the West Indies. […]