Author RAY COMFORT
Publisher BRIDGE LOGOS
ISBN 0-88270-943-7
According to the title page this is the ‘Authorized Autobiography’ and whether that
implies that there are ‘unauthorized’ biographies around I am not sure. In some
circles Ray Comfort is a well-known evangelist. He was born and raised in New
Zealand and it is there that he came to the Lord. He was a young man who lived
for surfing and it was amongst his surfing buddies and many others he first began to
engage in his ministry. God’s gracious leading is obvious in the unfolding story. He
moved to Los Angeles in 1989 and continued his ministry, writing books and tracts
and preaching open air in areas of the city frequented by addicts of all kinds. His
book is really more the story of his work rather than his own spiritual life. Perhaps
this is his main point, to challenge and encourage his readers to engage in out and out
evangelism themselves; certainly the challenge is couched in gracious terms. It is
plain that he does not lack in humor and boldness though in some candid moments he
does indicate his own fearfulness as he engages in his ministry. He became a friend
of Kirk Cameron one of the stars who acted in the “Left Behind” series of movies and
obviously espouses the dubious eschatology set forth in that series but, through all
the single-minded desire to make the Lord Jesus known is present. One of the most
helpful thrusts in this man’s story is the way the Lord opened up to him the place of
the law of God in evangelism. He shows how the right use of God’s commandments
is able to bring about a readiness in the hearer to receive the Lord Jesus as the answer
to the sense of guilt in the sight of God and His righteous demands. This is an
emphasis that he has been able to share in many Christian circles in the USA and is
vital and instructive. However, the convicting and regenerating power of the Holy
Spirit is scarcely mentioned in these pages although His leading and wisdom is clear
in much of that which the author writes about. The back cover describes this as
a ‘fast moving and true-life drama.’ I did not think it to be the former but it is good
to sense the reality of a man fulfilling with all his heart that ministry the Lord has
committed unto him.
