Have you ever been reading the Bible and fell into the error of thinking that what you’re reading actually didn’t happen? Sure, you believe the Bible is true and you know mentally that the stories did take place, but the lives of Bible characters seem out of reach, impossible to live today, just a cute story.
Could someone actually live like that outside the Bible?
The answer is yes!
I am a huge fan of Christian biographies. It is encouraging and soul-pressing to read about the life of a Christian who went through trial and testing yet proved victorious, a Christian who laid everything on the line for Jesus, a believer who bled, suffered, and died for the cause of Christ, a saint who made dumb decisions or stupid mistakes yet found grace, mercy, and forgiveness and was never the same again.
I love Christian biographies because it often reinforces the truth that I know mentally yet find hard to believe at times: I can live how I’m suppose to, I can be victorious, my life is not my own, Jesus wants to use my life to spill and spend upon the world for His glory.
I am reminded when I read Christian biographies that I actually have something more than what the individuals within the Old Testament had access to. Moses, David, Abraham, Elijah, and Daniel have nothing on me. Because of Jesus and the New Covenant, I have access to the infilling of the Holy Spirit, something they never had for moment-by-moment living. Rather than be amazed at their lives, I should smirk and boldly declare, “You think you had something? Just watch what Jesus is going to do in and through my life!”
Heroes of the Faith
I was introduced several years ago to a great series of biographies called Heroes of the Faith. Often no more than 200 pages, these pocket-sized biographies were a great introduction to the lives of some of the men and women of “whom the world was not worthy.”
Yes, there are other biographies that are more in-depth but as quick reads, these are outstanding. And as a bonus the series is being re-released – which means several of the titles that have previously been difficult to find are now available.
For Kindle users there is an added bonus since Amazon is offering eight of the books for $0.99 during July 2013. For non Kindle users, the paperbacks are still under five dollars!
And if you are going to purchase the books, I would encourage you to use the links below, because when you do, Amazon gives deeperChristian a small percentage of the purchase (at no additional cost to you) which helps us cover expenses of running this site.
Currently Released
- Amy Carmichael (Kindle | Paperback)
- Charles Spurgeon (Kindle | Paperback)
- Corrie Ten Boom (Kindle | Paperback)
- David Livingstone (Kindle | Paperback)
- Jim Elliot (Kindle | Paperback)
- Sojourner Truth (Kindle | Paperback)
- Watchman Nee (Kindle | Paperback)
- Billy Graham (Kindle | Paperback)
Coming August 2013
- DL Moody (Kindle | Paperback)
- CS Lewis (Kindle | Paperback)
- Fanny Crosby (Kindle | Paperback)
- John Newton (Kindle | Paperback)
Coming December 2013
Others books in the Heroes of the Faith series yet to be re-released
Note: links are to old editions where you can purchase used copies
- William and Catherine Booth
- Jonathan Edwards
- Hudson Taylor
- William Wilberforce
- Gladys Aylward
- Ignatius of Antioch
- John Calvin
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- Billy Sunday
- Martin Luther
- Samuel Morris (one of my favorites from this series)
- George Whitefield
- Eric Liddell
- Irenaeus of Lyons
- Well With My Soul (four dramatic stories of great hymn writers)
- John Wycliffe
- John Wesley
- Frederick Douglass
- George Muller
- John Bunyan
- Mother Teresa
- Saint Augustine
- Mary Slessor
- William Carey
- Ken Taylor
- William Tyndale
- Some Gave All (four stories of missionary martyrs)
- Francis and Edith Schaeffer
- Brother Andrew
- Charles Finney
- Luis Palau
- George Washington Carver
- Free Indeed (African American Christians and the Struggle for Equality)
- Into All the World (4 stories of pioneer missionaries)
- Florence Nightingale
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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, deeperChristian will receive an affiliate commission (with no additional cost to you). It is a great way to support the work and ministry of deeperChristian. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use personally and believe will add value to our readers. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, deeperChristian will receive an affiliate commission (with no additional cost to you). It is a great way to support the work and ministry of deeperChristian. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use personally and believe will add value to our readers. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”