While Christians have always prized the Bible as our ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice, we also recognize that the Christian life is an intergenerational and communal activity.

This collection of ten short biographies will introduce you to Christians from a variety of places and times, who all boldly preached the gospel, despite the risk to personal reputations and safety. How short–sighted it would be not to glean insights from our ancestors, whether that entails learning how to walk in their steps – or else avoiding their missteps.

Written by Ian Maddock, Rachel Ciano and Stuart Colton, who all teach church history at and edited by Ian Maddock. Each chapter has suggested further reading, and additional suggestions ‘for the adventurous’.

Chapter Headings:

1. Athanasius: Against the World

2. Augustine: A Legacy of God’s Grace

3. Anselm: Faith Seeking Understanding

4. Luther: Here I Stand!

5. Cranmer: Faithful Martyr

6. Baxter: Heaven On His Mind

7. John Wesley: A Brand Plucked from the Burning

8. Hudson Taylor: A Heart for the Lost

9. Spurgeon: Preaching, Prayer and Perseverance

10. Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Cost of Discipleship