Podcast: 365 Christian Men

February 18. John Bunyan. John was a 17^th Century Englishman—a preacher and an author. He wrote more than sixty books, mostly about preaching, the Christian life, and the struggles Christians encounter. 

He felt compelled to preach about Jesus Christ at a time when men were not allowed to preach without a license from the government. And John went on preaching. 

It led to repeated imprisonments—one during which he wrote the still-read The Pilgrim’s Progress. The Pilgrim’s Progress is a Christian allegory which—within the first 10 years after it was published—went through 11 editions and sold as many as 100,000 copies. 

On this date in 1674, John led a church meeting at Gamlingay. And today’s story starts on the way to the church. 

A good reputation is hard to build. Guard it. 

The path to Gamlingay was slippery with slush. And Pastor John Bunyan gripped the reins tightly, spoke to his horse gently. On the road, John saw familiar faces from his church. A husband and wife were already on their horse. But the husband’s sister, young Agnes, didn’t have a ride. 

John paused to chat with the family. 

The man her father had chosen to escort Agnes to the church hadn’t shown up. Though John hated that she was without a ride, there were certainly other family members who could help. John was a minister—a married one at that—and if he rode into town with a single woman hanging onto him, the talk would fly. 

He couldn’t offer to take her. 

But it was getting late, and the bad roads only threatened to slow them down. The brother asked John to let his sister ride behind him. Surely the minister wanted her to be at the service. 

He did. But John knew it wouldn’t look right, and he answered no. 

Agnes urged her brother to ask again. And the young man went back to John, his voice a little firmer. He told John that saying no would break Agnes’s heart. Surely, he couldn’t do that to the poor girl. He couldn’t ride off and leave her behind! 

But John answered with his own firm voice. No. He would not let Agnes ride with him. With him being a married man, it would not look right. 

If the brother wouldn’t listen, then surely, Agnes would. John turned to her and reminded her just how angry her father would be that she was riding with someone she wasn’t supposed to. 

But Agnes wasn’t thinking. She was too excited with being able to ride with the famous preacher. Her brother joined in as they continued to pester him. 

Soon, all the begging, all the urging, all the insistence that she just had to ride with him to church wore him down. He gave in, and Agnes climbed up onto his horse, snug against him. 

Down the path they went, off to the church. 

At first nothing seemed out of the ordinary. No one stared. No one gossiped. It didn’t really seem like anyone noticed. 

Until they reached the end of the town. 

A local minister, who knew both Agnes and John, suddenly stopped. His eyes widened in disbelief; he stared and watched them ride by. Wasn’t that John Bunyan, a married minister, riding with a single woman to church? 

The big-eyed minister told others that the two were having an affair—a lie that was greedily passed from person to person throughout the entire area. There were looks and smirks and whispers. 

Not many days later, Agnes’s father happened to die, and one of the men who had admired Agnes, but she had rejected, plotted to use that fact to get revenge for being dumped. He spread the rumor that John had provided poison, and Agnes had killed her father. Got the old man out of the way, so she and John could pursue their affair. 

The authorities called for an investigation, and soon the rumors spiraled out of control. How could a simple ride to church turn into such a fiasco? It wasn’t as if John had done anything wrong. He didn’t have an affair with Agnes, and he hadn’t poisoned anyone. This had become ludicrous. 

It caused tremendous stress, and John’s and Agnes’s reputations were trashed. 

They both denied any wrongdoing and tried to clear their names by telling what really had happened. In the end, the authorities discovered Mr. Beaumont died naturally, and poison wasn’t used. 

But the damage was already done. 

To clear both their names and prevent further scandal, Agnes wrote her side of the story and published it. John wrote as well. In a new edition of his book, Grace Abounding, he brought up how rumors had swirled that he had mistresses, and he swiftly denied them. In his life, he made sure to abstain from a typical kiss of greeting and rarely allowed himself to touch a woman’s hand. 

Never again would John let his reputation go unguarded. 

“Keep away from every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22 TLB). 

What are some things that may seem innocent but could possibly be used against you? How could you guard your reputation by keeping up a good appearance? A good reputation is hard to build. Guard it. 

“John Bunyan.” Accessed October 5, 2020. Banner of Truth. https://​banneroftruth.org/​us/​about/​banner-authors/​john-bunyan/. 

“John Bunyan: Pilgrim who made progress in prison.” Christian History. Accessed October 5, 2020. Christianity Today. https://​www.christianitytoday.com/​history/​people/​musiciansartistsandwriters/​john-bunyan.html. 

Story read by Blake Mattocks 

Would You Like to Learn More About This Man? 

The title page from The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan in 1678. 

February 17. Benjamin Carson. Ben grew up in Detroit (with a brief stint in Boston), and as risk-factors go, young Ben was rich with them. He was Black, in poverty, from a single-parent family, with a mother who couldn’t read and had to work multiple jobs to keep food on the table. But that hard-working woman made a habit of going to the Lord for wisdom. Under her direction, Ben overcame a ton of obstacles, became a world-famous neurosurgeon, and in 2017, became the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Here’s his story: 

The power to overcome sin begins with calling it what it is: sin. 

Since he was eight, Ben knew he wanted to be a doctor. And by the time he was fourteen, he had real hope for a successful career in medicine. He had pulled himself up from the bottom of the class in fifth grade and was making academic progress. 

But one day, when Ben and his friend Bob were listening to some tunes, Bob made fun of what Ben was listening to and switched the radio station. It bugged Ben, and he switched it back. Not to be outdone, of course, Bob was obligated to switch it again. 

Instead of laughing it off and rough-housing with his friend, Ben flew into a rage. A mind-numbing rage. He reached into his back pocket, pulled out his pocket knife, snapped it open, and, with all his strength, thrust it into Bob’s belly. 

Bob’s mouth dropped open. He stared, as if appalled at Ben. He was obviously terrified. 

That look on his friend’s face seemed to bring Ben back to reality, and he looked at the knife. The blade had struck Bob’s thick metal belt buckle and snapped off. There it lay on the floor next to Bob’s shoe. 

Ben gaped. What had just happened? 

Staring at the broken blade on the floor, he decided he must be on the verge of madness. Only crazy people tried to kill their friends! He mumbled a weak apology without daring to look Bob in the eye. And then Ben ran. 

Ben ran all the way home, but he didn’t want his older brother Curtis or his mom to see him. He was glad nobody was home. 

He went straight to the bathroom, locked himself in, and flopped on the tile between the bathtub and the sink—to think. He had to think about what he had done. About what it meant—about him. 

He had gotten angry a few times, and he had known it was getting worse. This wasn’t the first time he had “lost it,” but it was the worst. He had thought he could handle it. He didn’t want to hide from God. But what he did want was answers. What was wrong with him? What was going on in his head? Most of all, how could he get rid of this murderous rage? 

As a boy, Ben had said he believed in Jesus, but now at fourteen he didn’t understand where all this anger was coming from. It was about to ruin his life, destroy his relationships, keep him from his dream of becoming a doctor, and even land him in jail. 

He prayed and pled with God for answers and deliverance from his rage. He rehearsed every angry outburst he had ever had, and tears flowed. A sense of his own sinfulness engulfed him. Deliverance seemed impossible. 

Then he remembered God’s Word. He knew God had something to tell him, so he left the room to get a Bible and found verses in Proverbs, God’s book of wisdom, that spoke directly to him. One verse in particular stood out: 

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32 NKJV). 

Ben always strove to be better at everything he did—in fact he made it a personal goal in life to excel at all times. Yet, since God said to be truly better than even “the mighty,” anger must be brought under control. Ben knew the only way to do that was to surrender his anger to God. Believing only God could change him, Ben prayed that God would—and he determined he would never give another human being the power to incite his rage. Finally, he felt peace wash over him. 

Is there some sin controlling you? Are you willing to own it and ask God for help? The power to overcome sin begins with calling it what it is: sin. 

Carson, Ben. Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011. 

Vaira, Douglas. “The good doctor: Dr. Benjamin Carson proves that with determination and confidence, anything is possible.” Association Management. October 1, 2003. The Free Library. https://​www.thefreelibrary.com/​The+good+doctor% 3A+Dr. +Benjamin+Carson+proves+that+with+determination … -a0108970281. 

Andrews, Jeff. “Ben Carson to leave HUD after 2020 Election.” Affordable Housing. March 5, 2019. Curbed. https://www.curbed.com/2019/3/5/18251531/ben-carson-hud-election-2020. 

Story read by Daniel Carpenter 

Story written by Toni M Babcock, https://www.facebook.com/toni.babcock.1 

February 16. Jonathan Goforth. Goforth was the first missionary from Canada to go to China with his wife. He became the most well-known missionary revivalist in the early twentieth century and changed the way missionary work was accomplished in China. 

In 1900, the Boxer Rebellion broke out. A group called the “Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists” comprised huge numbers of violent villagers who turned on foreign Christian missionaries and diplomats. They slaughtered 32,000 Chinese Christians and 188 missionaries and their families. Goforth was struck with a sword, but he and Rosalind were able to flee to safety. 

They finally made it back to Canada. Sadly, once there, Goforth found that love of the world had invaded many churches, and few people there cared much about unsaved people in China. 

But when he returned to China, he met daily with other missionaries to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit. He said, “Normal Christianity, as is planned by our Lord, was not supposed to begin in the Spirit and continue in the flesh. In the building of His temple it never was by might nor by power, but always by His Spirit.” On this date in 1910, Goforth led 900 people to seek God in prayer. 

Sometimes, the message transforms the messenger. 

In the late 1880s, Goforth and his missionary party traveled through the Chinese mountains to share the message of Jesus with every Chinese person they came across—many of whom had never heard the name of Jesus. 

But the road ahead of the missionaries was more than 200 miles long and dangerous. Hudson Taylor wrote to Goforth that where he was headed was “one of the most antiforeign provinces in China … Brother, if you would enter that province, you must go forward on your knees.” 

Goforth did need help—a guide and animals to carry their belongings across the mountains. So they stopped off in a rundown village. 

In that village, Goforth hired Mr. Doong—an aging, uneducated farmer—and his yaks to guide the missionary party across the mountains. Doong had been part of a travelling theatrical company, “lived a low life,” and was addicted to opium. But he was happy to take on the work, as he had to feed: “five sons and their wives and children and some of their grandsons’ wives and their children.” 

Every day, Goforth and his party stopped at noon and at evening to preach to anyone they could find. Doong didn’t understand much of what these strange foreigners said, except for one thing: Goforth claimed that Doong’s gods were not gods at all. 

Doong was terrified. He began counting down the days until his goddess struck down the whole party for Goforth’s blasphemy. 

As soon as Doong saw Goforth and his team safely to their destination, he fled their company. 

But a few weeks later, when Doong visited another city, he happened to meet Goforth again, still preaching against the local gods. Nothing had happened to Goforth. Doong started to wonder if Goforth were telling the truth. What if Goforth’s God were the real God? 

After that, Doong took every opportunity to hear what Goforth had to say about Jesus and the Bible. For the first time, Doong felt peace and joy. Fear was gone. Love poured in. 

When Doong got back to his village, he destroyed his family’s idols. His family and neighbors were horrified, and they expected their gods to deliver a painful death to Doong. 

But it never came. Next, Doong prayed for freedom from opium, and Doong’s new God set him free, without the use of medicine. 

Hungry to know more about his new God, Doong went to the mission. Goforth doubted whether he could teach the very old, illiterate farmer how to read, but Doong was so eager to learn that, with God’s help, he read through the entire Chinese New Testament in just a few weeks and understood its meaning. A few months later, Doong had mastered all the characters in the Chinese New Testament. 

Three years later, Doong had profoundly impacted many missionaries and Chinese Christians with his love for Jesus. Although he lacked the education others possessed, “his beautiful spirit, so gentle, and so full of love to all with whom he came in contact” won over everyone he met. Goforth didn’t hesitate to appoint Doong as an evangelist in his organization, the Canadian Presbyterian Mission. For wherever Doong went, many believed in Jesus. 

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NIV). 

Are you asking God to bring you divine appointments today? Sometimes, the message transforms the messenger. 

Bach, Thomas John. “Jonathan Goforth, Radiant Soul-Winner of North China.” Missionary Biographies. Accessed October 1, 2020. Wholesome Words Home. https://​www.wholesomewords.org/​missions/​bgoforth4. html. 

Goforth, Rosalind. Goforth of China. London & Edinburgh: Marshall, Morgan and Scott, Ltd., 1937. 

Goforth, Rosalind. Chinese Diamonds for the King of Kings. Toronto: Evangelical Publishers Incorporated, 1920. 

Goforth, Jonathon. “By My Spirit.” Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, June 7, 2015. 

Story read by Nathan Walker 

February 15. Pat Boone. In the 1950s and 60s, Boone was a popular singing star—slash—heart throb, second only to Elvis Presley. On this date in 1970, Boone portrayed evangelist-to-the-gangs David Wilkerson in the movie: The Cross and the Switchblade. 

At the time this introduction is being written in 2020, Boone is still going strong. He created his own record company: The Gold Label, which features stars “‘of a certain age.’ 

“‘It’s a senior tour for singers,’ Boone says. ‘But there is a qualification: they have to be able to sell records.’” 

Featured stars include Glen Campbell, Jack Jones, Roger Williams, Patti Page, Cleo Laine, Sha Na Na, and Boone himself. So far, they’ve released more than thirty Gold Record albums. 

Boone also has personal projects, such as: “For My Country,” a musical tribute to the National Guard, which builds on his sixty-first hit record: “Under God.” 

Putting his beliefs out there “stirred up debate as well as sales.” Boone said, “It’s not just liberals who can stir things up through recordings.” Today’s story is about a time God did the stirring. 

Destructive living can cripple a guy, but surrendering to Jesus can heal him. 

It was 1968, and Boone was out. The Beatles, Dean Martin, Steve McQueen—they were in. To succeed in his career, Boone had to become the bad boy that Hollywood wanted. Or so he thought. 

This new path fed his growing doubts in the God he had once trusted. “I felt my lifelong faith in the inspiration of the Bible, in miracles, in God-man relationships begin to crack,” he said. 

Boone went to church. He wrote books on parenting that painted a perfect picture of his family life. But the noble path he had once walked soon became a “twisting, bumpy, downhill road.” 

Drinking, smoking, gambling in Las Vegas—he couldn’t give them up. His wife no longer loved him as she once had, and their home had become a battlefield. He didn’t want to be there. And she didn’t want him to be there. 

To ease her own pain and keep an eye on her husband, Boone’s wife Shirley decided to embrace his new lifestyle: drinking and partying with him. They walked “hand in hand into the darkness.” 

And their marriage, already teetering on the edge of destruction, reached a new low. Suspicion crept in; accusations flew. Criticism became their everyday language. 

And then one day, a glimmer of light burst through the dark cloud. It came in the form of Clint Davidson—a man who had once been hailed as “the world’s worst insurance salesman.” 

In a very short time, Clint had miraculously become the very opposite—a man with a shocking secret for success. 

Clint had read the Bible and committed himself to the Lord. And he had read how the Apostle Paul had confronted obstacles greater than his and had overcome them with faith. So he surrendered his work to God, and in a very short period of time he became the chairman of three corporations, and even got his ideas for taxation bills enacted by Congress. 

But that wasn’t the most impressive thing about Clint Davidson: “When he prayed, it was the most intimate, personal conversation with Jesus I had ever heard,” Boone said. 

Clint radiated the love of Jesus to Boone and his family, and he brought much-needed joy to their family. This joy seemed even more profound when Boone discovered that, as a result of an accident, Clint’s wife Flora lived every day with agonizing hip pain. 

Clint mentioned that he believed in God’s power to heal the sick, and he acted on this faith by bringing Flora to a prayer meeting held by Oral Roberts, a man who moved in the healing power of God. 

Flora returned home without any pain, and after mystified doctors confirmed what she knew to be true, the Boones were undone. A great hunger to know Jesus swept in. To know him in the same way Clint and Flora did. 

A few months later, Boone prayed a prayer that changed him forever: “Oh Father, I yield my life to you. Take it Lord and make of it whatever You want. Forgive me of every sin, wash me clean; and Jesus, oh precious Jesus, baptize me in Your Spirit, the Spirit of the living God.” 

From that moment on, in every business decision, every family decision, they sought to put Jesus first. If it didn’t please him, it wasn’t an option. They read the Bible with new eyes, prayed with new passion. And nothing about their lives was ever the same again. 

“The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal” (John 12:25 AMP). 

Are you ready to totally surrender your life to Jesus? Destructive living can cripple a guy, but surrendering to Jesus can heal him. 

“Boone, Pat.” Updated September 22, 2020. Encyclopedia.com. https://​www.encyclopedia.com/​people/​literature-and-arts/​music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/​pat-boone. 

Boone, Charles Eugene. A New Song. Lake Mary, FL: Creation House, 1971. 

“About Pat Boone.” Accessed October 1, 2020. Pat Boone. https://​patboone.com/​about-pat/. 

Story read by Chuck Stecker