Book Review of C.T. Studd: No Retreat

Title: C. T. Studd: No Retreat
Author: Janet and Geoff Benge
Publisher: YWAM Publishing, Seattle
Copyright: 2005
Pages: 189
ISBN: 978-157658288-6
Genre: Biography

If you were a famous professional athlete, would you have given up your career to be a missionary? If you inherited a fortune at age twenty-six, would you have given it all away?

C. T. Studd does. Studd, a famous cricket player in his youth, sacrifices his athletic career to become a missionary to China. Eventually Studd moves to India and finally to the Belgian Congo. Studd's determination to share the gospel with people who've never heard it guides every decision he makes.

C. T. Studd: A Coherent Tale

The Benges have done an excellent job boiling down several decades of a man's life into a readable length and theme. This biography reads like a coherent tale, not just a selection of anecdotes. Most chapters end with a hint of foreshadowing or a hook to raise curiosity about what will come next.

These characteristics all work well to keep kids interested in a genre they might not normally pick. And unlike some chapter books, C. T. Studd can truly appeal to a wide variety of ages.

The Good and the Bad

C. T. Studd contains amazing stories of answers to prayer and God's work among people of all types. In fact, Studd's life challenges readers to pursue a strong faith in God and a passion for sharing Christ's story. When you read this book, you can't mistake what his life was all about. Studd believed he had a mission, and nothing would cause him to give it up.

Unfortunately, his story also offers examples of failure. He allows denominational differences to cause strife in his mission organization; the disagreements lead to a split both in the organization and in Studd's own family. While the Benges offer a few comments, the majority of the time, they report the facts of his life and leave readers to draw their own conclusions.

Uses for C. T. Studd

If you read the book as a family, the events of Studd's life could provide a springboard for some interesting discussions.

I can also envision this book providing ample material for church missions conferences, Sunday school classes for all ages, children's church, or other similar activities.

Note: A shorter version of this review was published in Christian Library Journal.