By Mike Peek

If you've been part of the Baptist Church for anytime at all you've surely heard of Charles H. Spurgeon; if you are from another evangelical denomination you've likely heard of Charles H. Spurgeon; if your circle is a little further out, you’ve probably heard of Charles H. Spurgeon; that’s because during the 19 th  century no other preacher attracted larger crowds in London, England, than Charles H. Spurgeon.  “A number of superb preachers graced pulpits during the Victorian era, yet Spurgeon garnered the title the Prince of Preachers.” 1   As a young pastor his preaching drew large crowds. Not only did Spurgeon’s preaching have an influence on the religious history of Britain, but he also founded a pastors’ college which trained young men for ministry. He published his sermons, edited the magazine, “The Sword and the Trowel, and wrote some seventy books. He was the peoples pastor, because like the people he was subject to the effects of a fallen creation. He battle...

For the past 20 years, I have worked as a Critical Care Registered Nurse; which means that I take care of people who would normally die without interventional care. Most who are critically ill recover, but some do not, therefore I witness a great deal of suffering and death. This is one of the reason that I am compelled to share the gospel in a lost and dying world. In this week’s study in History of Christianity we read about the 17th Century. One of the things that stunned me most was the death rates and the reason for it during the 17th Century. In Europe, the infant mortality rate was 30-35%, 50% of the population died by the age of thirteen, and average life expectancy was twenty-three to twenty-six.  England had it much better, average life expectancy was thirty to thirty-five. 1  The great majority of my patients are seventy years-plus; they have reached the end of a full life and are in critical condition because of infection, organ failure ...