Living Legacy

A great book about a very influencial but unknown and too often unrecognized person. He was the father of Ruth Bell Grahm, Mrs. Billy Graham. The book provides insight to the formation of Ruth Bell and her husband, Rev. Billy Graham. Until his passing, Dr. Bell was probably the most important confident and counselor for Dr. Graham. Dr. Bell's influence was behind the scenes. A historic review of Dr. Bell's ministry as a medical missionary in China from the early 20th century until the time of the Japanese invasion of China. It is of great intrest to thsoe seeking to know about China before the communist takeover. Dr. Bell was called the most important chrisian layperson during the 1950's and 60's. He was the founder of Christianity Today magazine, the leading evangelical publication. It helped forment the evengelican movement and it's impact upon politics, lifestyles and religion direction in America and around the world.

Living Legacy by Jim Downing captivated my interest from the very first page. From cover to cover the book contains wisdom and Biblical guidance for anyone in ministry. Each page is rich with knowledge- I seized every free moment to read the book and finished it in just a few days. My reaction to Living Legacy surprised me, because I'm not a fan of historical books. Yet I looked at the front cover and thought "Those people look exactly like my grandparents!" I started reading the book and thought "My Grandpa was there...I remember when he told me about that." I was inspired to continue reading with the intent to learn about an earlier generation and what I discovered was a guide for future generations. I found the book interesting and helpful as I am leading women in an online Bible study. The book details a structured and objective oriented plan for ministry based upon the success of the Navigators. Written by a 94 year old man, I found the author very articulate, intelligent and spirit driven towards the goal of leading others in ministry. While the ending was a bit saturated with historical trivia, the bulk of the book was useful for my ministry objectives. I recommend Living Legacy as witness to leading others in Christian ministry and developing spiritual maturity in others.