Saint Ninian ( known by 9 other names). Indisputable evidence that he was successful with the conversion of the Celts to Christianity is the numerous churches dedicated to him in parts of Scotland and northern England ‘* Probably ’ 'tradition ’ variations’ will be used often in this text since very little is actually known about him. The Venerable Bede in his 8th century Ecclesiastical History of the English People is our earliest source. Bede said that he named his episcopal see after Saint Martin of Tours. ( other accounts suggest he met the French patron on return to Scotland). He implies that Saint Ninian began the conversion of the Picts based on accounts of the period which may not be be entirely trustworthy. He was born in Galloway, Scotland. By tradition his father, probably gave his son to the Romans for good behaviour as was the custom then. He was therefore educated in Rome. There he decided to return to Scotland to teach Christianity. The Pope made him Bishop of the Southern Picts. For this reason he is known as the Apostle to the Southern Picts. He made his headquarters at Whithorn. Saint Ninian was the first bishop of Galloway. In 396 he built a church called Ad Candidam Casam or ’ at the white house. He dedicated the house to Saint Martin on the hearing of the saint’s death. In medieval times his tomb in the church at Whithorn was a great place of pilgrimage. Variations assert that he left Scotland for Ireland and died there in 432. Aeired in the 12th century wrote A life of Saint Ninian. He attributes 10 miracles to saint Ninian, 6 of them during the saint’s lifetime If you go to Whithorn today you can see the place where Saint Ninian had his monastery and the cave. Saint Ninian was The Apostle to the Southern Picts. Sources used - wikipedia BBC News Biography of undiscovered Scotland The Church’s Year* by Charles Alexander

Victor Landro’s life changed dramatically in 1956. Before 1956 he had been handed a Bible, but he could not read! Victor through a set of remarkable circumstances met Eliecer Benavides, a recent graduate from Bible college. Between learning to read the Bible and listening to Elicer’s explanation he committed his life to Christ. Victor had been a farmer who owned a tavern come house of prostitution. He employed 3 prostitutes and lived with 3 women and his 5 children. He led his whole family to Christ. He married the mother of his 5 children. The tavern became a general store. He established a thriving small church on his farm. He then persuaded his brothers to buy out his portion of the farm. With this money he moved to Corozalito. From Corozalito he took the message to many villages and farms throughout the region. Within a few years dozens of churches or small congregations sprung up in the forest and rural areas. He did this for 15 successful years. He decided to move his family into the Catio territory. Here he had to master the Indian dialect and build up a relationship with this new group. His witness to this group was just as fervent as with his Spanish friends. He was only able to so seeds. !5 years of success were followed by 15+ years of frustration. 30+ years of faithfulness. Victor said he will spend the rest of his life among these Indians. Chapter 5 from True stories of God at work in Columbia where Victor follows up his dream in an unbelievable true story. (See chapter) Victor has been faithful to the trust placed in his humble hands. The 3 articles I have included are either written by, or contributed to, by David Morris Howard. Ambassadors for Christ David wrote the chapter about Victor Sample chapter David adds a comment Victor’s Tale David wrote the article Between 1982-1992 he was the International Director of World Evangelical Fellowship.

Saint Cyprian of Carthage was a bishop of Carthage in the third century. He was brought up in a rich, heathen family and became a lawyer. Apparently he enjoyed arguing with Christian converts. Middle aged (35) he was converted and became a Christian ( See Early life to read his thoughts about his conversion and baptism) . In 249, three years after his conversion, he became bishop of Carthage having first served as a deacon and priest. When Christian persecution by the Emperor Decius in 250 broke out he left the city. Some thought him a coward but he quoted Scripture to them. On his return he quickly built up a Christian community. He treated with justice and mercy those who had been frightened by the threats of the persecutors and had given up their faith. ( See * Bishop during the Decian persecution and Contested election as bishop )*. In 256 a new persecution of Christians broke out under Emperor Valerian. Pope Sixtus 11 was executed in Rome. Saint Cyprian was brought before the Roman proconsul Aspasius Paternus . He refused to sacrifice to the pagan deities and firmly professed Christ. In 257 he was banished to Korba. A year later he was recalled and house bound. On September 13th, 258 he was imprisoned by the new proconsul, Galerius Maximus. On the 14th he was beheaded by the sword. He had become a notable Christian writer and many of his Latin works still exist. Saint Cyprian’s works were edited in volumes 3 and 4 of the* Patrologia Latina.(See Writings ) His skillful rhetoric led to him being considered the pre-eminent Latin writer of Western Christianity of his day. In my research I found two accounts about his martyrdom. Both contain the trial and conversation between Saint Cyprian and the governor Galerius Maximus. I have included both - it is incredible how much has survived approximately over nearly 1800 years ago. His martyrdom at Carthage established his reputation and proved his sanctity in the eyes of the church. There is another Cyprian - Cyprian of Antioch who was reputedly a magician before his conversion. Sources used Wikipedia The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander Britannica Online Encyclopedia Crossroads Initiative

Theodore (Ted) Wilhelm Engstrom was the head of Youth for Christ and World Vision International. He was an evangelical leader, author of 50 books and known for instructing churches, ministries and other non-profit organizations how to apply business ideas and achieve financial aid. He was one of the founding architects of the Evangelical council for Financial Accountability. Lela Gilbert in Ambassadors of Christ (A of C) looks at his first eighty years- he lived to the age of 90. His parents faith set a profound example for him as a youngster. It was as a freshman at college, on April 1st 1935, he had a ‘dramatic’ conversion which he never forgot. It launched his own dynamic and unique ministry. He started his own printing business. He married Dorothy in 1940 and moved to Michigan where he was eventually promoted to general manager of Zondervan Publishing House. In 1947, while employed by Zondervan, he became the local director of Youth for Christ International. Ted directed the 10 day crusade; Billy Graham - then a little known evangelist- conducted the crusade. This was the beginning of a life long friendship. In 1948, whilst attending a World Congress of Evangelism, he had a second encounter with Jesus. This resulted In 1951 with him focusing his immense communications ability on a different front- evangelism. He resigned from Zondervan and became executive director of Youth for Christ International. In this role he visited more than 60 nations and preached at rallies in most of the world’s major cities. In 1963, a chance meeting with World Vision founder Bob Pierce, convinced him to join the then struggling World Vision. Ted eventually, sometimes reluctantly, sorted out the management and financial problems. As executive vice president (19 years) and later president (1982-7 ) he turned a small Christian agency into one of the World’s largest. ( Budget for 2007 was $2.6 billion). During his life time he received many honours. World Vision President Dean R. Hirch said *His ability to integrate the Gospel with every day life was absolutely inspiring. Dr. Ted made work and faith walk together. * The evangelical community today has lost one of the most influential leaders of the past 50 years. Richard E. Stearns president of World Vision Ted most certainly did not squander his own lifetime. *He gathered and collected his best gifts over the years and has generously shared them with the world. Lela Gilbert Included information about Youth for Christ International (YFCI) and World Vision International Sources used Ambassadors for Christ wikipedia Christianity for Today Christian News Wire

Saint Theodore was Archbishop of Canterbury from 668-690. He came from the same city as Saint Paul but nearly 600 years later.He became famous late in life because very little is known about him until he became Archbishop of Canterbury. He was 66 when he accepted the appointment from Pope Saint Vitalian. He probably spent many years living in the monastery of Anastasius in Rome He was learned in Latin and Greek, in literature and philosophy. Saint Theodore was not the first choice for archbishop. A person called Wighard was chosen first but he died soon after reaching Rome. Adrian, also spelt Hadrian, the African Abbot of a monastery near Naples, was the second choice. He turned it down and recommended Saint Theodore who was a friend of Pope Vitalian. The Pope stipulated that Adrian should accompany Saint Theodore since he had twice already made the journey to Gaul and knew the road and the mode of travelling. Saint Theodore reached England at the end of May 669. In his 22 years in charge he set about organizing the English church. When he arrived the Church of England was hardly organized at all. He started a tour round England and found bishoprics empty and made new ones. He let it be seen that the Archbishop of Canterbury was in charge of the whole church. he set up schools at Canterbury. Canterbury became known as a place of learning. In 672 or 3 he held the first general synod of the English Church at Hertford to end certain Celtic practices and to divide dioceses. It marked another step forward in the efficient organization of the church. Here he suggested the policy of subdividing the big bishoprics based on the land occupied by different tribes and people, not on kingdoms. The division issue was postponed but the synod imposed the date of the Roman Easter, established obedience for clerics and monks, stopped bishops from interfering in other diocese and reaffirmed the church teaching on marriage and divorce Saint Theodore’s * Penitential* a collection on rulings created by his followers, influenced the church in both England and Europe. His greatest achievement was to adapt the Roman ideal of a centralized church in English conditions. Saint Theodore was 88 when he died. He was archbishop for 22 years, the 7th Archbishop of Canterbury and the first to rule the whole English Church. His establishment of a centralized church under the archbishopric of Canterbury, in close alliance with secular rulers, has been maintained by his successors. Saint Theodore was a gentle and affectionate man but is remembered chiefly because he was a good organizer and manager of men. Included information about Adrian/ Hadrian. Sources Wikipedia Britannica on Line Encyclopedia Archdiocese of Thyateira & Great Britain * The Church’s Year* by Charles Alexander

Peter Cartwright, Jr. better known as simply Peter Cartwright was an American Methodist revivalist minister of the nineteenth century. He was also a twice elected legislator for Illinois. The Cartwright family in 1793 settled in Logan County, Tennessee. As a youngster he helped his family survive the severe conditions of frontier life. He relaxed by horse racing, card playing and dancing. Aged 16 he went forward at ecumenical revival held at a Presbyterian church. He prayed for mercy. (Read his conversion story in his own words from his Autobiography The Backwoods Preacher.) - ‘thy sins are all forgiven thee .’) He immediately joined the Methodist church and began speaking in local services. 1802 ,aged 19, he was granted an exhorters license and hit the road as an itinerant preacher - salary $80 a year. (Read - The itinerant preacher) In 1808 he married Frances Gaines - a strong and independent woman. They had a warm and hospitable home. They had 9 children, only one did not reach reach adulthood. In 1823 decided to move: in 1824 they moved and stayed in Illinois for the rest of their lives. . In 1824 he became involved in politics. In 1832 his opposition was Abraham Lincoln and he won. 1861-5 saw Lincoln as president. ( Read politics and education) He served as a presiding elder for over 50 years and saw the numbers in the Methodist church soar from 72,784 to 1,756, 000 members. Fantastic growth. He was referred to affectionately as ’ Uncle Pete ’ in his later years but he remained faithful to his calling of preaching the Gospel whenever the need arose. Sources used Wikipedia Ambassadors for Christ contribution from Doug Sweeney Britannica Online Encyclopedia

Ira Sankey was a solid respectable civil , with a local reputation for musical talent, when a friend encouraged him to liven up an opening day convention being run by the evangellst Dwight L. Moody at Indianapolis in June 1870. A well intentioned singer was singing a hymn not in the most enlighten way. Ira got up and began to sing. He sang the first verse - There is a fountain - and the congregation were so transfixed they did not join in the chorus. At the end of the service and Dwight came over to him and said, I have been looking for you for eight years. This came as a shock to Ira. 6 months later he became an itinerant evangelist. Before this happened Ira had served in the American Civil War. He had often helped the unit chaplain and led his fellow soldiers in singing hymns. After the war he joined the Internal Revenue service and worked with the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA A partnership was formed which would last nearly 40 years. Within 3 years they were internationally famous.* Sankey would sing the gospel and Moody preached it.* Sankey’s untrained sweet baritone voice was a major ingredient in their success. They came to the U.K. in 1973 to start an evangelistic tour. They left in the summer of 1875. Unknown when they arrived they quickly became the centre of religious revival. Through use of publicity and hard toil of a grinding schedule the two became a national sensation. A tour of the major USA cities followed. Huge audiences filled the auditoriums. The notes I have read say that MILLIONS flocked to hear Moody’s simple but moving sermons and Sankey’s stirring gospel songs. They had the power between them to move both skeptics and admirers alike. Ira wrote a great number of hymnals; the sales totaled over 50 million copies. Much of his wealth was given to Methodist and Moody projects. i Where ever they went, on both side of the Atlantic, huge audiences filled each auditorium to hear the most famous preacher of their age and his equally famous music partner. The combination of Preacher and Singer/song writer proved to be a great evangelical success. I have included 3 brief histories. Ambassadors for Christ contribution from Margaret Bendroth. Wikipedia

Joyce Meyer is an American Charismatic Christian author and speaker. She was ‘born again’ when she was only nine years of age. In 1976, whilst driving to work reported that she heard call her name. Later that day, after a beauty appointment ’ full of liquid love ’ , she was ’ drunk with the Spirit of God ’ that evening whilst at a at a loyal bowling alley. She is president of Joyce Meyer Ministries. She can be seen regularly seen and heard on television and u-tube. Joyce is an outstanding Christian preacher and has written over 25 books. If you want more information go to her web sites.

Karl Friedrich Augustus Gutzlaff ( anglicized Charles Gutzlaff) was a German Lutheran Missionary to the Far East. He was one of the first Protestant missionaries in Bangkok, Thailand and Korea. He was the first Lutheran missionary in China. In 1820 a seventeen old Karl wrote an emotional poem of homage to King Frederick William 111 . Karl and a friend threw a welcoming poem into the emperor’s carriage.The king was so impressed he decreed Karl should receive a scholarship to continues his education. Karl stopped being an apprentice to a girdlemaker/saddler in Stettin and accepted the scholarship. The career of one of the most important Protestant missionaries was launched. His conversion happened in 1821. One night he had a profound sense of sin which threw into mental anguish. He cried out for God’s forgiveness. It came to him dramatically transforming his life. From this time he was determined to serve God as a foreign missionary. The Netherlands Missionary Society accepted him as a candidate in 1823… He studied in Rotterdam . These studies included elementary medical studies. Continued study and years of of successful practice earned him the title of Dr. Gutzlaff. He also found he had an extraordinary ability to learn languages He was one of the first protestant missionaries to wear Chinese clothing - see picture. He was a brilliant linguist and translator. In th 1830’s he acted as interpreter on the ships with an assurance it would allow him to gather more converts. In 1833 he founded the* Chinese Magazine*.He worked, in co-operation with three others, from 1840 on a Chinese translation of the Bible. The translation was completed in 1847. H e founded a school for ’ native missionaries '- Chinese Union- nearly 50 Chinese were trained during the first 4 years. He left a mixed legacy. He had trusted his native Bible distributors to hand out his material. They wrote/told great stories of conversions and New Testaments sold, In the late 1840’s he reported enthusiastically 2,781 converts and thousands of testaments distributed making traditional missionaries look bad to find out it was a lie .He learned whilst some of his native missionaries were genuine converts others were opium addicts !!! They were selling the books back to the printers who in turn sold them back to Karl!. Some even used it as a cover for opium sales. He eventually learned this at a cost to his reputation and health. He died on 9th of August 1851 in Hong Kong where he was also buried. His legacy is the Chinese Evangelization Society which lived on. It sent Hudson Taylor, who founded the China Inland Mission, to say Gutzlaff the grandfather of the China Inland Mission. Sources used Ambassadors for Christ Wikipedia 1801-1900 Church History Timeline BDCC The legacy of karl F.A, Gutziaff Jessie g. Lutz (page 1 of 3)

Saint Jerome was born about 342 in Dalmatia, now Yugoslavia. His parents were Christians and sent Jerome, aged 12, to finish his education in Rome He is famous for translating the BIble into Latin. The Old Testament is in Hebrew; the New testament in Greek . When he grew up he decided to travel. With friends he travelled through Greece to Asia Minor. At Antioch two of his friends died and Jerome became very ill. He had a vision that led him to leave behind his secular studies and devote himself to God. On his recovery he decided he decided hie future was to study theology or read about things written about God. On the outskirts In Antioch there were many hermits, living by themselves and spending time in prayer and study i. He joined them and set about mastering the Hebrew language under the guidance of a converted Jew. In 378/9 he returned to Antioch. Jerome agreed to be ordained by Bishop Paulinus on condition he could continue hermit life style. He then went to Constantinople to study under Gregory Nazianzen. Pope Damasus 1 asked him to go to Rome. He set him the daunting task of revising and adding to the translation of the Bible into Latin, the common language of those times… The translations were a massive task which took years to complete. The Latin Bible or Vulgate has a great deal of Jerome’s translations. Pope Damasus 1 died in 384. Jerome left Rome for good in August 385. In the summer of 388 he went to Palestine where he spent the rest of his working life in a cave near Bethlehem surrounded by a few friends. He acted as their priestly guide and teacher whilst he led a life of incessantly active on literacy production. Those 32 years years of his career belong to the most important of his works -including his version of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew text, his scriptural comments and his catalogue of Christian authors. Saint Jerome’s life was given to learning languages ( Latin, Hebrew and Greek) and writing so that people could read the Bible in their own language knowing translations had been very carefully made using original sources… Included information about the Vulgate and the Septuagint. Sources used Wikipedia Britannica online Encyclopedia THe Church’s Year by Charles Alexander

Mary was an American educator , stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian, womanist and civil rights activist. Whilst she was studying at the Moody Bible Institute she felt clear call to mission service in Africa. She was rejected - no openings for a black missionary in Africa - her major disappointment. She taught for a while in Georgia and then returned to South Carolina. She met and married Albertus Bethune. In 1899 they opened a mission school. In 1904 Mary met a traveling Methodist minister who told her about the terrible conditions in Daytona working on the railways. She was up to the challenge and the same year, on October 4th, she opened a new school. She then, for a few dollars down, bought an abandoned garbage dump and turned it into a school. It became the permanent site for the Daytona Beach Literacy and Industrial School for Negro girls. Within 2 years she had 250 female students. Mary developed extraordinary fund raising skills. John D. Rockefeller, the oil magnate was a major benefactor. As the school grew Mary’s greatest challenge was the Ku Klux Klan In 1920 Mary led a spirited vote registration drive that promoted Klan harassment. The stage was set for showdown between Mary and the Klan on the night before the mayoral election. Mary and her female pupils were ready. (Read ’ Quit running ') The election the next day the black voters waited patiently until all the white voters had cast their votes -the Klan endorsed candidate lost. By 1929 the school had been renamed Bethune-Cookman College. After this she turned her attention to black womens civil groups. (read ’ Civic Groups’ ) Resources used wikipedia Britannica online Encyclopedia Ambassadors for Christ contribution from Harold ivan Smith.

Saint Leonard of Noblac was a Frenchman born about 485. He is a Frankish saint closely associated with the town and abbey of Saint Leonard-de-Noblat, in Haute-Vienne, in Limousin region of France. It is very difficult to separate fact from legend. Traditional biography He was a Frankish noble in the court of King Clovis 1, founder of the Merovingian dynasty. He was converted along with the king at Christmas 496, by Saint Remigius, Bishop of Reims. He was granted the right to liberate prisoners he thought worthy of it. He did secure the release of prisoners -he is the patron saint for prisoners. He would have prayed for them, converted some of them and tried to raise money for their ransoms. Tradition suggests he became a monk , then became a hermit living in the forest of Limousin. As a hermit he then gained some friends, who recognizing his holiness, wanted to live with him - the result a monastery. One source suggests he became the abbot. Legend ? -King Clovis 1 was his grandfather or godfather. (Sources differ) Legend ?- he prayed for the queen , who was ill, before she gave birth to a son . Legend ?- that during a losing battle the queen asked him to pray. He prayed and King Clovis 1 was victorious. Legend? - as a way of saying thank you the king gave him royal lands at Noblac. Legend? -prisoners who invoked (called ) his named saw their chains break off. He died of natural causes around 559. There are churches all across Europe dedicated to his name. In England 177, In Italy almost 225 churches. Former prisoners used to hang their chains in churches dedicated to him. There has to be truth in the legends.

Josef, aged 14 , in 1948, stopped going to church . In 1950 he met some Christian intellectuals. June, 1951 he was baptised. For 4 years , while at Cjuj University, several students met secretly each week. At the Baptist seminary in Bucharest he lost his bearings . He left the seminary and taught for 10 years. He left Romania. He went first to Austria and then Oxford University in England. He discovered Theologically, Oxford is whatever you look for. In 1972 he left Oxford with an M.A. and began teaching in Bucharest Baptist Seminary. He went back to Romania in 1972 knowing he could face martyrdom. He formulated a doctrine called ‘sufferology’. ( See notes) From 1974-81 Josef pastored Baptist churches in Pioesti and Second Baptist Oradea - the largest Baptist church in Europe with 1,400 members. He was threatened. In 1977 arrested several times and told he would be shot. (Read ’ to die is gain ’ and the Baptist Press article). 1981 he left Romania for the USA. While in exile from Ceauscu he became president of the Romanian Missionary Society. He wanted to translate 70 Christian books - he translated 60. ( unable to find list of books). While in the USA America Radio Free Europe (RFE) approached him. He began with a 10 minute ministry slot which soon became 50 minutes. 1990 returns to Romania to find many officials, as well as the local people, had been listening in to his radio slot for the last 9 years. They recognized his voice before he mentioned his name! 1991 he becomes chancellor at Oradea Bible Institute . They start a school of Theology. Asked if they could add a Christian teacher-training college. June, 1993 establishes Christian radio station at Suceava in Romania. He founded the Emmanuel Bible institute, built a Christian publishing company and established the Christian Radio Voice of the Gospel. My passion is to take young people and put wings on them and help them to fly. Josef Tson. In 2010 Tson was excluded from the Baptist Union and revoked his ordination for his deviation from the Baptist Confession of Faith. Sources Ambassadors for Christ contribution from David Fisher Baptist Press A young Theologian;s letter to Joseph Ton

Peter Paul Jonannes Beyerhaus was a German pastor, theologian, missionary scholar and academic teacher. Peter was ordained as a pastor by the bishop of Berlin in1955. He served with the Berlin Mission society in Transvaal and Natal in South Africa from 1957-65. He did not want to leave but his daughter Karolina became ill and realised it was time to move on. From 1966-77 he was the professor of missionary theology and ecumenical theology at the university of Tubingen. He lectured around the world. In 1872 he was elected president of the Theological Convention of Confessing Fellowships in Germany. In 1988 he fell out with his faculty. The liberals in his faculty wanted to honour the Dalai Lama with the Lucas Prize for Peace. (Read Standing for truth) In 1989 he became honorary rector of Kornal Graduate School for Mission. Peter was a man who would speak uncompromisingly and yet be concerned for the individuals involved. A man with a mission to keep the church on course and growing healthily. On the 5th October 2018 the Society of Peter Beyerhaus was founded in his name in South Korea. He died on 18th January this year -2020 aged 90 Sources used * Ambassadors for Christ contribution from Elaine Rhoton wikipedia Kukimn Daily

Saint Dionysius, the Areopagite, is only mentioned once in the New Testament. Acts 17 v33/4 reads That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman called Darnaris and others with them. Dionysius was called Areopagite because he was a member of the Areopagus or Upper Council of Athens. He was one of the first Athenians to believe in Christ. Tradition holds that when he was a boy and visiting Egypt he experienced. on the day Jesus was crucified, From noon until three the afternoon darkness came over all the land . The same darkness that happened in Jerusalem. After meeting Saint Paul he was converted.and he became the first bishop of Athens. He suffered a martyr’s death by burning. Christian historian Eusebuis of Caesarea, preserved the Dionysius’ story in his Ecclesiastical history. Two saints have been given the name of Dionysius. I have concentrated on the Saint Paul converted. wikipedia The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander

George Frisk shortly after his arrival in Borneo commented 'I’ll fly the gospel here ’ watching two hornbills gliding along effortless after they had taken hours to travel, by canoe, only a few hundred yards from their campsite. Born into a godly family in Binghamton , New York 1905 . Aged 8 he attended a circus where he showed a lot of interest in 'Wild Man of Borneo '. He asked his mother if missionaries went there. She replied ’ No '. It planted a seed that he would be the one to take the gospel to them. 16 years later, 1929, he was in Borneo. He had pursued missions and medical studies in college. His first attempts to be accepted for Borneo failed but Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA) accepted his application. His comment amount fly the gospel was said in 1932 after carrying boats around an unnavigable section of a Borneo river. George corresponded with Dr. R. A. Jaffrey, the person who had first encouraged him. Jaffrey was now his field director and he was supportive. George in 1935, on his furlough, obtained his pilot’s license and ‘soloed’. In 1938 the board granted George’s proposal to buy an aircraft. The Beechcraft SE 17B was selected. Floats were installed . The plane was then disassembled, crated and shipped to Borneo. where it was reassembled. Paul Robinson, a pilot, listened to George’s presentation before WW11. After the war he was deemed too old to fly but persuaded the Moody Bible Institute to begin a programme to train students to fly and care for airplanes. James Truxton , another pilot,in 1943 heard George speak. He with George and two others formed Christian Airman’s Missionary Fellowship (CAMF) - now MAF. Six mission aviation programmes were created within a short space of time (Read Missionary Aviation Fellowship paragraphs). George’s vision of 1932 was more than fulfilled. In 2013* Arrivals and Departures* under the title * The Plane Truth* tells the story of George Fisk. In 2017, Geogette , his grand daughter, says thanks for keeping his story alive. George’s vision of using aeroplanes to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ is very much alive. Sources used wikipedia Ambassadors for Christ* contribution from John and Steve Wells Mission Aviation fellowship

Benjamin was a Particular Baptist preacher and author in London whose name was given to the Keach’s Catechism. As a prominent nonconformist leader and prolific writer, he helped shape the theological development of the Particular baptists as they struggled through persecution and finally emerged under legal toleration near the end of the 16th century. Benjamin was born in Buckinghamshire and in his early years worked as a tailor. Aged 15 he was baptized and began to preach at 18. His first congregation was in Winslow. In 1668 he became the pastor at Horsleydown, Southwark where he remained for 36 years. Benjamin or William Collins wrote a Catechism which became known as Keach’s Catechism. It was written to clarify the theology of the Second Baptist Confession that was written in 1677 and published in 1689 as The Baptist Confession of Faith… He wrote 60 books of which his Parables and Metaphors of Scripture may be the best known. (See ’ Works’ for list 12 of his books) The Child’s Instructor (1664) resulted in him being persecuted, fined and pilloried (put in stocks) in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. *The people, contrary to custom had no words of mockery for the good, persecuted minister and no offensive missile was thrown at him. (See picture) Around 1673 he was amongst those leading a campaign to introduce congregational hymn singing. This left to public discourse on whether or not singing was appropriate in worship, and if so what types of song were acceptable. Benjamin’s hymnbook, published In 1691, provoked heated debate in the 1692 Assembly of Particular Baptists. For many years Benjamin preached powerfully to a large congregations in a building which had to be enlarged several times. His congregation later became the New Park Street Church and then eventually moved to the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Sources GotQuestions.org Metropolitan Tabernacle Theopedia wikipedia

Saint Etheldreda. or Audrey. was a princess. Her father was Anna, King of East Anglia. Saint Etheldreda wanted her to become a nun but her father insisted she married Prince Tondbert in 652. The prince was persuaded to allow Saint Etheldeda to respect her vow of perpetual virginity. He died 3 years after they were married. Saint Etheldreda was then asked to marry Ecgfrith of Northumbria, who was a young teenager,for political reasons, in 660. When Ecgfrith became king in 670 she told her wish to become a nun. One account relates that he initially agreed to letting her remain a virgin but then appealed to Wilfrid, bishop of York, to enforce his marital rights. The final outcome was that Saint Etheldreda, with 2 nuns, fled to the Isle of Ely. She arrived at a headland - Colbert’ Head, jutting into the sea. A high tide, which lasted for 7 days persuaded the king to give up the idea of compelling her to come back. He returned home realizing there was a power greater than his at work. In 673 Saint Ethedreda built a large double monastery. Wilfred never lost sight of her - he made her abbess and gave the veil to her first nuns. She ruled the monastery for 7 years setting a great example of piety and abstinence and other monastic virtues. She lived a life of austerity - wearing only coarse garments - denied herself a hot bath. She had a bath at the four great festivals - using the same bath already served by the other nuns. She died of quinsy - a throat infection on 23rd of June 679. She is the patron saint for throat sufferers… wikipedia The Church’s Year Charles Alexander EBK: St. Etheldreda, Abbess of Ely

The story of the Auca 5 is about 5 Christian missionaries who lost their lives hoping to bring Christianity to the Auca tribe in Ecuador. It happened on January 8th 1956. These young men lost their lives but eventually the Auca tribes people came to know Christ. The 5 widows told how they met people who had of heard of their husbands deaths and how it had affected them. The widows and mission agencies received letters from around the world (read paragraph Far reaching impact). All 5 of the widows have met people who have told them the deaths of the men affected their lives. The story has been turned into both a book and a film Through Gates of Splendor . Their daring mission has been recounted over and over again in Christian books and magazines. Incredible all 5 Indians who had killed the 5 missionaries are not only believers in Christ they are also spiritual leaders among their own people.June 11th 1992 they received the New Testament in their own language. ( read paragraph Where it all began). ** From the very day the men died to the present, God has been at work, lives have been changed, and history testifies that the Auca five did not die in vain. Olive Liefield The first set of notes are from Ambassadors for Christ written by Olive Liefield. The second part from wikipedia is a lot of background to the story. Sources Ambassadors for Christ edited by John D. Woodbridge wikipedia

John Perkins is an American Christian minister, civil rights activist, Bible teacher, best selling author, philosopher and community developer. Despite having been a third -grade dropout he made it Into the Ambassadors for Christ book with recognized for his work for Christ with 16 honourary degrees. John was born in 1930 in rural Mississippi into a family of Sharecroppers. He lived in a world which said to be black was less than whole;maybe about half. In 1957 God showed him how to be truly whole through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God told him to go and share his love with his people in Mississippi. In June 1960 they migrated back to the south. He helped found a nationwide movement called Christian Community Development. The 3 Rs came to the fore- Relocation to a community in need. Reconciliation between the Races and Redistribution of the economic base. In the mid 60’ John was caught up in issues for rights for blacks. The KuKlax Klan were in involved. On February 7th 1970 it exploded. (read build-up in Evangelicals and Justice) John Perkins was arrested and assaulted (read Brutality) He recovered but 5 months later had a heart attack. Whilst recovering he wanted reconciliation this gave rise to Voice of Calvery Missions in 1975. 10 years, to the day of the beating,he was honoured by the governor of Mississippi by being named outstanding religious leader of the year. In 1982 he founded the Harambee Christian Family Center (now Harambee Ministries. In1989 He founded the Christian Community Deveopment Association. On death of his son he established the Spencer Perkins Centre, In 20i6 John became President Emeritus of the John and Vera Mae Perkins foundation their 3 daughters were co-presidents. John continues to call for making real Jesus’ sermons. Sources I have used the chapter ’ Jesus’ Transforming Power ', written by Christine Weerts in ’ Ambassadors for Christ ’ as my main source for John’s first 65 years. wikipedia for the last 25