Torchbearers
Dave, an Olympic champion runner, is called by Christ to run with the torch through this sin-blackened world. His race takes him into cities, prisons, skidrow missions, campuses, lively churches, dead churches, and city parks. He meets skeptics, invalids, prisoners, alcoholics, homeless children, hardened juveniles, and two very different women.
His look backward through the past 2,000 years brings him face-to-face with valiant runners carrying the torch in every century.
He is shocked to discover:
- Augustine's concern about abortion in the 5th century!
- Columba's raging temper that littered a field with 5,000 corpses!
- A woman and six men set aflame for daring to teach their children the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments in the English language!
Dave is inspired by:
- John Hus singing praises while flames devour his body.
- Count Zinzendorf's around-the-clock prayer meeting that lasted 100 years!
- Entire villages of American Indians praying and singing the night through!
- The thrilling conversion of young John Newton, the blasphemous slave trader.
- The near invalid that made her way into Tibet, climbing treacherous mountains in raging blizzards, with a murderer as her guide.
- The young man who tapped into the storehouse of God and became a loving Dad to over 9,500 orphans!
Be challenged along with Dave, as you read actual words from torchbearers' lips, prayers from their hearts, and in some cases their dying messages, meticulously gleaned from historical records.
Polycarp, Augustine, Patrick, Wyclif, Luther, Tyndale, Wesley, and Finney are all here. Some of the others you will meet are Columba, Waldo, Francke, Annie, Elizabeth, and Savonarola. Our rich Christian heritage will come alive, not just as historical figures, but as real men, women, teenagers, and children who overcame this world, their flesh, and the devil himself by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and their willingness to both live and die victoriously for their Lord.
Torchbearers is not just another novel with its fictional Dave.
Torchbearers is not just another history book with its nearly 40 biographies.
Torchbearers is a call.
For it is high-time for us all to run with the torch. And the race is not easy today. But then ... it never has been.
COMMENTS FROM READERS . . .
“One of the best books I have ever read in my lifetime . . . my life and ministry have not been the same!” Dwight L. Kinman, Author, Hospital Chaplain & Conference Speaker
“I have shared many passages from Torchbearers with my friends and family. I could not put it down! I recommend this book to any person carrying the torch for Jesus who has ever felt alone, rejected, or just in need of a little encouragement.” Rosey Bryan, Wife of Andy, Southern Baptist Evangelist
“ . . . a challenging message and a sharply painted picture of our rich Christian heritage.” Gulf Coast Christian Newspaper
“I was totally awe-stricken! The encouragement one can receive from reading this book is much needed.” Quinton Mills, Evangelist, Songwriter
“I constantly use portions of Torchbearers as I minister to the Youth Group in our church.” Suzanne Courtright, Youth Leader with her husband, Timothy
TORCHBEARERS Through the Centuries
70 to 156 . . . . . . . . . Polycarp
Died in 258 . . . . . . . Lawrence
316 to 397 . . . . . . . . Martin of Tours
354 to 430 . . . . . . . . Augustine
The 400s . . . . . . . . . Patrick
521 to 597 . . . . . . . . Columba
540 to 604 . . . . .. . . Gregory the Great
675 to 754 . . . . . . . . Boniface
801 to 865. . . . . . . . Anskar
Died in 997 . . . . . . . Adalbert
Died in 1012 . . . . . . Alphage
Died in 1045 . . . . . . Gerard
Died in 1079 . . . . . . Stanislaus
Late 1100s - 1217 . . Waldo
1334 to 1384 . . . . . . John Wyclif
1372 to 1415 . . . . . . John Hus
1452 to 1498 . . . . . . Girolamo Savonarola
1483 to 1547 . . . . . . Martin Luther
1494 to 1536 . . . . . . William Tyndale
1663 to 1727 . . . . . . August Francke
1669 to 1742 . . . . . . Susanna Wesley
1700 to 1760 . . . . . . Count Zinzendorf
1703 to 1791 . . . . . . John Wesley
1718 to 1747 . . . . . . David Brainerd
1725 to 1807 . . . . . . John Newton
1780 to 1845 . . . . . . Elizabeth Fry
1789 to 1871 . . . . . . Charlotte Elliott
1792 to 1875 . . . . . . Charles Finney
1805 to 1898 . . . . . . George Mueller
Born in 1855 . . . . . . Annie Taylor
1902 to 1970 . . . . . . Gladys Aylward
Running in 1920s . . Aged Woman
1910 to 1975 . . . . . . James Stewart
Today . . . . . . . . . . . . Dave
Soft Cover
432 Pages
$5.00