Who are your favorite heroes of the Christian faith outside of the Bible?

Question

For me, number one is Rees Howells. He was a Welsh miner who lived an unbelievable life and reading about his life changed mine. I can honestly say that reading his biography was probably the single biggest turning point for me in my Christian life. He truly *lived* intercession --- not just in prayer but also in action, and his faith was unbelievable. He also taught me what it means to be like Jesus in terms of doing things the world hates and not defending yourself, and following the Holy Spirit.

http://www.amazon.com/Rees-Howells-Intercessor-Norman-Grubb/dp/071883027X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-1359383-9447047?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193506559&sr=8-1

Also, I loved reading the stories of Brother Yun and John "Praying" Hyde. Madame Guyon and Brother Lawrence's autobiographies also really inspired me. What about you and why?

Thanks ! :)

Answer 1

Well,two people whom I knew personally that are mentioned in,"Foxes new book of Martyrs" is Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand..

Both are authors of many books,including "Tortured for Christ"..that tells of the 14 years of both mental and terrible physical tortures( in both Nazi and Communist prisons), that Richard endured for the sake of Christ...all the while blessing and praying for those who took great delight in torturing him.

I will never forget these two very powerful yet meek individuals...their presence was overwhelming,without a word being spoken.

EDIT: (((("Beenie")))...the Wurmbrands, knew Corrie Ten Boom...Sabina and Ms.Tenboom passed through similar experiences under Nazi occupation.

Answer 2

ki, can I not mention his name? He is still alive and does not want people to know about the terrible challenges with which he's living.
He came from an impoverished home where his father had left shortly after his birth. He worked his way through an Ivy League university when there were not as many scholarships as now.
Years later, my wife mentioned his name in a restaurant and a man at the next table excused himself and said he was from the Classics Department of that university, and where was this person? He said that years later, they still talked about him at the university.
He became a priest and was the assistant at a famous Church, but afterwards was in charge of a small congregation. He is ....very not-handsome.
He was diagnosed with a condition whose name I can't remember. He is in frequent pain and his organs are slowly deteriorating. He knows it will eventually kill him.
People in his congregation felt that they were doing him a favor in keeping him there, but never understood why so many people from several states would come for counsel to him, especially other clergy, and why he was elected to important positions.
He was well thought of initially, but as fashions changed in our denomination, he was pushed out of elected and appointed ecclesiastical positions.
Now retired, he is still the person he always was, in belief, in spirituality, in generosity (he gave away most of his small stipend and I suspect now does that with his pension).
He could have been a scholar. He should have been a bishop.
He is a role model for me, and a reminder about what is important about being a priest and pastor and a Christian facing a difficult life.

Answer 3

My Pastor Al Dagel
Billy Gram
Alister Beag
Tony Evans
Dan Lyons

Answer 4

Hard to choose a favorite, but the one that came to mind first was Sir Thomas More. I'm not Catholic but some of the lines from that movie (A Man for all Seasons) pop into my head from time to time when I'm facing a challenge or a decisions and they always help me make the right choice.

Answer 5

Mine is Joan of Arc.
She was a real figure in history ( another passion of mine) who heard voices (who doesn't?) and commanded an army (I'm a veteran) and saved France. She, (tho it was not easy for her, at first she relented and denied the voices) went to the burning stake, rather than tell the world the voices were not real. She was a true martyr and a real personthat even atheists are hard put to explain.
Oh, it don't offend me in the least that she was a woman either.

Edit: I feel the need to elaborate. All we know of Joan of Arc is that she was an unknown peasant girl who heard the voices of angels. We do not know that she was a Christian. Her motive for going to the stake seems to me to be an unbiased one.

Answer 6

Pastor Billy says: Thomas More and all the English Martyrs.

In the face of persecution and death during the time of what later would be called the "English Reformation" or "Enlightenment" we are rarely taught of the bravery of those who attempted to keep the English Catholic soul alive.

Answer 7

My Uncle, he was a womanizer, a drunkard as well as a talented singer and likable guy. When he felt called to the Ministry he abandoned chasing chicks and getting drunk and started his own church. He died of a brain tumor about 8 years after he became a Minister. He was a wonderful uncle and a good person. He was a hospital Chaplain as well.

Pantheist

Answer 8

Billy Graham!

Answer 9

Undoubtedly Kathryn Kuhlman. Despite her flair for showmanship, nobody in our generation has even come CLOSE to the healings that happened under her ministry.
EDIT......................................................
I have also sat under the teachings of Derek Prince during his last days in Israel, as well as under the teachings of Roy Kendall & Mike Warnke; all of whom were or are men of tremendous humility. Rob Stearns is another man of tremendous giftings, as well as character.

Answer 10

I cannot pick hero, because whenever i think about this question, i think about the thousands off teenagers in high school, that have to put up with being insulted, and have to resist the temptations that are thrown at them every day. So those are my heros, the ones we don't even know their names