In Light of Eternity: The Life of Leonard Ravenhill (Mack Tomlinson)

In Light of Eternity

The Life of Leonard Ravenhill

Though at first this vast volume may seem daunting, it is written in an easy to read style.  The life of Leonard Ravenhill and his life theme of In Light of Eternity has deeply affected tens of thousands of people. Ravenhill had a particularly dramatic effect on the views of many on prayer and its impact on their life.

Author Mack Tomlinson, a long time student of Ravenhill, effectively presents the features of Ravenhill’s life which made so many benefit from his ministry.  Foremost among these was his devotion to prayer and his zeal for the truth of the gospel.  But rather than merely telling us about these realities in the life of Leonard Ravenhill, we are continually impressed with our own need to imitate Ravenhill on these points.

Avoiding the pitfalls of spiritual hero-worship, the result is the most powerful and eloquent sort of preaching, a holy, pure, and zealous life. Moreover, this book is not merely a telling of things he did or what happened around him, but a vivid and stirring account of his character and how he became who he was, giving God all the glory.

A Man of Prayer

Leonard Ravenhill was a man who was centered on prayer. His wife once told a close friend that Leonard regularly spent eight hours a day in prayer. This inward passion for God caused an outward cry for truth and holiness. He preached with a passion for revival all over the world, but especially in the United States, where he was especially burdened about what appeared to him to be a generally lukewarm “church”. He longed to see a mighty move of God in his day, and this passion came out in his preaching.

The Life of Leonard Ravenhill had a great impact on countless men, including men of the caliber of Paul Washer, Charles Leiter, and Mack Tomlinson. He was not the greatest theologian ever, nor even the greatest preacher, but he had a passion grounded in the reality of his remarkable prayer life. Many who cannot now meet him will still be impacted through his biography, which will stir up a desire to make prayer and personal holiness central to their lives.