Moving Mountains: Lessons in Bold Faith from Great Evangelical Leaders
Appropriately enough, and in true Pentecostal tradition, King begins by sharing something of his own testimony in the Introduction. While a youth pastor at a local church in the 1970s, King was enamored by and embraced the teaching of the “Word of Faith” movement with its stress on faith’s positive confession (popularly known as “name and claim it”). Through continuing education, especially through learning sound biblical hermeneutics, he concluded the movement’s teachings were unbiblical. However, later on, during a time of prayer over physical illness, he began to consider that he might have discarded sound aspects along with the unsound. In faith, he began confessing his healing; though medical treatment had previously failed, he soon experienced divine healing. Thereafter, King began to study in depth the faith movement in an effort to distinguish between valid and invalid features. He found his answers through the lives and teachings of great Evangelical leaders of yesteryear. He suggests that, “these great evangelical leaders taught and practiced a form of faith that is both strong and sound” (p. 13). Moving Mountains admirably intends to commend this “strong and sound” approach to its readers.
King studies faith in the lives and teachings of George Müller, J. Hudson Taylor, Charles H. Spurgeon, Phoebe Palmer, Hannah Whitall Smith, E. M. Bounds, Andrew Murray, A. B. Simpson, Oswald Chambers, Amy Carmichael, John A. MacMillan, and A. W. Tozer. In each case, he designates the respective leader with a short descriptive title and a single sentence summary of the primary “faith principle” exemplified in his or her life and work. George Müller is the “Apostle of Faith” and the faith principle of his life is “You can depend totally on God”. Phoebe Palmer is a “Trailblazing Woman of Faith” exemplifying that “Faith comes by full surrender and trust”. Again, Andrew Murray is “Minister of the New Covenant” exemplifying “You can claim your inheritance promised in the New Covenant” and John MacMillan is “A Believer with Authority” exemplifying “You can exercise spiritual authority as a believer”. King proceeds in similar fashion through each of his selected subjects. He begins each chapter with an exciting example of the faith principle at work in their lives. Then he introduces them personally more fully, briefly reviewing their lives and major accomplishments in ministry, before examining one by one the main lessons one might learn from them about living by faith. He closes each chapter with an exhortation to readers to emulate these leaders, followed by several discussion questions and recommendations for further reading. The book also has helpful endnotes and index.
Category: Church History, Fall 2008
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