Learning from the far-reaching spiritual impact of one Sunday School teacher

Do you ever wonder the secrets of those who are mightily used by God?

‘Her devotional hour was not a routine, nor a discipline born of fear or habit. She opened her Bible with eager anticipation in sacred silence of personal fellowship with God.’ She stood in front of the university college group with intentions of only being the short-term interim Sunday School teacher. David Cowie, a student, remembers his first experience with her. He said: ‘Not only do I remember the pink silk dress and the pink picture hat with white roses, but I remember her lesson verbatim.’

Exuberant enthusiasm for Jesus

Henrietta Mears began working at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood in 1928 and enjoyed 35 years of prosperous ministry. It is said she loved her students into the kingdom through her engaging personality, ‘unbridled enthusiasm’, and robust theology. Henrietta said: ‘A true Christian’s enthusiasm for the Lord Jesus Christ should be so exuberant that it would be far more likely to set others on fire than to be extinguished by worldly influences.’ Humble affections surged out of Henrietta with force and beauty like a gushing Spring waterfall. In The Religious Affections, Jonathan Edwards eloquently describes the effect of Christ’s affections. He writes: ‘Gracious affections go to the very bottom of the heart and take hold of the very inmost springs of life and activity.’

Henrietta Mears had a simple trust rooted in a deep faith. Her theology influenced her heart, and her heart influenced her theology; her life reflected a brilliant mind led by a brilliant heart. She was a beloved teacher and mentor, whose heart and character were shaped by hours of Bible study and warm affections towards Christ.

Propelled by a passionate love for God’s word, she said: ‘God’s word must be our only infallible guide.’ After rummaging through old church curriculums, Henrietta disgustedly decided that ‘the Bible is the most poorly taught book in the world’. Henrietta aimed to produced a curriculum in which the Bible was embraced as ‘a powerful magnet drawing children and youth unto the Lord Jesus Christ’. In 1933, Miss Mears’ Sunday school enrolment hit 6,000.

Henrietta surged forth springs of life into students. Driven by her motto, ‘To know Christ and to make Him known,’ she sought transformed hearts. She created an environment where her students’ beliefs shaped their lives, and their lives shaped their beliefs, seeking the synergy between the intellect and the experiential.

Between her rich love for God’s word and her perceptive understanding of people, she influenced many. It has been said of Henrietta that she had perhaps the most far-reaching spiritual impact of any woman of the 20th century. She impacted the lives of Billy Graham, Bill and Vonette Bright of Campus Crusade, Jim Rayburn of Young Life, Richard C. Halverson who helped with World Vision, and many more. Her dream was that her work in Hollywood ‘might spark or ignite brightly burning fires in every nation of earth so that, in coming generations, multitudes might hear of the Galilean’s call and be saved’.

On the day of her funeral, the Revd Louis Evans Jr. said: ‘Heaven throbs with rejoicing on this day for thy saint, who walked in simple victory, because she walked in simple trust.’ Henrietta’s constant deepening of her knowledge of the Bible, her brilliant educational theory, and her simple trust brought glory to God and blessed the church worldwide. In Christianity Today, Henrietta Mears is dubbed ‘the grandma of us all’. Her impact in Christianity is said to ‘rank as one of the most important and influential in the 20th century.’

I leave you with this quote by Henrietta: ‘God uses us as the hands and feet of Christ. It is He – not us – who ultimately moves in hearts to effect change. Faith, then, needs to be the core of every decision, every move, every assessment, every choice associated with ministry.’ Henrietta Mears’ simple trust, spurred by a deep love, endeared people to the gospel. We need more people like Henrietta Mears. How can you be one of them?