Prayer beads come in different types and are used traditionally by a variety of Christian denominations. The three most commonly known styles are the Catholic rosary, which many people are familiar with due to popular media, Anglican prayer beads (which have occasionally been referred to as Anglican rosary), and the Orthodox prayer … Read more
What is Baby Dedication? A baby dedication refers to the ceremony of blessing a child or new baby and dedicating the upbringing of the child to the service of the Lord. This consecration is common in evangelical churches. It is similar to the Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran ritual of churching women, which … Read more
Samuel John Mills, Jr. on April 12, 1783, was born in Torrington, CT, to Samuel and Esther Mills. His father was a minister in a Congregational church and his mother was a homemaker who supported his father. His mother is quoted as having said about Samuel, “I have consecrated this child to … Read more
Founded in 1886, the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions was a group intended to encourage students nearing the end of their schooling to consider becoming missionaries to other countries. The men who were instrumental in its beginning included Dwight L. Moody, Robert Wilder, Arthur T. Pierson, and John Forman. The movement … Read more
Protestant denominations have been around for centuries, and one of the oldest of these is the Moravian Church. Its roots extend to the 15th century. The name was applied to it about three hundred years after its beginning, when a group of exiles left Moravia due to persecution, but it began in … Read more
Fredrik Franson was born June 17, 1852 in Sweden, number 8 of ten children. Three of his siblings died before Fredrik’s birth, and in 1857 two other siblings and his father died. His mother Maria was only 40, and she remarried two years later. Middle school was four years in those days … Read more
Adoniram Judson (“A. J.”) Gordon was born April 19, 1836, in New Hampton, NH, to John Calvin Gordon and Sally Robinson Gordon. He was the second oldest and had eight siblings. His father was a Baptist deacon. Gordon was named after the missionary to Burma, Adoniram Judson, who translated the Bible into … Read more
More commonly known as A. B. Simpson, he was born on Prince Edward Island in Canada on December 15, 1843 to James and Janet Simpson. He was the fourth child, with one sister. His family was strict Calvinist Scottish Presbyterian with some Puritan principles. In 1859, an evangelist from Ireland visited his … Read more
Born December 15, 1897 to missionary parents in Damoh, India, Donald McGavran was the third generation of missionaries in his family. His family returned to the United States in 1910 and he attended school in Oklahoma and then Indiana. He was saved and baptized at the age of 14 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, … Read more
William Cameron Townsend was born July 9, 1896, in Eastvale, California, USA to William and Molly Townsend. He was known by his middle name, and many called him “Cam.” Little is known about his childhood, which took place in southern California through college. He graduated from a Presbyterian school and attended Occidental … Read more