Paris Reidhead (May 30, 1919 - March 23, 1992) was a Christian missionary, teacher, writer, and advocate of economic development in impoverished nations.
Reidhead was born in a Minnesota farming community in 1919. When in his late teens, he committed himself to a life of Christian service.
In 1945, Reidhead took an assignment with the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM), surveying and analyzing indigenous languages in preparation for evangelistic and educational efforts near the Sudan-Ethiopia border.[1] His proficiency in tribal languages was noted by his contemporaries. Reidhead's experiences in Sudan deeply impacted the core values that would later guide his life.
A spiritual crisis during this period - as he described two decades later in what is probably his best-known recorded teaching, "Ten Shekels and a Shirt"[2] - left Reidhead with the conviction that much of evangelicalism had adopted utilitarian and humanistic philosophies contradictory to Biblical teaching. The end of all being, he came to believe, was not the happiness of man, but the glorification of God. This theme would recur throughout his later teaching.
Upon his return to the United States in 1949, Reidhead was appointed Deputation Secretary of the SIM.[1] He associated himself with the Christian and Missionary Alliance movement and in 1953 began teaching at national conferences. Three years later he took a position as pastor at New York City's Gospel Tabernacle, which had been established in 1887 by A. B. Simpson. While in New York, he drew on informational resources at the United Nations to pioneer a program through which government and private funds were used for economic development in the Third World. His efforts to implement local programs on this model took him to mission fields in Africa, Asia, and South America.
Reidhead's involvement with the Sudanese also inspired him to seek a means to enable impoverished people in developing nations to help themselves and their families rise out of poverty. Third World development became his full-time commitment in 1966. His vision of public-private funding for economic development led, in 1971, to the formation of the Institute for International Development which has served as the model for about 90 evangelical organizations.[1] In 1985, he helped found Enterprise Development International (EDI), a nonprofit Christian faith-based organization that works in partnership with local Christian groups to transfer the necessary training and capital to help entrepreneurs start sustainable family businesses.
Paris Reidhead died in Woodbridge, Virginia in 1992. He was married to Marjorie and they had a daughter Virginia; Marjorie and Virginia continued the work of the Bible Teaching Ministries after Paris’s death.[3]
Referencesedit
Enterprise Development International. . Archived from the original on 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2007-02-04.
Sanderson, Lilian (1976). "The Sudan Interior Mission and the Condominium Sudan, 1937-1955". Journal of Religion in Africa. 8: 13–40. doi:10.1163/157006676X00156.
Books by Paris Reidheadedit
Beyond Petition; Six Steps to Successful Praying. Minneapolis: Dimension Books, 1974.
"Ten Shekels and a Shirt" formatted for printing (free download, non-commercial site)
January 01, 1970
paris, reidhead, 1919, march, 1992, christian, missionary, teacher, writer, advocate, economic, development, impoverished, nations, contents, life, career, references, books, references, external, linkslife, career, editreidhead, born, minnesota, farming, comm. Paris Reidhead May 30 1919 March 23 1992 was a Christian missionary teacher writer and advocate of economic development in impoverished nations Contents 1 Life and career 2 References 3 Books by Paris Reidhead 4 References 5 External linksLife and career editReidhead was born in a Minnesota farming community in 1919 When in his late teens he committed himself to a life of Christian service In 1945 Reidhead took an assignment with the Sudan Interior Mission SIM surveying and analyzing indigenous languages in preparation for evangelistic and educational efforts near the Sudan Ethiopia border 1 His proficiency in tribal languages was noted by his contemporaries Reidhead s experiences in Sudan deeply impacted the core values that would later guide his life A spiritual crisis during this period as he described two decades later in what is probably his best known recorded teaching Ten Shekels and a Shirt 2 left Reidhead with the conviction that much of evangelicalism had adopted utilitarian and humanistic philosophies contradictory to Biblical teaching The end of all being he came to believe was not the happiness of man but the glorification of God This theme would recur throughout his later teaching Upon his return to the United States in 1949 Reidhead was appointed Deputation Secretary of the SIM 1 He associated himself with the Christian and Missionary Alliance movement and in 1953 began teaching at national conferences Three years later he took a position as pastor at New York City s Gospel Tabernacle which had been established in 1887 by A B Simpson While in New York he drew on informational resources at the United Nations to pioneer a program through which government and private funds were used for economic development in the Third World His efforts to implement local programs on this model took him to mission fields in Africa Asia and South America Reidhead s involvement with the Sudanese also inspired him to seek a means to enable impoverished people in developing nations to help themselves and their families rise out of poverty Third World development became his full time commitment in 1966 His vision of public private funding for economic development led in 1971 to the formation of the Institute for International Development which has served as the model for about 90 evangelical organizations 1 In 1985 he helped found Enterprise Development International EDI a nonprofit Christian faith based organization that works in partnership with local Christian groups to transfer the necessary training and capital to help entrepreneurs start sustainable family businesses Paris Reidhead died in Woodbridge Virginia in 1992 He was married to Marjorie and they had a daughter Virginia Marjorie and Virginia continued the work of the Bible Teaching Ministries after Paris s death 3 References editEnterprise Development International Mission Archived from the original on 2009 09 16 Retrieved 2007 02 04 Reidhead Marjorie Paris Reidhead 1919 1992 Retrieved 2007 02 04 Sanderson Lilian 1976 The Sudan Interior Mission and the Condominium Sudan 1937 1955 Journal of Religion in Africa 8 13 40 doi 10 1163 157006676X00156 Books by Paris Reidhead editBeyond Petition Six Steps to Successful Praying Minneapolis Dimension Books 1974 Beyond Believing Minneapolis Bethany Fellowship 1976 Evidences of Eternal Life 1988 4 Finding the Reality of God 1989 5 Getting Evangelicals Saved Minneapolis Bethany House Publishers 1989 References edit a b c Paris Reidhead Bible Teaching Ministries website Paris Reidhead 1919 1992 Ten Shekels and a Shirt Audio Bible Portal website Authors section Paris Reidhead GoodReads website Evidence of Eternal Life GoodReads website Paris W ReidheadExternal links edit Ten Shekels and a Shirt free audio recording Paris Reidhead Bible Teaching Ministries Ten Shekels and a Shirt formatted for printing free download non commercial site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paris Reidhead amp oldid 1212830216, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
