Studies in Church History: George Müller

Studies in Church History

This is now the second in a series of articles that I am doing called Studies in Church History. From time to time I will post these short biographies for your encouragement in the faith. I believe that the study of Church History can serve us here in the present as we take inspiration, encouragement and even correction from the men and women who have gone before us. The Kingdom of God didn't start with us, the church has been gaining ground in this world for almost two thousand years now. We would do well to consider that great cloud of witnesses that have served the Lord in past generations, and follow their example as we follow Christ today.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

George Müller (1805 - 1898)

I recently re-read a great biography of the 19^th Century minister George Müller. ^[1] And what a blessing that was. George Müller is inspiring on many fronts. I would highly recommend every Christian to read a full-length biography on Müller. But in this short article, with limited space, I want to highlight what is for me the most memorable and powerful part of his example: and that is, his life of prayer and faith. I find his example here to be such a challenge to my personal, day-by-day, walk with God. George Müller was a man who knew God, not just intellectually, but experientially. He confessed the sovereign grace of God, and He lived in the light of that sovereign grace. I believe that all Christians would do well to learn from his example, but especially theologically serious, reformed Christians, of whom I am one. For our besetting sin is pride and intellectualism. As the Bible says, "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1). The Christian who glories in the sovereignty of God, can sadly sometimes be guilty of a pride in his erudition. He delights in knowing the correct truths of God's sovereignty, but can fail at times to delight in the sovereign God Himself. He can confess that the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, but then fail to seek the Lord in prayer, asking Him to provide and act in our own lives here and now. This is where Müller is such a stalwart example of faith and experiential Christianity.

Before we reflect more on those things, let me give you a snapshot of his life. George Müller didn't begin his life in a household of faith. Born in Kroppenstedt, Prussia (modern day Germany), in 1805, his childhood was nominally Christian at best. In fact, George was a rebel among his classmates. He was known for stealing, giving his friends a raw deal, and failing to pay his debts. His father, a tax collector, one time caught George stealing government money from right under his nose. In his teens, George was even jailed in a debtors prison for a short time. George was intellectually strong; a gifted student in Latin and French, he even served as a tutor. But he was always falling short of his potential through his self-indulgence and bad character.

Everything changed for George, however, during his time at the University of Halle. His friend Beta invited him to a Bible study at a Christian named Herr Wagner's home. And much to Beta's surprise, Müller actually showed up and was gripped by the message of the gospel. This was the turning point of his life. He kept coming back to Wagner's house in the following days and was soundly converted. Six weeks later he visited his father and said, "Father, I believe God wants me to become a missionary."

From this point on Müller just wanted to serve the Lord. After serving in various capacities in Europe, and finishing his degree, he ended up in London as a missionary to the Jewish community. Due to a series of events though, he only lasted a short time at this post. At age 23, in the midst of his Hebrew studies, Müller took seriously ill, even to the point where he thought he might die. His friends and doctor suggested to him a change of air. So Müller travelled down south to Teignmouth where he attended a church called Ebenezer Chapel. Here, as he stayed with the preacher, he was to make two great discoveries that would change his life and ministry. First, his prayer life changed. He began to meditate on the Scriptures and pray the Bible. And second, he discovered the doctrines of grace. When before he was opposed to election and predestination, he now came to examine those doctrines by the Scriptures and accept them joyfully. He began to see the liberty there is to serve the Lord simply as His instrument, trusting Him to convert sinners and make the work fruitful.

This change in theology led him to trust the Lord more, and to live under His sovereign care. Many people become Calvinists in an abstract, theological and intellectual sense. Müller became an experiential Calvinist. It's as if he said, if the doctrines of grace are true, then I must live like it. And so he did. Later that fall he would cut ties with the work in London and go back south to Devon. He ended up serving as the pastor of Ebenezer Chapel in Teignmouth. This was a formative time for Müller. He became a Baptist (hooray!), he got married to Mary Groves, and he made a friend and ministry partner for life in Henry Craik. But during this time something else changed that would have a major impact on Müller. He gave up any regular salary from the church and decided to just live by faith in what God would provide. Previously pew-rents had paid his salary, a system that rewarded the rich with the best seats. Müller did away with the rent-a-pew system, made all seats free, and simply put a box in the church if anyone felt led to support them. Now, we might not agree that it is necessary to do away with salaries to demonstrate faith, but Müller's motives were good. He wanted there to be "no more going to man, instead of going to the Lord". George and Mary were in for an adventure of a lifetime. Over their remaining years in Teignmouth, they were always provided for. Sometimes at the last minute, but God was faithful.

In 1832 Müller would leave with Craik to begin serving a church in Bristol. This would become his home for the rest of his life. Here he would pastor the church, found the Scriptural Knowledge Institution, and in 1835 embark upon the work that has made him famous: start orphanages. In November of that year, Müller was increasingly dwelling on the idea of caring for the orphans of Bristol. After much prayer and checking his motives, he embarked upon his plan.

Müller would care for orphans at a time when children were sorely neglected, and poverty and suffering were high. To get a picture of the times, think of the scenes that Charles Dickens paints in Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol. It was not a good time or place to be an Orphan.

In A Christmas Carol we see the situation vividly as some men go around at Christmas to raise money for the poor. Ebenezer Scrooge, when asked to give some money for them says: "Are there no prisons, are there no workhouses? – let them go there." That was life back then. Orphans would be sent to workhouses, or just utterly neglected. Girls and boys would end up on the streets. Many would end up in prison and would spend their days running a literal human treadmill to grind corn. If you know the scene – after Scrooge suggests the workhouses and prisons as a suitable arrangement for the poor, the charity-collector says, "Many can't go there, and many would rather die." To which Scrooge adds coolly, "[then] they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."

Müller started orphanages in that context. It started small, but in the end he would build five orphanages, housing thousands of children. For the next 63 years this was his life's work. But Müller started the orphan ministry in the most peculiar way. He didn't rally everyone and ask for donations. No, in a sense, the orphanages were secondary to an even greater goal – the glory of God. And because that was his main aim – he didn't seek out his fellow man to help him build this enterprise and meet this great need. No, he sought out God alone. And he did this so that there would be a testimony to the world of God's power and presence even in the modern age.

Literally, that is why he did what he did. Here's what Müeller said when he was starting the work:

"Now, if I, a poor man, simply by prayer and faith, obtained, without asking any individual, the means for establishing and carrying on an Orphan-House: there would be something which, with the Lord's blessing, might be instrumental in strengthening the faith of the children of God besides being a testimony to the consciences of the unconverted, of the reality of the things of God. This, then, was the primary reason, for establishing the Orphan-House. . . The first and primary object of the work was, (and still is) that God might be magnified by the fact, that the orphans under my care are provided, with all they need, only by prayer and faith, without any one being asked by me or my fellow-laborers, whereby it may be seen, that God is FAITHFUL STILL, and HEARS PRAYER STILL."

According to biographer Roger Steer, what was unique about Müller was not just that he had faith in the God who answers prayer, but that he put that faith publicly to the test.^[2] He invited people to watch and see what God would do. And it is safe to say that the verdict is in. God is faithful still. God does hear prayer still.

The scope of this article isn't sufficient to go into all the details – but Müller's prayers were answered time and time again. In the course of his ministry over a million and a half pounds came through his hands, as unsolicited donations to the work. In modern times that would be about half a billion dollars. The many thousands of orphans were always well clothed, well educated, and well fed. The testimonies of former residents of Müller's homes are almost unanimous. It was a wonderful place to be, filled with loving care, and rich with the things of God. And again, it was all achieved through prayer.

There were many times when the funds were low, or right out, and Müller and his staff would kneel down and pray. And without fail God would provide what they needed. A letter in the mail, a surprise visit, a knock on the door. God would move in the hearts of people to meet the needs in answer to Müller's prayers. The work was built up and sustained by God's provision.

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon was friends with Müller. He once said, riffing on Elijah's test: "The God who answers by orphanages, let him be Lord!"

You see, the orphanages weren't the main thing. God's glory, a testimony to His faithfulness and reality, a testimony to the fact that God hears prayer today, that was what it was all about.

Müller would go through hardships. He was often at the edge of extreme need. And yet, God was faithful through it all. When he lost his first wife Mary, this was his favourite hymn:

Best of blessings he'll provide us
Nought but good shall e'er betide us,
Safe to glory He will guide us,
Oh how He loves!

Müller would eventually be remarried, to a godly woman named Susannah. In his later years he travelled the world with her, preaching the gospel. In the end Müller spent his life delighting in God, trusting in God, and working for His glory. The legacy of his life is a legacy of prayer and faith.

As we reflect on these things may the Lord stir our hearts and cause us to think on what God is calling us to do. How can we live lives that brings glory to God like this? May the Lord give us faith. May the Lord teach us to pray. May the Lord show His reality and His faithfulness through our lives as we serve Him in humble faith.

[1] Steer, Roger., George Müller Delighted in God. Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, Ltd., 1997.

[2] Steer, George Müller Delighted in God, p.7. 

If you would like to learn more about George Müller I would recommend the following resources:

Arthur T. Pierson, George Müller of Bristol

Roger Steer, George Müller Delighted in God