Arthur W. Pink: Biography and Thoughts

I've been spending my nights lately catching up on my reading. I really enjoy reading, but haven't made the time. The TV is a great distraction. For the longest time I've been reading through the biography titled "Arthur W. Pink: Born To Write" By Richard Belcher. I've heard that biographies on this man are hard to come by. I myself have waited a couple years for one to come available on Amazon. This is by no means a comprehensive analysis of Pink. I've only read this one biography alongside a few of Pink's tracts and quotes. I'm not an expert. His book The Sovereignty of God still sits on my shelf unread. But at least it got to my shelf, right? I'll get to it eventually.

I think I was first really turned on to Pink reading his tract "Saving Faith." In it he says that someone calling himself a believer means nothing if this "belief" isn't reflected in his life. He says, "is it not evident that as a fountain is known by the waters which issue from it, so the nature of your faith may be ascertained by what it is bringing forth?" He also says, "Saving faith necessarily involved the renouncing of our own sinful, "lordship", the throwing down of the weapons of our warfare against Him, and the submitting to His yoke and rule. And before any sinful rebel is brought to that place, a miracle of grace has to be wrought within him." Most people credit the philosophy called "Lordship Salvation" to John MacArthur, but Pink was teaching it back in the early 1900's... after Jesus and the Apostle Paul in Romans of course :).

Pink and his wife put together a magazine in the early 1900's called Studies in The Scriptures. His writings are what he's most known for. Pink was a kind of prophet in his day. I don't mean this in the foretelling sense, but in the heart and influence of a prophet. Prophets in Scripture are usually a nuisance. 2 Chron. 18:6-7 says, "But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?” 7 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil. He is Micaiah, son of Imla.” The story tells that the king of Israel assembled prophets... and all of them gave him good news. But the king thought they might just be telling him what he wanted to hear so he sent for Micaiah. The king knew he'd get a straight answer from the unbiased prophet but it may not be the answer he wanted... and it certainly wasn't. A prophet is one who stands out among the crowd and is willing to speak the truth in the face of opposition, possible ruffled feathers, and even death. A prophet is loud on the things that are wrong to shake people from their complacency and couch potato "go with the flow" lifestyles. God uses them I believe to be the shakers and movers in our society. The things Pink often wrote and the boldness he displayed... I believe places him in the category of a prophet. Interestingly enough, his biography says he knew this about himself. I must admit I've thought the same about myself personally at times. Is this pride? It could be... humility and calling are often in need of balance.

I also identify with Pink in that he was an introvert. Now, as I read it occurs to me that Pink was much more one than I. It's said in his later years that he put aside his efforts for public or pastoral ministry and focused solely on his writing. He even informed his subscribers that he would not see visitors at his home anymore. It's interesting to me that as I've studied introverts (informally mind you) they tend to be so deep and firm in their convictions. Often the best way for them to vent or release themselves is in a format where response or interaction isn't encouraged. They are vocal as they write or as they speak and preach publicly but in person they look at the floor and have trouble knowing what to do with their hands. I'm reminded of Dr. Tony Evans who preaches with such passion and conviction and yet has asked people not to approach him in person after the sermon because he's an introvert. Before salvation it's said Pink was a member of an unbiblical kind of cult called The Theosophy Society. He actually rose to leadership in this cult and spoke often at their meetings. A day came when his father quoted Proverbs 14:12 to him evangelistically, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death." This verse sent him into isolation in his room for the rest of the week without food. In that room the Lord got ahold of his heart and saved him. He left that Friday night to walk into the Theosophy meeting to speak... and he preached the gospel to that cult. I love that! He had no trouble making the truth known.

The book doesn't reveal much about the relationship between Pink and his wife before marriage and how it all came together. But I was encouraged by her. She supported him in all his endeavors as best the book could tell. They moved all over the world... back and forth in and out of the U.S., England, Scotland. She helped him in publication of his magazine and even finished up what was left after his death just as he asked her to.

The author titles the book "Born to Write." He does this because he believes Pink's true calling was to write and he shows that Pink himself eventually came to this conclusion himself. Pink tried often to maintain public ministry. He pastored several churches. One organization kicked him out because they thought he was too Arminian and another because they thought he was too Calvinistic. He tried holding a small group or so outside of the local church but attendance dwindled. He once had a thriving conference speaking ministry (which is also preferred by introverts... you can say what you feel needs to be said and get on an airplane to let someone else handle the aftermath.) But all of it kept failing. He often expressed continued discouragement in the fact that nothing seemed to be working out for him in ministry. Even his magazine suffered a decline in readers as they sometimes would drop 100-200 names from the list in a given year. Arthur, I'm young but I feel ya there in a way. There was often still a ray of hope in Pink as he often kept trying to serve God's people in person. It seemed however that God knew his impact would primarily be to that flock around the world who received his magazine and the Bible teaching he believed his age of Christianity so desperately needed.

Also as I read however, I was pleased the author didn't gloss over Pink's faults much. The only time I thought he might have been was when the author spoke of his formal Bible training. I was surprised to hear that Pink actually attended Moody Bible Institute. It was only for part of a summer session however. The author believes he may have left Moody because he was self-taught and possibly because his individualistic spirit resisted authority (surely someone like this is the making of an itinerant minister). The author spends much time quoting Pink and describing his thorough discipline of reading and Bible study. It's not entirely clear in the end why Pink left, but Pink does say, "One does not have to enter a seminary or Bible Institute and take a course in Christian Apologetics in order to obtain assurance that the Bible is inspired, or in order to learn how to interpret it." Having been to Bible college and to Moody specifically, though some things I did already know walking in... there is much that I learned, much that guarded me from mishandling such sacred Words of God and from misleading the people of God. If Pink really did leave Moody because he was confident in his own ability without the benefit of the study of others, he set himself up for potential problems in teaching and preaching. This would have certainly been a decision of conceit and pride and in this we must be honest.

It's also worth noting that in his later years Pink actually grew to a point where he told his readers to leave their churches. His boldness turned to tactless criticism. He grew increasingly weary of the state of the local church in the world at his time. I wonder what he'd think about churches today doing things like having dirt bike riders jump ramps behind the pastor as he preaches and other antics. Pink would even reject speaking engagements at many churches because for one reason or another he felt they were wrong. The author says, "Though he knew absolutely nothing about the church, he declined the invitation, as he concluded that it was probably no better or worse than thousands of others." He eventually said this about local churches, "Far better to worship Him Scripturally in the seclusion of our own homes, than fellowship the abominable mockery that is now going on in almost all the so-called 'churches'." On Heb. 10:25 he says, "[This verse] is very far from meaning the sheep of Christ should attend a place where the goats predominate, or where their presence would sanction what is dishonoring to their Master." On this issue I'm reminded of a man I used to go witnessing with. Our little group of evangelists were the only family of God he had. It was as if we were the remnant of what was left of biblical Christianity in his eyes. He often talked of how corrupt the church was today. He would tell me of how he repeatedly listened to certain sermons over and over again because the preachers who spoke the truth were so rare. I was myself searching for a church at the time and would pass the info of churches I'd visited onto him to check out, though I think my recommendations fell on deaf ears. He lost hope in the local church. He displayed an attitude that was really identical to Pink.

This is common today too. We tend to often think our own church is one of the few is not the only biblical church left on the planet. I agree that solid meaty Bible teaching is rare these days. I agree that gimmicks and pop culture are driving so many churches. I also agree that a day may come when the only option is to form house churches, but I don't think we're there yet. To be there is to be under government oppression. Some countries are already there... worshiping and fellowshiping in secret. Pink, my friend, and the rest of us need to recognize that the local church is full of people... and people are NUTS. They don't know what to think, feel, how to live, what to believe, etc. They are sheep and sheep don't need to be abandoned by capable shepherds... they need to be led by them. A capable shepherd endures the problems of people and comes alongside them as Christ would. beyond this, we must be careful how we talk about the "church." The church is not a group of people who enter a building. The church is those who are God's real children. The church itself has problems and yet they beloved of a God who does not abandon them, but disciplines, guides, and loves them. Should we not imitate our Lord and do the same?

Pink's last words were "The Scriptures explain themselves."

AS I look on the life of A.W. Pink as given to me by this one biographer, I am encouraged in so many ways. I'm encouraged that this man with the heart of a prophet had a ministry that outlasted him and still lives today bringing the bold conviction in our day that was also needed in his. I'm encouraged by his wife who stood by him and uprooted herself so many times to go wherever her husband believed God was leading them. She trusted him. I'm encouraged that an introvert was so used of God and though he was an introvert he did not die a lonely man, for he not only had his wife but he had his Lord. In his final days he spent much of his time in great joy that he would soon be with God and also spent his time encouraging his wife to trust God as she also knew his time was coming soon. When the Lord grants me a wife... if He would have me to come home before she, I would hope my time could also be spent in expectation of seeing His face and encouraging my wife to trust Him as I left her. I live under the conviction that a godly husband must be willing and able to be strong for himself and his wife in hard times. May no woman marry a man who cannot be this. I look at Pink's ministry and I wonder what God has for me. I honestly can't say I'd be content writing for the rest of my life. I GREATLY enjoy writing and don't do it often enough, but I love people so much. There is a part of me that if I were made to choose... I'd prefer 1-2-1 discipleship ministry over public preaching and writing. There's equally another part of me which LOVES to see the people of God grow and to be part of that. Perhaps the Lord will open and close doors to direct my path in a way other than I hope or would expect.. as he did with Pink. Though today I often look up at Him in tears waiting for my time to come, I'm excited that I know He would not have saved me, this man who was a God-hating Atheist... He would not have brought me to Bible college and helped me to graduate debt free... He would not have given me the joy of seeing His people grow and be blessed by my ministry... without having plans for me.

Lord, where are You taking me? How and when are you taking me? Sigh. My birthday is coming soon God. I have a few gifts in mind. Are you ready to give them? Am I ready to receive them? Are the gifts in my mind different than the ones in Yours? If so... so be it. I praise You now and I praise You then. Not my will be done, but Yours.