*Evangelical Heroes by Joel Beeke and Douglas Bond

Evangelical Heroes presents famous and lesser-known Christian role models throughout the modern era.

*Evangelical Heroes, Vol. 1 and 2 by Douglas Bond and Joel Beeke. Reformation Heritage, 2023, 174 pages (Vol. 1), 190 pages (Vol. 2).

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12

Recommended for: Ages 10-15

Who’s Your Hero?

Many historians argue that the history of the world is the history of men following heroes. It would be just as accurate to say that the history of the world is the history of young men and women blindly following the wrong heroes, unworthy examples whose vices are tragically compounded in their fawning worshippers.

The resounding fall of Sean “P Diddy” Combs, the numerous NFL players arrested for domestic violence, and the shocking apostacy of Josh Harris can seem like cautionary tales to Christians: follow no hero but Jesus. In a way that’s true, but in another way unbiblical. In their introduction Bond and Beeke point out that humans are naturally inclined to follow role models, and that 28 times in the New Testament Christians are admonished to imitate others—Christ, of course, but also human leaders. Christians today are well advised not to slavishly follow a cultlike preacher who claims to have all the answers and behaves more as a master than a servant. But any committed churchgoer should be able to list dozens of humble, faithful mentors who have provided examples and even inspiration along the journey.

Christian history contains hundreds of such examples who “finished the course” as loyal servants of Christ. Evangelical Heroes features 30 of them, from the late 17^th century all the way up to today. Some of them you know: Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, Amy Carmichael, Charles Spurgeon, Elizabeth Elliot, R.C. Sproul. Many of them you probably don’t: Anne Dutton, Archibald Alexander, Herman Bavinck, Wang Mingdao. Some of these were strongly influenced by heroes not featured here, like Jonathan Edwards and William Wilberforce. Some lived lives of apostacy before experiencing dramatic conversions; others were blessed with godly parents and deepening faith that led them to do great things. All are worth knowing—and following.

The lineup is Ango-centric—English, Scottish, or American (except for Wang). Multicultural representation might have made these books more comprehensive, but also longer. Some readers may wonder why these men and women are called “Evangelical” when almost all of them are outspoken Calvinists. But their zeal for evangelism and faithfully presenting the gospel are “evangelical” in the best sense.

Like all Reformation Heritage publications for young readers, Evangelical Heroes is beautifully produced with a horizontal format and thick pages. A timeline on the endpapers makes it easy to see how these lives overlap. Each chapter is illustrated with portraits, photos, illustrations of historical or cultural significance. Many begin with a pivotal scene from the subject’s life, sure to draw readers into their stories. All chapters end with questions to help readers review and reflect. These aren’t books to be read in one sitting but could be the backbone of a whole year’s study of church history. Together with Reformation Heroes, they should be on the shelf of every church library, and many Christian family libraries.

Bottom Line: A readable and relatable history-through-biography of the modern Protestant era.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Resource: Do you celebrate Reformation Day instead of (or in addition to) Halloween? Megan has some tips!
• Resource: Gather your Reformation History resources with our booklist.
• Reviews: Douglas Bond has written several novels based on church history, such as Hammer of the Huguenots, The Revolt, and Luther in Love.

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For a limited time, order both volumes of Reformation Heroes from Reformation Heritage at a significant discount.