Corrie Ten Boom: Keeper of the Angels Den

by Janet and Geoffrey Benge
Available from Amazon
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This book, as do many of the Benge's biographies, begins the first chapter in the middle of the story to capture the reader's attention. The second chapter goes back to Corrie's younger days and shows the reader of her background and heart for service.

This biography is a great introduction to Corrie Ten Boom for children or those unfamiliar with her life. If you are already familiar with her story, read her own words in "The Hiding Place", and "A Prisoner and Yet...".

Rowland Bingham: Into Africa's Interior

by Janet & Geoffrey Benge
Available from Amazon
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I was so inspired to read this biography! This man was the founder of the Sudan Interior Mission, and countless other projects. His life was devoted to serving the Lord and the Lord’s people, and reaching the lost for Christ. When he was burdened with a need, he didn’t bewail the fact that there was no group anywhere paying attention that he could associate with. He was a man of action, and when faced with a need, he found something to do about it. Living in comfort was not a priority to him, and change did not terrify him. His life was also characterized by determination, daring, sacrifice, and love for and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I think his life can be summarized in a paragraph from this biography. He was concerned for the countless men heading into World War II, and wanted a way to reach the unsaved soldiers and encourage the believing ones. The authors state: “The fact that it was yet another ministry that had no ongoing financial backing did not worry either of them [Rowland or his wife]. Rowland often told people that he did not have a great deal of faith, but that he had a little faith in a great God, and that great God would not let His causes fail.”

God is still the same God today. If He has place a burden in a particular area, and there is no existing solution visible, He can work through us to accomplish His purposes. I was so inspired by the life of Rowland Bingham to look around, and put my life to work where the Lord shows me I should, doubting nothing.

I encourage you to read this biography, and see the power of God in a man’s life.

Count Zinzendorf: Firstfruit

by Janet & Geoff Benge
Available from Amazon
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This was my introduction to the life of Count Ludwig von Zinzendorf. I appreciate his love for the Lord, and he has written some beautiful hymns. His story was very interesting.

When he came into his estates in Saxony, he allowed refugees from Moravia to establish a community, named Herrnhut, on his property. All the people agreed to work together for the good of the whole. Count Zinzendorf founded “choirs”, groups of people who lived together and worked together. Single men, single women, married men, and so on. The count became an ordained Lutheran minister, and eventually also a Moravian bishop. He appointed women elders and preachers. These Moravians were actively sending out missionaries to many parts of the world. Zinzendorf went on to plant and oversee several such communities in different areas. One community in Pennsylvania agreed that all the members would own no property, and give all they earned to send others on missions. They also had a 100-year prayer meeting; people signed up to pray for an hour a day, and scheduled it so that someone was praying 24 hours a day, every day. No one was compelled to join these villages, but if they did, they were obligated to follow the many rules. Some Christians chose to come for a certain time period, devoting it to this work, and then return to their lives.

Count Zinzendorf had twelve children, only three of which survived him. When his first wife died, he realized he had spent too much of their marriage away, and not putting her and the family first. It is so sad when we realize our misplaced priorities once it is too late.

I think the count was fervent in his love for the Lord, and spent his energies to serve Him, although not always effectively. There was a scandal during the time of his exile from Saxony in which he and his son were preaching a return to childlike faith. This resulted in and was applied to be a return to childishness, spending their time and resources in playing. Zinzendorf saw the error in this and repented, and tried to reverse it. I know he certainly loved the Lord, but many of his thoughts, ideas and teachings were misguided, probably influenced by the times in which he lived.

This book was helpful in learning about the life of a hymn writer and man of faith. I think it is good to read about men who have influenced the Church and the world, whether or not we agree with all they thought and taught.

The authors write to a young audience, and present the material as an engaging story. The facts are not related in such a manner as to touch the heart (as when a child dies, they comment that the count “was sad”), but to hold the interest, which they do throughout the life of count Zinzendorf.

Sundar Singh: Footprints Over the Mountains

Ch - Sundar Singh: Footprints Over the Mountains: Christian Heroes: Then & Now by Janet & Geoffrey Benge
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Sundar’s mother wanted him to be a holy man, or sadhu, and, being a Singh, he was expected to follow in the Sikh faith of their family. They thought the Sikh scriptures were better than the Hindu scriptures; also the Sikhs believed in only one God. The Sikhs thought themselves above the rest of the people of India.

Since the public school was five miles away, his parents sent him to the Christian mission school nearby. Sundar was a good learner, and pleased the teachers. Before his mother died, he prayed that she would live, but after her death, he hated the Christians and their God, making life at the mission school miserable. Since he still had to go to school, he told his father he would walk to the public school, but after he contracted malaria, he was not strong enough to make the walk. His father insisted that he attend the Christian mission school again. After some time, he was still sick and depressed from the malaria, and he decided he must know if God was real. He prayed and asked the Lord to show Himself to Sundar that night, or he would kill himself under the morning train. He says that Jesus appeared and spoke to him. That night his life changed. He repented and believed on Christ.

When Sundar told his family about his new faith in Jesus, they tried to change his mind, finally poisoning him, when he left to live with Christian friends. To their amazement, he survived the poisoning.

He had a burning desire to tell everyone about the Lord. It occurred to him that people with listen more readily if became a Sadhu; not a Sikh Sadhu, but a Christian holy man. He traveled all over, preaching as he went. Many people drove him away, but some listened.

Sundar had a particular burden for the people of Tibet. He would walk over the Himalayan ranges to preach to them, although bringing in a foreign “religion” was illegal. One of the first times he was preaching, he was caught by the grand lama and sentenced to die. Since their religious convictions forbid them to actually kill someone, they have divised many methods of slowly “allowing” people to die. Sundar was thrown into a dry well to die, a well that he discovered had been used many times for the same purpose. Rotting human remains and bones surrounded him with an awful stench. After three days, he was miraculously rescued.

He went on to many places, being persecuted and tortured, but continuing to preach. He began to be well known, and other countries asked for him to come to speak to them. Sundar preached in many countries, but he always came back to the places his heart yearned over. In time his father came to know the Lord.

Sundar never returned from his last trip to Tibet. No one knows or admits to knowing what happened to him. We do know that he was faithful to preach God’s Word; faithful unto death, and he will receive a crown of life.