Leonard Ravenhill
{{short description|English evangelist}}
{{for|the illustrator|Leonard Raven-Hill}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2008}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Evangelist
| name = Leonard Ravenhill
| image = LeonardRavenhill-12-1988.jpg
| caption = Ravenhill in 1988
| birth_date = {{birth date|1907|6|18|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Leeds, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|1994|11|27|1907|6|19|df=yes}}
| death_place = Garden Valley, Texas, US
| known_for = Why Revival Tarries
| spouse = {{marriage|Martha|1939}}
| children = 3
|
}}
Leonard Ravenhill (18 June 1907 – 27 November 1994) was a British Christian evangelist and author who focused on the subjects of prayer and revival. He is best known for challenging western evangelicalism (through his books and sermons) to compare itself to the early Christian Church as chronicled in the Book of Acts. His most notable book is Why Revival Tarries which has sold over a million copies worldwide.{{cite web|url=https://billmuehlenberg.com/2009/12/04/a-review-of-why-revival-tarries-by-leonard-ravenhill/|title=A Review of Why Revival Tarries. By Leonard Ravenhill.|date=4 December 2009|website=CultureWatch|access-date=30 May 2019}}
Biography
Leonard Ravenhill was born in Leeds in 1907. He was educated at Cliff College in England and sat under the ministry of Samuel Chadwick. He was a student of church history, with a particular interest in Christian revival. His evangelistic meetings during the Second World War drew large crowds. Many converts devoted themselves to Christian ministry and foreign missions.
In 1939, he married an Irish nurse, Martha (1912-2001). The Ravenhills had three sons.Tomlinson, M. (2011) In Light of Eternity Lionshare Books.
In 1950, Ravenhill and his family moved from Great Britain to the United States. In the 1960s they travelled within the United States, holding tent revivals and evangelistic meetings.No Compromise, Melody Green with David Hazard
In 1978, Ravenhill moved to Garden Valley, Texas,{{cite news|url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/590140066/|title = Leonard Ravenhill|newspaper = Tyler Morning Telegraph|date = 29 November 1994|page = 6|via = Newspapers.com|url-access = subscription|accessdate = 26 February 2024}} a short distance from Last Days Ministries Ranch. He regularly taught classes at LDM and was a mentor to the late Keith Green. He also spent some time teaching at Bethany College of Missions in Minnesota and some time in Seguin, Texas.
Among others influenced by Ravenhill were Keith Green, Charles Stanley, Paul Washer, and David Wilkerson.
He was a close friend of pastor and writer A.W. TozerRavenhill, L. (1959) Why Revival Tarries Bethany Fellowship, Inc. as well as singer Keith Green.
Through his teaching and books, Ravenhill addressed the disparities he perceived between the New Testament Church and the Church in his time and called for adherence to the principles of biblical revival.
Tozer said of Ravenhill:
"To such men as this, the church owes a debt too heavy to pay. The curious thing is that she seldom tries to pay him while he lives. Rather, the next generation builds his sepulchre and writes his biography – as if instinctively and awkwardly to discharge an obligation the previous generation to a large extent ignored."Foreword by A.W. Tozer in Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill published by Bethany House Publishers; Expanded edition, August 1979
File:LeonardRavenhill-grave.jpg]]
Ravenhill died at his home in Garden Valley on 27 November 1994. He was interred near the grave of Contemporary Christian music artist Keith Green.
In 2011 Free Grace Press published a full biography of Leonard Ravenhill written by Mack Tomlinson titled, In Light of Eternity.
Works
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=John Wesley: Portrait of a Revival Preacher. |publisher=Leonard Ravenhill. |date=n.d. }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=We wrestle not! |location=Dixon, MO |publisher=Rare Christian Books |date=n.d. }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Final message to the church |location=Dixon, MO |publisher=Rare Christian Books |date=n.d. }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=No greater than his prayer life |location=Wheaton, IL |publisher=TEAM |date=n.d. }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Why Revival Tarries |location=Minneapolis |publisher=Bethany House Publishers |date=1959 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Meat For Men |location=Minneapolis |publisher=Bethany House Publishers |date=1961 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |last2=Otis |first2=Fuller David |title=A Treasury of Prayer |location=Doral, FL |publisher=Christian Litho, INC |date=1961 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Revival Praying |location=Minneapolis |publisher=Bethany House Publishers |date=1962 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Tried & Transfigured |location=Minneapolis |publisher=Bethany House Publishers |date=1963 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Zeal - love ablaze! |location=Minneapolis |publisher=Bethany House Publishers |date=1964 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Sodom Had No Bible |location=Minneapolis |publisher=Bethany House Publishers |date=1971 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=America is Too Young To Die |location=Minneapolis |publisher=Bethany House Publishers |date=1979 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Where are the Elijahs of God? |location=Lindale, TX |publisher=Last Days Ministries |date=1981 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Prayer |location=Lindale, TX |publisher=Last Days Ministries |date=1982 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Revival, God's way |location=Minneapolis |publisher=Bethany House Publishers |date=1983 }}
- {{cite book |language=en |last1=Ravenhill |first1=Leonard |title=Heart breathings : in poetry and prose |location=Stoke-on-Trent [UK] |publisher=Harvey & Tait |date=1995 }}
References
External links
{{Sister project links |wikt=no |c=no |commonscat=no |n=no |q=Leonard Ravenhill |s=no |author=no |b=no |v=no}}
- [http://www.ravenhill.org/ Leonard Ravenhill Official Website]
- [http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php?op=&cid=1 Sermons of Leonard Ravenhill]
- [http://www.evanwiggs.com/revival/tears/notears.html Excerpt from Revival God's Way]
- [http://www.scrollpublishing.com/store/Ravenhill-Revival.html Excerpt from Why Revival Tarries] (from a book published in 1959)
- [http://www.scrollpublishing.com/store/Ravenhill.html Biographical Sketch by David Bercot]
- [http://wesleygospel.com/2013/04/13/leonard-ravenhill-a-man-on-fire-for-god-john-boruff/ Leonard Ravenhill: A Man on Fire for God]
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Category:20th-century English male writers
Category:20th-century English non-fiction writers
Category:20th-century evangelicals
Category:British Evangelical writers
Category:English expatriates in the United States
Category:English male non-fiction writers