George Mueller of Bristol was a man used of God to care for orphans. He served a church in Bristol, England as co-pastor and was enabled to build a Scripture distribution, Christian education, missionary support, preaching and teaching and orphan work that spanned the globe, educated thousands in the things of God, distributed hundreds of thousands of Bibles and Scripture portions, supported hundreds of Missionaries and eventually had five buildings, owned by the orphanage housing two thousand orphaned children. All this by faith in the God of the Bible and without one appeal for money.
From 1836, when the work began in a rented house, through 1870, when the fifth and last house was opened, and on until his passing at the end of the century Muller's life was guided by the desire (even crusade) to prove God's willingness to answer prayer. " His one supreme aim was the glory of God; his one sole resort, believing prayer; his one trusted oracle, the inspired Word; and his one divine teacher, the Holy Spirit." (George Muller of Bristol; Pierson pg 212) He never asked for money, his aim was to show the world that God would hear and answer believing prayer.
George Muller was a teacher to us all. An Apostle of Faith and the Love of Jesus if you will. A lamp that burned and gave light and for a time, even now, we have enjoyed his light. But most enjoy from a safe distance. For His light, though enjoyable to read about, is also a slap-in-the-face challenge to us today. One that I don't believe many will take up. The challenge? Do you really believe in God? Will you trust Him alone? Will you endeavor to walk in the good works He has prepared for you to walk in (Eph2:10) and trust God to fund, empower and mightily bring to fulfillment every one of these good works inspired by faith?
Muller was made aware of the needs of a few thousand orphans in the city of Bristol and then of all England. Orphaned children of the poor (by far the largest class) were not given access to orphanages. Many were put into workhouse prisons or just into adult criminal prisons. There was no social safety net. It was a shame and a disgrace and George Muller was called of God to do something about the situation, while he was being instructed by God in the ways of faith and believing prayer. He modeled his work on that of Franke in Germany a hundred years before. What they did, and what others, such as Amy Carmichael, have done since laid a foundation for us today. We too are being called to affect the world through the care and discipling of the orphans, while learning the ways of faith and glorifying our God in the Name of Jesus.
Will you rise to the challenge with us? We are not George Muller or any of the other great men and women of faith. We don't have crusading faith. We have asked for money. We have apparently failed at times. But one thing we share with these: we believe God will provide for His own and He will not ever fail His children.
The needs in the world today are greater than in the days of Franke, Muller and the others who have gone before us. There are more orphans (maybe a hundred and fifty million!), more indentured and enslaved children (another one hundred million!), there is a veritable nation of children in need (two billion) in our world, waiting to hear and see and feel the Good News of Jesus Christ. Will you join with us as we learn how to believe God to feed, clothe, house, educate, win to Christ and disciple His children.
Thank you,
Jason Nightingale
Wordsower