Book Review: "50 People Every Christian Should Know" by Warren Wiersbe

I love reading biographies of godly men and women and just finished a treasure in the form of Warren Wiersbe’s 50 People Every Christian Should Know: Learning from the Spiritual Giants of the Faith. The title itself compels you to pick up this book, but its merits don’t end there. Wiersbe writes to introduce you to these believers, who in years past were the movers and shakers in their generation. Many are unknown to us today, though they were well known enough in their own time and looked up to by their peers.

Wiersbe’s goal for each rather short chapter (usually only 6-10) pages is to introduce us to these men and women of the faith, while summarizing their impact upon God’s kingdom. Wiersbe doesn’t whitewash these saints, yet neither does he point out all their warts and wrinkles. He writes with gentle balance as he peers respectfully at those who have finished the race. Many of these faithful believers left behind a written legacy for us to enjoy. Wiersbe does us a great favor by listing their works. Then he does all the sifting for us, pointing out the best ones to read and enjoy. 

Each chapter in Wiersbe’s book is like eating half of a warm, chocolate chip cookie; his goal is to tantalize you enough that you’ll get up off the couch and swipe the other half off the counter to relish. Wiersbe the Bookworm wants to beget other bookworms by whetting our appetite for more from each of these faithful spiritual giants. Take your time to read this book, but make sure you read it! The faithful saints discussed in the pages of this book have won the race and now wait for us in heaven, yet their stories and life lessons can impact us today. Let us follow the example of these 50 and run well—finish well—and then, may we stand shoulder to shoulder with them worshiping the Lamb of Glory.