Truth Be Told: A Blog by Pastor Bill Alderson

E. M. Bounds, a 19 th century pastor in the Methodist Episcopal Church, wrote a number of definitive books dealing with prayer that are considered classics. Upon his retirement as pastor in 1894, he spent his final 17 years engaged in intercessory prayer, writing, and itinerant revival ministry. He would typically arise at 4:00 am to be alone with God in prayer until 7:00 am and was indefatigable in his study of the Bible. Because Bounds so diligently practiced what he preached, he was able to capture the essence of prayer and his works live on as a testimony of the importance of prayer in a Christian’s life. According to Bounds, “the story of every great Christian achievement is the history of answered prayer.”   God’s abundance   “Prayer is the contact of a living soul with God. In prayer, God stoops to kiss man, to bless man, and to aid man in everything that God can devise or man can need. Prayer fills man’s emptiness with God’s fullness. It fills man’s poverty with G...

One of the greatest missionaries of the modern Christian age is (James) Hudson Taylor, who spent 51 years as a missionary to China and established the China Inland Missions, now known as OMF International. This society was responsible for bringing over 800 missionaries to the country who began 125 schools   and directly resulted in 18,000 Christian conversions, as well as the establishment of more than 300 stations of work with more than 500 local helpers in all eighteen provinces. Taylor’s methods included dressing like a native as well as exhibiting a deep passion to reach remote people groups within China. In addition, he promoted a new approach to world missions, namely “ Faith missions ", the sending of missionaries with no promises of temporal support, but instead a reliance "through prayer to move Men by God". Hudson Taylor’s attitude and focus revolutionized modern missions. He was totally committed to his call. Here’s an illustration of that attitude: The Turk...