George Whitefield, The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the 18th-Century Revival
Arnold Dallimore’s two-volume biography is massive and detailed. It encompasses over 1,200 pages of small print and is filled with historical information, events, and accomplishments of George Whitefield who many consider the greatest preacher of the gospel who ever lived. Although he died before his 56th birthday, Whitefield preached thousands of sermons, often two or […]
Spurgeon’s Sorrows, Realities Hope for Those Who Suffer from Depression
For those who battle depression, and for those who seek to care for them, Zack Eswine’s little book detailing Charles Spurgeon’s struggles will have value. Spurgeon suffered from deep depression for most of his life, and he was very open about his sorrows both in his sermons and writings. That a man of God, so […]
The Forgotten Spurgeon by Iain Murray
Nineteenth Century English pastor Charles Spurgeon is well-known to Christians today, especially those of the Reformed persuasion, who see him as a champion for Calvinism. Others point to his passion for “soul-winning,” still others love his sermons and highly quotable comments. Murray endeavors to move beyond what is commonly known about the influential pastor (this […]
Francis Asbury: God’s Circuit Rider
Francis Asbury: God’s Circuit Rider by Charles Ludwig (Milford, Michigan: Mott Media, 1984) 206 pp., paper, $5.94 used. If someone is looking for a short, simple history of American Methodism, Francis Asbury would be hard to beat. Written at about a junior high level this biography of the most important circuit rider and Methodist Bishop […]
Makers of Puritan History by Marcus L. Loane
This book contains short biographies of four important Puritans who lived during the struggles of the Stuart Regime. Alexander Henderson and Samuel Rutherford represent the Scottish Puritans, and John Bunyard and Richard Baxter represent the English. All the accounts are interesting and offer insight into the life, times and matters of importance for English Puritans. […]
Susie, the Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon by Roy Rhodes Jr.
This is only the second biography ever written about the wife of the famed 19th century preacher. Those familiar with Charles Spurgeon are aware that his wife was a semi-invalid, seldom leaving the house for 23 years (1868-1891). Fewer are aware that prior to her illness she was an energetic, well-traveled young woman. All that […]
Sister Aimee, the Life of Aimee Semple McPherson by Daniel Mark Epstein
In the 1920 and 1930s the most famous person in America was not a Hollywood star or a political leader but a young Pentecostal woman, Aimee Semple McPherson (pp. 260, 315). While pastoring a megachurch in L.A., Aimee was best known as a traveling evangelist, faith healer, and leader of Pentecostalism, who often found herself […]
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, an English professor’s journey into Christian faith by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert is a multi-layered book. First, and most likely the reason most read it in the first place, is that it chronicles the story of a former lesbian feminist scholar whose specialty was “queer theory” (p. 2), who has radically turned to Christ and from her former life style. […]
God Took Me by the Hand A story of God’s Unusual Providence by Jerry Bridges
God Took Me by the Hand is a short autobiography of the life of longtime servant of God and author Jerry Bridges. Bridges, whose whole ministry was in conjunction with the Navigators (he recently passed away), uses his simple and clear writing skills to chronicle how an ordinary boy was greatly used of God. The […]
A Cloud of Witnesses, Calvinistic Baptists in the 18th Century by Michael Haykin
In a day in which Christian celebritism is rampant, and almost all biographies are written about the big names of the past, it is encouraging to read about a few “normal” Christians who served the Lord as faithfully as those we emulate today. Michael Haykin has chosen in this little volume to highlight the lives […]