Five Who Changed the World
by james on Jun.29, 2009, under book
Akin – the president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary – preached five sermons in which he used stories from missionary biographies to illustrate and emphasize the biblical call to reach the world for Christ. This short book presents these sermons highlighting God’s call as seen in and through five men and women. The combination of clear biblical explanation and moving testimonies makes these messages particularly inspiring.
Together these five men and women would form a veritable missionary all-star team as each one lived and died for Christ in a land far from their birthplace. Despite relocating to wildly different parts of the world, their stories bear striking similarities. Among these parallels one emerged above the rest: they maintained an astounding ability to deny self.
Leaving family and friends and comfort at home, they denied themselves in the face of God’s call. Finding disease and poverty and persecution in a foreign land, they denied themselves in the face of God’s call. Burying spouses and children and co-labors along the way, they denied themselves in the face of God’s call. Often laboring years with little or no visible results, they denied themselves in the face of God’s call.
In a culture where we Christians struggle to deny ourselves a million frivolous distractions a day, their example is especially relevant and challenging.
Make time to download and listen to these messages or read this short book very soon. But be very careful because these messages might just change your world – or at least your worldview.
