John David Pawson: Short Biography


 

Born in 1930, David Pawson was determined to become a farmer, but to his surprise God had other plans for him... So after completing his B.Sc in Agriculture, and obedient to this call, David went to study Theology at Cambridge University and also obtained a Master's Degree there.

His theological studies under world-famous, but liberal, professors made him lose his faith in the Bible and nearly his faith in the Lord as well. After his studies he preached at various churches as a travelling Methodist minister, including travelling by motor boat around the Shetland islands. Later he served as assistant evangelist for a year with a travelling evangelist - before being called to be a Chaplain in the Royal Air Force. This he did for three years, notably also serving in Saudi Arabia.


        The relative isolation of Arabia meant a lot to him. Away from the surroundings of arbitrary church traditions and the liberal theological environment of Britain, he regained his trust in the Bible as God's infallible Word, and was intent on preaching only the Bible from then on, and nothing but the Bible. The amazing results of preaching like this to the very pactical-minded RAF servicemen under him, confirmed Scripture’s trustworthiness to David. The spiritual power behind this kind of preaching was confirmed to him even more strongly when he got back to Britain. He practised the same uncompromising expository preaching amongst civilian congregations. It was solid truth, but truth with heart.

He later became pastor of the Baptist churches Gold Hill in Buckinghamshire and the Millmead Centre in Guildford, where he solidified his reputation as one of Britain's top Bible teachers. In these churches he maintained a strong Bible teaching ministry and they eventually became so successful that they served as examples to many pastors and preachers in Britain. They became known as churches which grew both in the light of Scripture and the warmth of the Spirit.


In 1979 the Lord called David Pawson to a wider speaking ministry in Britain, and since then throughout the British Isles and around the world.

He has also participated in many successful debates, amongst others against liberal Anglican priest John Hick (editor of the controversial and heterodox book, The Myth of God Incarnate).

  

        During the ‘Cold War’ David’s cassettes (now hugely popular CDs, DVDs and Books - with tens of millions in circulation around the globe) were much sought-after by congregations behind the Iron Curtain and they were regularly smuggled into communist countries. Today they are very popular amongst pastors and teachers around the world and they are the life-blood of pastors and missionaries in the mission field who do not have the opportunity to sit under an established Bible teaching ministry.


Today David is received on God TV by millions of viewers around the world. In his late seventies still very much in demand as a speaker, he also occupies a key position among British Christian writers, with many high-volume titles in print. His all-time bestseller is the Unlocking the Bible DVD series, as well as the slightly different book version. Amongst works like The Normal Christian Birth, these have been called his legacy to the church.

      David and his wife, Enid, live in Basingstoke, Hampshire, in England. Of their three children, their eldest, Deborah, died from leukaemia some years ago. David and Enid have five grandchildren.




After the death of his daughter Deborah, David Pawson said:

"I have been at four funerals, spoken at four funerals in the last five years..." (Want to hear more? Click here.)

TO HEAR, LISTEN OR READ DAVID'S CDs, DVDs or BOOKS, click on the tabs at the top.