Special Series – Wretched John – Episode 2 – Held Captive

Her name is mentioned in passing within many churches during the Christmas season. Her name is printed on giving envelopes tucked neatly into the hymnbook racks on the backs of pews. Yet, if one paused to ask any given congregant about who exactly she is, most really don’t know. The name is familiar, of course, but was she a missionary, or a martyr? Who was Lottie Moon? How did a little 4 foot 3 inch tall woman from Virginia come to inspire a century-old tradition of giving that supports missionaries around the world? And what does it have to do with Christmas?   The post Episode 47 – Lottie Moon appeared first on Forgotten.

It was a Christmas memory, of all things, rich with history and spiritual stirring, that first breathed life into “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” A memory that has since become a treasured part of countless Christmas celebrations, including ours in that little mountain church on the side of the road so many years ago. The music for this episode is “O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and was adapted for length under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED). Considering a tour of the Holy Land? Visit the Yael Group. The post Episode 46 – Phillips Brooks’ Christmas Memory appeared first on Forgotten.

But around 1797, a dark cloud overshadowed the ministry of Christmas Evans. The post Episode 45 – Christmas Evans – Part 2 appeared first on Forgotten.

Although Samuel and Joanna Evans could not have possibly known it, the child in their arms that would bear the name of the day of his birth, through heartache, pain, poverty and suffering, would also leave in the wake of his life a myriad of changed lives and a lasting mark on the country of his birth. The post Episode 44 – Christmas Evans – Part 1 appeared first on Forgotten.

Down through the annals of recorded history, tucked away within its dusty pages, are hidden gems; breathtaking accounts that put on display happenings so astonishing that their only explanation is the intervention of the Divine. In his book, “Church History in Plain Language”, author and historian Bruce Shelly states that “Christianity is a historical religion, and its history is the story of God’s interactions with humanity.” These interactions are the driving passion behind the Forgotten Podcast. Join me, your host, Ronnie Brown, as I delve deep into the lives of those who, although have faded from the conscious memory of the Christian church, still brilliantly display the power of God doing extraordinary things through the lives of ordinary people. From accounts of inexplicable providences, and stories of powerful conversions, to moving testimonies of selfless sacrifice and service, each audio journey peers through the lens of Christian history to uncover the mysteries of faith. Every episode of the Forgotten Podcast will rouse your courage, challenge your complacency, and strengthen your resolve to trust God down every avenue of your own life’s journey. Join me as we walk alongside fascinating Christians of bygone days and discover how the past can hold strength for the present. Subscribe now on your favorite podcasting app or visit us online at forgottenpodcast.com.  The post Forgotten Podcast Trailer appeared first on Forgotten.

Escaping the horrendous North Atlantic storm that nearly took his life, John emerged with a newfound faith in Christ. But the days ahead were far from smooth sailing. As with many new believers, those early first steps of following Christ are filled with faltering stumbles of spiritual immaturity and well laid snares by an unseen enemy. But them all, God is able to recover John again and again and by astounding providences bring him to a place of obtaining the love of his life. The post Special Series – Wretched John – Episode 4 – Prone to Wander appeared first on Forgotten.

Emerging from captivity, John soon ventured upon a life in Africa of growing wealth and boundless exploration of his depraved desires. That is until he was lured by prospects of inheritance onto a ship bound for England. A ship whose near floundering changed John’s life forever. The post Special Series – Wretched John – Episode 3 – Rescued appeared first on Forgotten.

Pressganged in to the Royal Navy, John’s haughty personality and infatuation turn what might have been a prestigious opportunity for John in to a disgraceful ruin. And the chance encounter with a slave ship which he thought to be his rescue, proved to be a nightmare. The post Special Series – Wretched John – Episode 2 – Held Captive appeared first on Forgotten.

Over 250 years ago, wooden boats powered by canvas sails tried the seas with no assurances that they would ever set foot on solid ground again. On the high seas, sailors at the mercy of rolling waves and raging storms, do what have done since the days of Jonah, they cry out to God. Such was the case with a blasphemous deckhand named John. At first, he hesitated, considering how he had forsaken God so long ago for a life abandoned to wickedness. But cry John did. And the Lord heard that cry, reaching down with a tender hand of love and grace and not only saved John from the storm, but rescued his life from the depths of sin. An act of God that would eventually impact much of the known world for centuries to come. The post Special Series – Wretched John – Episode 1 – Out to Sea appeared first on Forgotten.

If there was ever an individual who fit the description of being a wretch, it was John. From the age of eleven he sailed the high seas, picking up every depraved behavior that an 18th century deckhand was willing to share. He was an insubordinate and disrespected member of the English Navy, twice charged with desertion. His active participation in the African slave trade and his horrific treatment of them was abhorrent. On top of all this, his complete and utter disregard for the God of the Bible, a love for which his mother desperately tried to instill in his childish mind before her untimely death, justly deserved a thunderous bolt of lightning hurled from the heights of heaven to devour his puny frame and dispatch him into the charred walls of the damned.  But instead of a blazing judgment, this maligned God of heaven unexpectedly reached out and touched the heart of John with a hand of grace and mercy. And in doing, so impacted the lives of Christian believers not only of his generation, but for centuries to come.  You can listen to the first two episodes today and get early access to upcoming episodes by supporting the Forgotten Podcast through Patreon. To find out more go to our Patreon page. Be sure to subscribe to the Forgotten Podcast on all the most popular podcasting apps so you do not miss a single episode of this story. The post Special Series – Wretched John – Trailer appeared first on Forgotten.