Zambia Hunt

One afternoon in November of 2004, I received a message from Conrad Mbewe that Dr. John Blanchard would be in Zambia, and that if Faith Baptist Church wanted share hosting him with Kabwata Baptist Church we were welcome to do so.

Of course I was overjoyed to have an opportunity to hang out with one of my heroes of the faith. John Blanchard had written a number of books and pamphlets, but the one that I had used extensively was “Ultimate Questions.” This is a comprehensive, warm apologetic for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in my opinion one of the most valuable resources out there for evangelistic effort.

On this date, twenty years ago, March 5-6 2005, we had the privilege of having Dr. Blanchard in our home. I found the time with him to be very encouraging. As a result of that time, we collaborated to have Ultimate Questions translated into Bemba and published for distribution in Zambia.

Dr. Blanchard repeated a phrase while he stayed with us, a phrase that has motivated me to be faithful in my own ministry. He would say, “I want to do as much as I can, as well as I can, for as long as I can. We stayed in touch in the years that followed, and John certainly lived up to that objective.

Summary of John Blanchard’s Life

John Blanchard (1932-2021) was a prominent British Christian evangelist, apologist, and author. Born on the Channel Island of Guernsey, Blanchard experienced early hardship when he was evacuated to Scotland during World War II. He returned to Guernsey after the war and was converted to Christianity in 1954 at the age of 22.

Blanchard began his full-time ministry in 1962, initially working with the National Young Life Campaign. He later joined the Movement for World Evangelization, eventually becoming their Director of Evangelism. In 1980, he co-founded Christian Ministries, through which he conducted evangelistic work globally.

As an author, Blanchard penned over 30 books on Christian topics. His most famous work, “Ultimate Questions,” has been translated into about 60 languages with over 14 million copies in print. Another notable book, “Does God Believe in Atheists?”, won the ‘Best Christian Book’ award in the 2001 UK Christian Book Awards.

In his later years, Blanchard focused on what he called “Popular Christian Apologetics,” dedicating himself to defending the Christian faith through writing, speaking, and broadcasting. He was known for his clear, precise presentation of the gospel and his ability to engage with skeptics and atheists.

Throughout his ministry, Blanchard emphasized the doctrine of justification by faith and the importance of equipping Christians to defend their beliefs. He was also passionate about encouraging young people to enter full-time Christian service.

Blanchard was married twice, first to Joyce (who passed away in 2010) and later to Pam Robertson in 2015. He continued his ministry well into his 80s, living by the motto: “As much as I can, as well as I can, for as long as I can.” John Blanchard passed away in 2021, leaving behind a significant legacy in evangelical Christianity, particularly in the fields of evangelism and apologetics

Interview: Before They Leave The Stage

In 2021, the Evangelical Times records this history and tribute to John Blanchard,

“In March, aged 88, Mr Blanchard told the story of his life and ministry in a recording entitled Before They Leave The Stage (I would encourage you to click the link and listen to this YouTube video interview with John). He was humble, sharp, precise, concise, and godly in all his responses. This quote summed him up, ‘As much as I can, as well as I can, for as long as I can.’ His overwhelming burden was that the Lord would raise up a new generation of young people willing to be called into full-time Christian service.

“Born in Guernsey in 1932, his mother died when he was 5, and he went to live with Auntie May – a regular attendee at an Elim Church. Evacuated to Scotland, he lived on a Hebridean farm speaking Gaelic. Returning to Guernsey after the war, he was converted at the age of 22. His early Christian life focused on the National Young Life Campaign (NYLC), an organization through which I was converted. With his first wife, Joyce, he led a Guernsey branch for some years, and around 100 young people attended. Over 20 members went into full-time Christian service across the world. They ran some missions – including one in which the late Peter Jackson of Ammanford took part. John was convinced that this period of blessing was never matched throughout his whole ministry.

“Convinced of his call to full-time Christian service, he started working for NYLC in 1962, then joined the Movement for World Evangelisation. Later, he founded Christian Ministries with the late Peter Anderson and Derek Cleave and in his latter years returned to being an independent preacher and evangelist. Alongside this, John was a gifted writer, and from 2003, most of his time was taken up with Popular Christian Apologetics, a project which aimed to present a defense to the belief in God through books, videos, and public speaking. The Lord used him across the world.”

May Those Who Come Behind Us Find Us Faithful

John Blanchard was called to His heavenly reward in 2021 at the age of 88. When I think of the heroes of the faith recorded in Hebrews 11, I believe that men like John Blanchard are qualified to be among that august company. I’m profoundly grateful for the opportunity to meet him, and spend time with him.

When I think of John, I think of the song by Steve Green, Find us Faithful. One stanza of this hymn says,

“Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who’ve gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.

A New Resource From the Writings of John Blanchard

Tim Challies in a recent blog post gave this promo for a book of quotations for Christian ministry compiled by John Blanchard:

The Complete Gathered Gold: A Treasury of Quotations for Christians by John Blanchard. “Throughout his more than sixty years of ministry, John Blanchard, author of Ultimate Questions and Does God Believe in Atheists?, learned from hundreds of Christian men and women. The Complete Gathered Gold collects more than fifteen thousand of his favorite quotations on over six hundred subjects. Christians can find nuggets of wisdom on every topic, from ‘adoption’ to ‘zeal.’ The Complete Gathered Gold is sure to be a treasure trove for preachers, teachers, and everyday believers whenever they want to read a gem of truth.”

John finished well, left us this heritage to follow. I pray to do the same for those who come behind me.