C.T. Studd

All manly names aside, and not to mention the ruthless beard, or the greasy mop slicked back, C.T. Studd deserves our attention due to the rugged and fearless life he chose to live and die while following Jesus from England to China, India, and ultimately Africa where he would die. This weeks Thursday morning Men's Group highlighted this man in history.

CT Studd was an early 20th Century missionary from England. He and six of his Cambridge classmates were accepted by Hudson Taylor into the pioneering efforts of the China Inland Mission. The seven students accepted by the CIM of that time would be labeled The Cambridge Seven and their selfless act of bravery would have a long lasting impact not only on their peers at Cambridge but also the English country side and the US. In fact one of the largest missionary movements of all time would be launched as a result of the obedience of these seven students. That movement is known as the Student Volunteer Movement.

Despite the life of affluence that each of these men where raised to not only enjoy but to manage as heirs of large fortunes, each of them had a radical call of duty that they heard from Jesus that demanded their very lives. CT Studd walked away from a professional cricket career that in itself would have earned him a fortune, not to mention the 29,000 pounds that he inherited from his father. CT Studd committed 100% of that inheritance to missions around the globe.

CT Studd would meet his wife in China and go on to do pioneering work in India and finally in Africa where he would die. CT Studd is a lesser known name of this era when compared to contemporaries such as DL Moody, Charles Spurgeon, George Mueller, but I find CT's life to be a great example of simple kingdom action that resulted in a transformed life that would be used by God to reach thousands and mobilize hundreds of thousands more not only in his life, but also in the lives of us who are serving after him. This time in history is marked by the presence of fearless men who risked and gave it all for the sake of the Kingdom Of God.