12 Faithful Men is a collection of portraits that capture the lives and ministries of godly men, scattered throughout church history. These men come from a variety of backgrounds and have all made significant contributions to the kingdom of God.
Collin Hansen and Jeff Robinson serve as editors of this project and enlist the help of several other pastors and scholars who paint short portraits of these faithful men. What makes this volume so valuable is that each of the twelve men has faced significant pain, suffering, or persecution in ministry. The men include the apostle Paul, John Calvin, John Bunyan, Jonathan Edwards, John Newton, Andrew Fuller, Charles Simeon, John Chavis, C.H. Spurgeon, J.C. Ryle, Janani Luwum, and Wang Ming-Dao.
Most of the faithful men featured in this book are well-known names. The portraits are painted with skill, passion, and biblical wisdom. They are short introductions that will likely prompt some readers to do a more in-depth study. A few of the faithful men in this volume are lesser known figures, most notably, Janani Luwum and Wang Ming-Dao.
Each portrait is an invitation to pursue a life and ministry, which is tethered to sacrifice and suffering. The clear message is that ministry entails suffering and that God uses adversity to mark a man and make a man. And while each portrait provides a basic glimpse of one of these twelve faithful men, the greater message is that God is exalted and glorified in each of these men.
Dr. David Steele has been in pastoral ministry since 1991. He holds BS and MA degrees from Multnomah University and Multnomah Biblical Seminary and a D. Min from Bakke Graduate University. Following graduation from Multnomah University, he served eight years as Pastor to Students at Lacey Chapel. In 2000, he became the Pastor of Theology at First Baptist Church in La Grande, Oregon where he served for over eleven years. In 2012, he became the Senior Pastor at Christ Fellowship in Everson, Washington.
He is the author of Bold Reformer: Celebrating the Gospel-Centered Convictions of Martin Luther, A Godward Gaze: The Holy Pursuit of John Calvin, and The White Flag: When Compromise Cripples the Church.
At Christ Fellowship he leads the staff, serves as the Pastor for preaching and vision casting, and oversees Veritas (adult theological education) and Iron Men (men’s leadership development).
His personal mission is to positively influence people, impact the world one person at a time and to glorify God by enjoying him forever. His passion in ministry is preaching, teaching, and leadership development. Specifically, his aim is to educate the mind, engage the affections, equip the whole person, and encourage God-centered living that treasures Christ above all things.
He and his wife, Gerrene were married in 1991 and they have two children.
