To the Golden Shore

“To the Golden Shore” is the remarkable story of the life of Adoniram Judson. In 1812, he and his wife, Ann, were two of the first missionaries from North America to be sent to a foreign land. Adoniram faithfully ministered in Burma (modern day Myanmar), a spiritually dark land, for 38 years. The work was slow and hard, and Adoniram’s suffering for the cause of Christ was immense. The Burmese people and authorities were often hostile, his first two wives died from disease, several children died at an early age, he was unjustly imprisoned and tortured as a British spy, and he endured a severe season of spiritual doubt and depression. In the midst of all of this, Adoniram spent his time and energy faithfully ministering the gospel, planting churches, training pastors, and using his gifts with languages to translate the Bible into Burmese and create a Burmese-English dictionary.

In John 12:24, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Adoniram Judson laid down his life for the cause of Christ and the eternal fruit from his ministry is incredible. At the end of his life, there were 100 churches in Burma and about 8,000 believers. Operation World estimates that Myanmar now has more than 3,700 churches and over 600,000 believers who trace their spiritual roots to him.

I highly commend this book for three reasons. One, “To the Golden Shore” is a gripping story. In fact, if it weren’t true, much of it would seem unbelievable! From the way God saved Adoniram to the many ways He kept him alive, you’ll find yourself shaking your head at the marvelous and mysterious providence of God. Two, your faith will be strengthened and encouraged as you get to know a true hero of the faith, who is part of the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 12. Adoniram Judson’s life exhorts each one of us to “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:1-2). Three, books like this should motivate us individually and as a church family to think and plan and pray about how we can participate in equipping and sending missionaries where the gospel is not yet known. May God use us to lay down our lives in strategic ways so that God’s glory can be known among the nations through Jesus Christ!