Tag Archives: Patrick of Ireland

Patrick of Ireland: Native Missionary

Leave a reply

The story of Patrick is one of the most dramatic in the history of the church.  This single man was used of God to literally change a nation.  While he did work with a team of fellow disciples and converts, it was Patrick himself who personally spearheaded a missions effort that is almost unparalleled in the annals of church history.

The story of Patrick has been embellished with many fanciful legends.  The true story is dramatic and stirring enough that it truly needs no embellishment.  We won’t go into all the details here.  You can read his full story elsewhere.  Suffice it to say that Patrick was a British Celt who God called to return to the land of his youthful enslavement and preach to the Irish Celts.  One Celt proclaiming the Gospel to a neighboring Celtic tribe.  This was a beautiful example of indigenous missions in action. Continue reading →

Belated Happy St. Patty’s Day

Leave a reply

I wanted to post this yesterday, but what with church and teaching a class last night, I missed the chance. So a happy and belated day of celebration for one of my favorite saints, Patrick of Ireland. Here is his story…

He was from a religious background, but not particularly religious himself. He committed the typical sins of the youths of his time. He was kidnapped at the age of 16, and sold into slavery. He was taken to a land far from his home where he was forced to serve a cruel master for six long years. Then, he made a bold escape. He managed a journey of 200 miles on foot to the coast of the sea. And there he found a miraculous deliverance from the land of his servitude! Does this sound like the plot of a Hollywood film? Maybe it should be, but it’s not. It is part of the story of Patrick of Ireland.
Continue reading →