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Christian Heroes: Then & Now
John Flynn: Into the Never Never
While studying to be a minister, John Flynn longed to apply his training to help people in practical ways. Soon he discovered that his mission field was inside his own country""the vast and dangerous outback, or Never Never, where life-and-death struggles were a constant reality.
A man bursting with ideas and energy, John strove endlessly to support isolated bushmen through innovations in radio and flight. Serving as superintendent of the Australian Inland Mission and moderator general of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, he established desperately needed medical facilities and helped found the Flying Doctor Service. This national hero's lifelong efforts continue to touch lives across Australia (1880-1951).
A man bursting with ideas and energy, John strove endlessly to support isolated bushmen through innovations in radio and flight. Serving as superintendent of the Australian Inland Mission and moderator general of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, he established desperately needed medical facilities and helped found the Flying Doctor Service. This national hero's lifelong efforts continue to touch lives across Australia (1880-1951).
203 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2016
7 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Janet Benge
176 books315 followersJanet and Geoff Benge are a husband and wife writing team with twenty years of writing experience. They are best known for the books in the two series Christian Heroes: Then & Now series and Heroes of History. Janet is a former elementary school teacher. Geoff holds a degree in history. Together they have a passion to make history come alive for a new generation. Originally from New Zealand, the Benges make their home in the Orlando, Florida, area.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 20, 2025
An incredible story about what a positive attitude and creative mind can accomplish. An Australian missionary and minister, John Flynn created the very first air medical service to the Outback in 1925. He acquired an airplane, the services of a doctor, and with help built radio communications. There was no infrastructure so everything was made from scratch. It continues today with 61 planes and is the main medical provider for the Inland Outback.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2024
Very informative on his life, shows you the power of faith through fire. The fact that he keeps trying to advance the Kingdom even though the trials loom large. How John Flynn is always putting the faith before his own success is inspiring. However, even though it’s not the greatest feat of writing, the point still stands.
June 14, 2019
John Flynn is very inspiring. He did so much for Australia. He had such vision and he never gave up on what seemed impossible to most. As with most of the YWAM books, the writing is just ok, but the stories they tell are usually amazing. I use these as read alouds for my sons.
February 16, 2023
John was a visionary who first desired to reach the people of the outback for Christ, then discovered the best way to do so was by simultaneously offering them medical aid. John works for decades to found what is now known as the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
May 4, 2025
Always fun to read about Australia especially Queensland where Susan lives!
This man had so much vision and really brought help to the Outback or Never Never as it is called.
And I now know how Qantas got it's name!
This man had so much vision and really brought help to the Outback or Never Never as it is called.
And I now know how Qantas got it's name!
August 28, 2023
Definitely worth the read.
August 31, 2025
Holy moly. That was the most boring book in the series I have read.
September 10, 2023
This was the first book of the Christian Heroes: Then and Now series that I listened to. Wow. WOW! WOW!! I now want to read the whole series! What an amazing hero! Makes you want to be a hero too.
November 17, 2020
Love this series for learning more about missionaries from all over the world. Flynn was focused on meeting tangible needs and creating relationships in order to share the gospel.
July 7, 2025
This book discusses the life of Australian missionary, John Flynn. He founded Australian Inland Mission and Royal Flying Doctor Service serving in Australia in the bush.
The audiobook was read by Tim Gregory.
The audiobook was read by Tim Gregory.
August 28, 2016
Once in college I read quite a few biographies. At that time I was counseled to branch out a bit and since I haven't read many. There is a value in reading biographies. They show you how God works in the life of a man. What trials they faced. How God gave wisdom to overcome. Or how man chose to not overcome. How it is not circumstances that make or break someone, but whether they made wise choices in their relationship with God. For these reasons I value biographies, but mostly that biographies teach me I am not alone. That what I face has been faced hundreds of thousands of times before. And that the solution is the same: be faithful to God.
That said, John Flynn was a man who was called by God to face an impossible task: the spiritual redemption of the Australian outback. The God directed solution was a series of ordained events that built upon one another and led to the gospel reaching the furtherest corners of the Never Never. God directed John Flynn to use what he had been given (a first aid course and ability to tell a story) to meet a felt need (lack of medical care in the outback) in order to meet the spiritual need. The spiritual need drove the mission. But the vehicle of mission was business. (Yes, even if subsidized, health care is a business.) So we have another example of "business as mission". In this case, the business developed is what is now known as the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Using airplanes to get medical care to the unreached. The vehicle of business transformed the Australian outback. It allowed access for the gospel to heal the sick and afterwards heal the soul.
That's why #businessasmission is so incredibly important. God created business to bring glory to His name, like all things. So will you be a good steward of what God has given you?
This book was incredibly inspiring to me and the task that I have been called to steward.
Quotes:
"He found a way to get through to the men: help them with their physical needs first and then challenge them on their spiritual ones."
Dr.William Grenfell, missionary along the Labrador Coast of Newfoundland, Canada: "When you set out to commend the gospel to men who do not particularly want it, there is only one way to go about it – do something for them that they will be sure to understand."
"Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."
That said, John Flynn was a man who was called by God to face an impossible task: the spiritual redemption of the Australian outback. The God directed solution was a series of ordained events that built upon one another and led to the gospel reaching the furtherest corners of the Never Never. God directed John Flynn to use what he had been given (a first aid course and ability to tell a story) to meet a felt need (lack of medical care in the outback) in order to meet the spiritual need. The spiritual need drove the mission. But the vehicle of mission was business. (Yes, even if subsidized, health care is a business.) So we have another example of "business as mission". In this case, the business developed is what is now known as the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Using airplanes to get medical care to the unreached. The vehicle of business transformed the Australian outback. It allowed access for the gospel to heal the sick and afterwards heal the soul.
That's why #businessasmission is so incredibly important. God created business to bring glory to His name, like all things. So will you be a good steward of what God has given you?
This book was incredibly inspiring to me and the task that I have been called to steward.
Quotes:
"He found a way to get through to the men: help them with their physical needs first and then challenge them on their spiritual ones."
Dr.William Grenfell, missionary along the Labrador Coast of Newfoundland, Canada: "When you set out to commend the gospel to men who do not particularly want it, there is only one way to go about it – do something for them that they will be sure to understand."
"Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews