George Bennard
Author of the hymn: The Old Rugged Cross

        
George Bennard and his wife.
Brother Bennard wrote the hymn, The Old Rugged Cross. This photo was taken in Downey, California in about 1953. You are welcome to copy the photo which we own.

What is Jesus like?

Many years ago in Ethiopia Dr. Nathan Barlow, a missionary doctor with Sudan Interior Mission, was busy as usual in the bush hospital. It is not uncommon for a missionary doctor to see 80 patients in one day. Suddenly, a distraught Ethiopian family came rushing to the clinic. The missionary nurses quickly determined what was wrong-- A young child had severe pneumonia, and his chest was so congested with mucous that he was very close to suffocating.

The head nurse called for Dr. Barlow, who came at once. The Dr. saw the grave condition of the child, and he asked for a suction device to suck the phlegm and mucous out of the child's throat and chest. The head nurse groaned and told the Dr. that they had not yet gotten one of these devices from the US.

Without hesitating an instant, Dr. Barlow bent right over the child, placed his mouth over the child's mouth, and he sucked mouthful after mouthful of that wretched and deadly fluid from the child's chest, spitting it out on the floor. The African parents watched in awe. Nurses broke down and wept at the picture of love before them. And, soon the child took a deep breath and was on the way to recovery.

In everyone's life there are a very few special moments when they have the opportunity to do something that is life changing to those standing around. When your moment comes, will Jesus be so much in control of your life that you do just what he would do at that moment in time? This can only happen if we walk daily so close with Jesus that we don't even need to stop and think what is the right thing to do-- Because Jesus is doing it in us.

Dr. Nathan Barlow and his wife never asked the supporters in the USA for the money to buy an automobile. They CHOSE to ride public transport so that they could carry Christian literature and Bibles and distribute them along the way in bus stations. Only someone who has lived in the developing world can appreciate that choice.

Perhaps you would like to know what Jesus is like--
Jesus is like Dr. Nathan Barlow.
This is because Jesus lived, indeed still lives, in Dr. Barlow.
As far as we know, the Dr. is still with us, and you may learn more on this page. Also, Read his Bio

Read about one of Dr. Barlow's medical accomplishments

From a missionary doctor:

I worked with Dr Nathan Barlow for a year in 1983 in a remote mission station in the Central African Republic as a young missionary doctor right out of medical school. Now, as a full term medical missionary myself, I try to follow his example of how to follow Christ as a missionary doctor. I last spoke with him in April 2004. He is now 92 years old. I was saddened to hear that he had developed Myesthenia Gravis, a condition that causes progressive weakening. He needed round-the-clock nursing care for his own bodily needs. But true to character, this has not stopped him, as he was getting ready to return to his mission hospital in southern Ethiopea where he has spent so many years!

Dr Steve Andersen
Lumiere Medical Ministries
Haiti

I was speaking to an old friend about the better way of doing our soul winning and outreach out of only the local church. Here was his response:

"I agree with you about para-church organizations. That is why I have ALWAYS chosen to work in and through local churches. I could have formed a large organization and was often told to do so, "because there is more money available". But I have remained faithful to my commitment to the local church.

Now, I live in a house that has 8 bedrooms (in New York City), a large eat-in kitchen, 4 complete bathrooms, a formal dining room, two working fireplaces, my office, a wonderful living room and more. We just contracted to upgrade the electrical wiring from 1917 to the present so we can put in air conditioning and to build a garage. (The previous owner burned down the previous one.)

I have places to stay around the world should I choose to visit. Our spiritual children speak many languages and live in many countries. Now most of those the Lord has entrusted to us have fled persecution to live in the United States. We have been and continue to be wonderfully blessed both materially and spiritually due to our faithfulness to our commitment to His Word and the local church."

The key word here is-- contentment. Benny Hinn and Steve Hill are not satisfied with what my friend has in this world's blessings. God gives us enough and more so that we will be content.

Will you do the right thing when it counts?

Only yards from where I stood, a woman was being attacked. Should I get involved? I was frightened for my own safety, and cursed myself for having suddenly decided to take a new route home that night. What if I became another statistic? Shouldn’t I just run to the nearest phone and call the police?

Although it seemed like an eternity, the deliberations in my head had taken only seconds, but already the girl’s cries were growing weaker. I knew I had to act fast. How could I walk away from this? No, I finally resolved, I could not turn my back on the fate of this unknown woman, even if it meant risking my own life.

I am not a brave man, nor am I athletic. I don’t know where I found the moral courage and physical strength, but once I had finally resolved to help the girl, I became strangely transformed. I ran behind the bushes and pulled the assailant off the woman. Grappling, we fell to the ground, where we wrestled for a few minutes until the attacker jumped up and escaped.

Panting hard, I scrambled upright and approached the girl, who was crouched behind a tree, sobbing. In the darkness, I could hardly see her outline, but I could certainly sense her trembling shock. Not wanting to frighten her further, I at first spoke to her from a distance.

“It’s okay,’’ I said soothingly — “The man ran away. You are safe now.’’ There was a long pause ... and then I heard the words uttered in wonder and amazement, “Daddy, is that you?’’ And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest daughter, Katherine.

Is this an urban legend, or did it really happen? Well, it happens many times around the world these days, and what if..................
What if it were YOU listening to the girl scream? There are moments that come and go only once in life, and we MUST be of a mind, well before hand, to do the right thing in an instant. Jesus is our example. He had only one chance to get over 150 prophecies right, and in the right order. After the cross, he could not again prove he was indeed the Savior of the world. Thank God, Jesus Christ did the right thing, and in the right order.