David Brainerd’s “Indian affair”In the short space of five years, Brainerd had not only accepted the call to minister amongst the native Indians of America, but he had also ‘trail blazed’ a path into the very heart and community of the Indians, bringing the very life of Jesus to them. He saw many Indian’s lives touched by the gospel (approximately 85 converts); he started a church (Bethel), raised up native evangelists, and pioneered a work of God in some of the most demanding and hostile conditions imaginable. Pioneers rarely see the mass harvest, but often see only the first fruit of a bountiful harvest. This is true with Brainerd. However I believe David Brainerd’s overriding achievement was that of inspiring countless other missionaries and ‘pioneers’ from that day until now. At the end of five years of tireless ministry at the tender age of 29, Brainerd died in the house of good friend Jonathan Edwards, fulfilling his desire to “wear out my life in his service and for his glory”.
An 'over-comer' at heart
As I’ve researched the life and ministry of Brainerd, it reads like a modern day account of the life of the Apostle Paul. He seemed to encounter such tremendous setbacks, difficulties and outright hardships, but in all these things he found a way to continue his ministry and calling. The following bullet points outline a number of the major problems he faced:
• In his early ministry He had a real inferiority complex about his preaching ability. However he didn’t let this deter him, he just kept on preaching.
• One of the most prolonged and difficult obstacles he faced in his ministry was the loneliness and lack of companionship. He spent many days and months alone, toiling in the ministry. If one reads his Journal one will see that this was huge struggle for him. At one point in his ministry he travelled 600 miles, searching for suitable ministry colleagues, but not one person was found who was “qualified or disposed for this good work”. Constant, and sustained loneliness is not something many of us will have to endure, but I believe this was one of the hardest struggles he faced. This also resulted in him really cherishing the few friendships he did make.
• Brainerd also faced almost unbearable hardships. For a time he lived in a hay shed. He spent a number of months travelling a tremendous distance to collect bread and supplies, and by the time he had returned to his place of ministry, the bread had gone mouldy. His whole ministry is ‘shot through’ with great amounts of travelling, often on foot, sometimes on horseback, but always in difficult terrain.
• Brainerd also had to overcome the language / cultural barriers. Early on in his ministry amongst the Indians, he was spending the day in prayer and fasting, and unknown to him a group of Indians were approaching with the intent of killing him. As they drew near they saw him on his knees praying and a rattlesnake drew up alongside him ready to strike. It opened it’s mouth and it’s forked tongue almost touched his face, then all of a sudden it disappeared into the undergrowth. This divine protection, gave Brainerd high standing amongst the Indians as they said, “the Great Spirit is with the paleface!”
• Brainerd also had to overcome the temptation of a ‘more comfortable call’. A number of times, churches requested that he abandon his ministry amongst the Indians, and become their pastor. These requests were a great test for him, as the work was often so hard and the request seemed so pleasant’.
• He also had to face the problem of long periods of seeing no or little fruit. This is quite characteristic of pioneer type ministries.
• However above all the problems and hardships Brainerd faced, sickness was probably the greatest. Much of his short ministry was spent in great pain and agony from tuberculosis. There were times when he would spend whole weeks, incapacitated by the pain. There is one account of a ministry trip he took, where he was in such pain and agony, that as he rode he was covered in perspiration, and at times due to the pain he would fall off his horse. As one reads the problems that Brainerd overcame (or persevered), one could ask, “What made him continue with the ministry?” As I have researched his life I have found both the ‘engine’ and ‘fuel’ of his ministry:
The engine
Brainerd had an unquenchable desire to preach to the un-preached, reach the un-reached, and win the lost. This is what relentlessly drove him forward in to unknown. Near the end of his five years of ministry, he established a church (Bethel), but never wanted to pastor it, as he was always looking to the frontier, and areas where the gospel had not yet made an impact. There were a number of times he had to make three attempts at establishing a work before he saw any impact at all. However he was always driven by the fact, people were living and dieing not hearing the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ!
The fuel
If a person reads any material on the life of Brainerd, it wont be long before one sees that he whole life and ministry was fuelled by a deep and passionate prayer life. He would spend many days in prayer and fasting. He often recounted in his journal that many tears were poured out for the Indians. His prayer life was the very fuel that kept the engine of passion for the lost alive and moving.
The epitaph of Brainerd’s gravestone is probably one of the most modest and self-effacing ever carved:
“A faithful and laborious missionary to Stockbridge, Delaware and Susquehanna tribes of Indians”
An 'over-comer' at heart
As I’ve researched the life and ministry of Brainerd, it reads like a modern day account of the life of the Apostle Paul. He seemed to encounter such tremendous setbacks, difficulties and outright hardships, but in all these things he found a way to continue his ministry and calling. The following bullet points outline a number of the major problems he faced:
• In his early ministry He had a real inferiority complex about his preaching ability. However he didn’t let this deter him, he just kept on preaching.
• One of the most prolonged and difficult obstacles he faced in his ministry was the loneliness and lack of companionship. He spent many days and months alone, toiling in the ministry. If one reads his Journal one will see that this was huge struggle for him. At one point in his ministry he travelled 600 miles, searching for suitable ministry colleagues, but not one person was found who was “qualified or disposed for this good work”. Constant, and sustained loneliness is not something many of us will have to endure, but I believe this was one of the hardest struggles he faced. This also resulted in him really cherishing the few friendships he did make.
• Brainerd also faced almost unbearable hardships. For a time he lived in a hay shed. He spent a number of months travelling a tremendous distance to collect bread and supplies, and by the time he had returned to his place of ministry, the bread had gone mouldy. His whole ministry is ‘shot through’ with great amounts of travelling, often on foot, sometimes on horseback, but always in difficult terrain.
• Brainerd also had to overcome the language / cultural barriers. Early on in his ministry amongst the Indians, he was spending the day in prayer and fasting, and unknown to him a group of Indians were approaching with the intent of killing him. As they drew near they saw him on his knees praying and a rattlesnake drew up alongside him ready to strike. It opened it’s mouth and it’s forked tongue almost touched his face, then all of a sudden it disappeared into the undergrowth. This divine protection, gave Brainerd high standing amongst the Indians as they said, “the Great Spirit is with the paleface!”
• Brainerd also had to overcome the temptation of a ‘more comfortable call’. A number of times, churches requested that he abandon his ministry amongst the Indians, and become their pastor. These requests were a great test for him, as the work was often so hard and the request seemed so pleasant’.
• He also had to face the problem of long periods of seeing no or little fruit. This is quite characteristic of pioneer type ministries.
• However above all the problems and hardships Brainerd faced, sickness was probably the greatest. Much of his short ministry was spent in great pain and agony from tuberculosis. There were times when he would spend whole weeks, incapacitated by the pain. There is one account of a ministry trip he took, where he was in such pain and agony, that as he rode he was covered in perspiration, and at times due to the pain he would fall off his horse. As one reads the problems that Brainerd overcame (or persevered), one could ask, “What made him continue with the ministry?” As I have researched his life I have found both the ‘engine’ and ‘fuel’ of his ministry:
The engine
Brainerd had an unquenchable desire to preach to the un-preached, reach the un-reached, and win the lost. This is what relentlessly drove him forward in to unknown. Near the end of his five years of ministry, he established a church (Bethel), but never wanted to pastor it, as he was always looking to the frontier, and areas where the gospel had not yet made an impact. There were a number of times he had to make three attempts at establishing a work before he saw any impact at all. However he was always driven by the fact, people were living and dieing not hearing the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ!
The fuel
If a person reads any material on the life of Brainerd, it wont be long before one sees that he whole life and ministry was fuelled by a deep and passionate prayer life. He would spend many days in prayer and fasting. He often recounted in his journal that many tears were poured out for the Indians. His prayer life was the very fuel that kept the engine of passion for the lost alive and moving.
The epitaph of Brainerd’s gravestone is probably one of the most modest and self-effacing ever carved:
“A faithful and laborious missionary to Stockbridge, Delaware and Susquehanna tribes of Indians”
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