Norman Grubb
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Norman Percy Grubb (9 August 1895-15 December 1993) was a missionary statesman, writer and theological teacher.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early Life
Grubb was born in London on August 2, 1895, the son of an Anglican vicar. He was educated at an English Public School before joining the British Army as a lieutenant in World War I. After the war, in which he was wounded in one leg, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. Later he married Pauline Studd, the daughter of the famous missionary to Africa C.T. Studd. He left for the Belgian Congo with Pauline in 1920 to follow in the footsteps of his father-in-law, having not yet completed his final term at Cambridge.
[edit] Missionary Work and Beliefs
| Part of a series on Protestant missions to Africa |
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| Robert Moffat | |
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Pivotal events |
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Despite having a Christian upbringing it was only at the age of eighteen that Grubb seriously began to consider what it meant to be a Christian. It was a conversation with a family friend that challenged him to think more deeply about his faith, and from that point on he became committed to evangelistic work.
While recovering from his bullet wound in 1917 Grubb was handed a tract about the Heart of Africa Mission and the work of C.T. Studd in the Belgian Congo. After reading this tract he felt a calling to join Studd in his missionary activities.
Before setting out for Africa, however, Grubb studied for a while at Cambridge, where he helped set up the Inter-Varsity Fellowship (now the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship) whose goal was the sharing of the Christian message with other students.
Before finishing his studies at Cambridge Grubb met Pauline Studd and married her. During their engagement, however, a dispute arose between them regarding C.T. Studd’s practice of ‘sacrificial living’. Grubb had great respect for the way in which his future father-in-law lived by faith in Africa, and wanted to follow his example. Pauline, on the other hand, had not always enjoyed growing up with her father’s principle of sacrificial living. The disagreement almost resulted in Pauline calling off the wedding. Fortunately the two were reconciled to one another when Pauline came to accept Grubb’s dedication to serving his God, even though it meant that she would have to take second place in her husband’s life.
In 1920 the newlyweds left for the Congo. They spent ten years there, working with C.T. Studd in evangelising the Africans. While there he was struck by the words of Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth within me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” This verse was to become central to his philosophy. The kernel of his Christian belief was Jesus Christ’s teaching that He is the vine and we are the branches, and that Christians are new creations in Him and therefore exist in union with him.
Before C.T. Studd’s death in 1931 Norman and Pauline returned to England where they ran the mission from its London headquarters. Under Norman’s leadership and direction the mission flourished and became known as the Worldwide Evangelization Crusade (WEC International). It grew from one mission field with 35 workers to a worldwide mission operating in over 40 fields with thousands of workers from around the world, all living according to the principle that all needs will be supplied by God with no appeals to man. The mission still runs to this day under the name of Worldwide Evangelization for Christ.
[edit] Writing
During his time as the General Secretary of WEC Grubb began writing. To begin with he produced tracts and magazines for the mission, and then in 1933 he published a biography of C.T. Studd. After this came a string of other books, including his autobiography Once Caught, No Escape. Other books penned by Grubb include Rees Howells' Intercessor, God Unlimited, Who Am I?, Spontaneous You, Law of Faith, Touching the Invisible and Yes I Am.
[edit] Retirement
Upon retiring from the position of International Secretary for WEC in 1965 Norman Grubb travelled, mostly around England and the United States, preaching Paul’s “mystery of the gospel, which is Christ in you” in churches and conferences and to anyone who would listen. He carried on this work until his death in 1993, having lived nearly 98 years.
[edit] Death
Grubb died on December 15, 1993, at the ripe old age of 98.
[edit] Further Reading
- 'Once Caught, No Escape' by Norman Grubb
- 'After C.T. Studd' by Norman Grubb
