(How George Müller, Amy Carmichael, and Pastor Hsi Kept Their Integrity and Maintained Successful Ministries That Actually Did Good All of Their Lives)


1. They initiated ground-breaking new ways of effecting physical relief among people--Müller rescued orphans in England; Amy rescued child prostitutes in India; Hsi rescued opium addicts in China, all with the Gospel.

2. They refused to solicit funds, but totally depended on God to provide for the work. This led to some lean times (but never deprivation) and even the compulsion to return donations at times.

3. They maintained the conscious, constant, overriding desire to give all glory to God and keep none for themselves. They maintained constant vigilance against fame or self-promotion.

4. They removed their ministries from organizational oversight or control, especially from religious organizations. The greatest trial in Hsi's life was caused by his acquiescence to the missionary board's desire to honor him for his work. The second greatest grief was caused by orders from the board that conflicted with what God was telling him to do. (To get a view of the historical context of Hsi's work, see An Afterword to Hsi.)

5. They spent extreme amounts of time in prayer.

6. They countered attacks by quietly waiting on God--NOT with legal remedies or money or soliciting help from anyone but God.

7. They carefully screened those who would help them in their work, and prayed a long time (years, sometimes) for just the right people. Helpers who came with an immature faith or the wrong motives caused more trouble than they were worth.

8. They took extreme care to be personally obedient to the Word of God. They took extreme care not to hoard wealth or physical comforts for themselves.

9. They were willing to admit mistakes and backtrack when necessary.

10. They expected to suffer personally, and did. "The power to help others depends upon the acceptance of a trampled life. . . . There is the brokenness of a life that has no rights." (Amy, Gold Cord, p. 273)



Sources: Amy Carmichael, Gold Cord: The Story of a Fellowship (London: SPCK, 1932)

Roger Steer, George Müller: Delighted in God! (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1981)

Geraldine Taylor, Pastor Hsi: A Struggle for Chinese Christianity (Singapore: Overseas Missionary Fellowship, 1997 [originally published in 1900]) © 2002 Robin Hardy


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