Man of Vision: The Candid, Compelling Story of Bob And Lorraine Pierce

by Marilee Pierce Dunker

Bob Pierce, the founder of two of the worlds most notable Christian ministries, was a man of intense spiritual passion and clear vision. This gripping biography balances Bobs tragic mistakes with the great achievements God accomplished through him. It shows how Gods grace and power can accomplish amazing things through less-than-perfect human vessels. Today, World Vision and Samaritans Purse bring physical and spiritual transformation to millions of desperately needy people around the world.

Genres: Biography Memoir

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2005

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A month or so ago, I was listening to the radio as I drove to my organ church. There was an interesting woman speaking. She had written a book, and I got it from the library to read. It is Man of Vision: The Candid, Compelling Story of Bob and Lorraine Pierce, Founders of World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse. Of course, I’ve heard of World Vision. We sponsor several children, although none are through World Vision. And each year I donate and pack Christmas Child boxes through Samaritan’s Purse.

This book is written by Marilee Pierce Dunker, who is the second daughter of Bob and Lorraine. They marry during WWII, and Bob has a huge heart for missions. He is just itching to get over to the mission field. Lorraine, however, has always had … would they have said “fragile nerves” back then? Just a few years after their first daughter, Sharon, is born, Bob heads to China, although his wife has spent weeks unable to leave bed with various fears and anxieties. She doesn’t want to detain him from God’s purposes though, so she okays him leaving. He is abroad for four months.

Bob is one of the “big guys” of evangelism of the time, traveling and being acquainted with Billy Graham and other giants of the faith. Much of the early part of the book consists of his letters to Lorraine. One read in part, “Do not be dismayed if out of your suffering, my Precious, He prunes and digs about, sometimes painfully. I recall time and again the words you passed on to me from someone. ‘This painful experience too is from the loving Hand of God. It is the best and choicest gift His love can find to give you.'” I get what he’s going for, but I couldn’t help but feel that, were I bedridden with anxiety, receiving such a letter wouldn’t have been much of an encouragement.

Indeed, in the decades to come, Bob averaged 10 of 12 months each year traveling abroad. Their second daughter, Marilee, was born in 1950 — the same year Bob began World Vision. Throughout the book, there is the dichotomy of feeling great that Bob is helping to save so many souls, while also feeling awful that his own family is suffering his absence so greatly.

“Daddy loved these people (other missionaries); in many ways he felt more at home with them than he did with us,” wrote Marilee. “Bless my Daddy wherever he is and give him good souls,” his daughters would pray each night.

Author Marilee feels her dad was caught up in what she heard another pastor refer to as “evangelical syndrome” — “the misconception that a man can serve God to the fullest only if he is willing to put ministry before family.” She tells how often her dad quoted Luke 14:26, about someone needing to “hate” family in order to be Christ’s disciple. He said, “I’ve made an agreement with God that I’ll take care of His helpless little lambs overseas if He’ll take care of mine at home.” Sounds good — but it didn’t work out so well for the Pierce family.

The family’s oldest daughter, Sharon, was struggling. She wrote, “(Dad) told me that he loves me and I’m not insignificant, etc. I know that, but he makes me feel terrible.” She ended up taking her life at age 27. Sharon’s words reminded me of how unhelpful I felt his words had been to his wife earlier, and I wondered if he was someone who could be great at saving souls, but not so effective with his own family.

Bob dealt with health issues of his own as he reached his 50s, learning while traveling in Europe that “the very core of his central nervous system was completely exhausted.” I don’t really even know what that means, but for Bob it meant he was hospitalized in Europe, away from his family, for months. When they offered to come, he didn’t want them to. He struggled with anger throughout his life and frequently (and to me, inexplicably for an evangelist) exploded in anger to his family, particularly his wife, who seemed to have the patience of a saint. Once when his family attempted to visit him, he said, “You are visiting. If you don’t want to fit in with my life, get out!” He appeared to enjoy his job and life on his own so much that he did not want his wife or daughters interfering with it.

In an interesting “small world” bit, Lorraine Pierce and her remaining two daughters stayed for a period during this difficult time at Frances Schaeffer’s L’Abri retreat in Switzerland (I’ve read a book by the Schaeffer’s son — note if you want to read it, the son sounds like quite a … um, character).

All the Pierce daughters married in their teens (and two divorced), probably to get away from the dysfunctional household. Although the family had a good night (which Marilee dubs “the miracle”) just days prior to Bob’s death in 1978, the last decade or so of his life sounds very sad, with him resigning from World Vision and withdrawing from his family, to the point of separating from Lorraine.

This was a very compelling read, and a good real-life example that families who you might think are “perfect” and have it all together, may really not. None of us are perfect, as Bob Pierce makes clear. I am grateful for all the good he and his organizations have done, but sad for his immediate family.

[Amanda Tang · Rating 4 out of 5]

A candid recount of the life of Bob Pierce - founder of World Vision where I’m currently interning at. I respect that Marilee, his Daughter, was not afraid to tell the whole truth about the countless spiritual battles and attacks her parents had to go through while establishing this great organisation. World Vision has done, and still does, a lot of good work around the world, but this came at a price of one family. It was very sad to read about how Sharon, Bob Pierce’s first Daughter, took her life because Bob, in his attempt to be a Father to millions of children around the world, forgot to be one to his own child.

I think this story is testament to the fact that no Christian’s journey in the faith is a walk in the park. Some might agree that it is even harder to be a Christian than to not be one. As the book aptly puts it, “But a commitment to Jesus Christ is no guarantee of immunity to the disease and pain of this world. In fact, those who are most greatly used are often most viciously attacked.” But no great work can be done without any great tribulations. This goes the same not only for a Christian organisation like World Vision, but any secular organisation.

Anyway, Marilee Pierce is coming to speak to us at work on Wednesday. Now that I know her story, I hope that I’ll be able to better understand the context of whatever she decides to speak to us about this week! 👍🏻

[Tim Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be very refreshing and candid about a Christian leader who failed his family and brought back memories of growing up with my dad. It made things a lot more clear for me and was an excellent read. When you marry your ministry, sometimes your family takes the back seat.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew this would be a hard book before I started, not because it was difficult to read but because it told about another flawed Christian leader. I suppose that was why I read it. Since the story of Pierce was told by his daughter, she probably pulled some punches but she was honest about how this founder of world vision was a poor father and husband. I guess I wanted more analysis about what went wrong and if the author had been able to interview her dad about that, it might have helped. By the way, this is a book written 25 years ago but we hear the many stories like this continuing.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad I read this.

[Raf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well written book by Marilee Pierce, daughter of Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse. At times this book was difficult to read. I realize that Bob Pierce was very committed to God and serving those who are less fortunate overseas but it came with a very heavy price. Bob’s marriage suffered immensely as a result of his constant trips. He was a very emotionally driven person who at times overreacted causing a lot of pain for his family. At times it seemed he was negligent towards his family emphasizing that the suffering of those in other countries was too important not to address. In 1963 he had a nervous breakdown and traveled for months, out of touch with his family. He eventually divorced his wife and his older daughter committed suicide not to mention his struggles with substance abuse, leukemia, and fatigue.
Man of Vision is the story of a broken man on a quest to live for God with many awakening realities of the struggles he had endured on a daily basis. It really opened my eyes to see that just because someone is passionate about serving in a mission field capacity does not mean they have it all figured out. I sincerely admire Bob’s wife for being committed and humble towards him despite all the difficulties he had put her through. She was a very resilient and loving woman who had an astronomical degree of patience and I hope her story is seen as just as important. I appreciate all the work Bob has done, but I also grieve for the unnecessary suffering that his family had to endure.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hard book to read because Bob Pierce, while accomplishing amazing things, such as founding World Vision and Samaritan's Purse, failed his own family in so many ways and struggled with severe emotional problems that became more acute as he became older. On the other hand, it is a beautiful story of how God used a very imperfect man, one completely sold out to Him, to touch millions of lives. He was consumed with God's work and extremely passionate about meeting the needs of others for whom God had given him enormous compassion. At the same time, however, he neglected his family and that brought about much suffering for his wife and three children. This suffering nonetheless brought great spiritual growth and reliance on the Lord to meet their needs while Bob was away for months on end and was an absentee husband and father. It was difficult to see how a man who was a spiritual giant and achieved great things for the Lord became literally burned out at times to the point where he could not even function. It was also very sad to see the negative effects on his family due to his single-minded pursuit of ministry.

I came away from this biography with a greater understanding of how the Lord can use even a very flawed individual to do great things for Him when that person is willing to serve no matter what.

[Sharon Fawcett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Bob and Lorraine Pierce, told by their daughter, is one of the most profound stories I have read in some time. We might think the founder of World Vision and Samaritan's Purse was a spiritual giant and a man with faith so huge he could change the world. We might expect his life to be so well-ordered no one could find fault. The reality is, Bob was very human, sometimes without faith, and broken by lifelong emotional battles that paralysed him at times and stole him away from his family. But, he was also driven by compassion for the hurting and a personal call to "do something about it."

God has used Bob and Lorraine, and their family, in a world-changing way but as Marilee clearly illustrates, those called to do great things become targets in a spiritual battle to destroy them and their work. The havoc wreaked on this family is heartbreaking. The collateral damage THEY experienced as a result of their ministry is profound. In the opening pages, Marilee writes, "...nothing of any real value or lasting significance comes without a price." Oh, what a huge price Bob and Lorraine were willing to pay. To echo Marilee's words at her father's untimely funeral: "Thank you for being willing to be so wounded, to give so much, for the kingdom of God."

[Stephanie]

I am currently reading this book because I recently learned that a family member founded World Vision and Samaritan's Purse, so naturally I wanted to learn more about this family! I also sponsor a young man in Africa who has a heart of gold!