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On This Day in Christian History: 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories about Saints, Martyrs and Heroes
In this year-long devotional, gain an insightful introduction to the heroes, saints, and martyrs of 20 centuries of Christianity. Perfect for sermon illustrations or personal devotions, these 365 vignettes include related Scripture readings and black-and-white artwork. From the Roman Empire to the Reformation, St. Valentine to St. Francis, Martin Luther to Billy Graham, bestselling author Robert J. Morgan introduces you to a parade of preachers, popes, martyrs, heroes, and saints. Enjoy intriguing and inspiring stories from two thousand years of Christianity as Morgan offers a glimpse into church history. On This Day in Christian History is an introduction to 365 of the most remarkable men and women of faith you will ever meet. Simple, colorful stories tell you about history-making events in the lives of people who loved God wholeheartedly. This unique devotional: On This Day in Christian History brings a year’s worth of insight and spiritual challenge as you learn what some Christians endured because of their love for God .
384 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 1997
174 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 31, 2019
Those who enjoy church history will enjoy this daily devotional filled with stories of faithful men and women who would not deny God even in the midst of persecution. While some stories will engage readers more than others, those stories may be different for different individuals. Evangelical Christians may enjoy saints' stories which find little place in their church's teaching. All stories remind one of the words of Revelation 2:10, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." A topical index appears at the end. (3.5 stars)
December 28, 2020
If you are wanting a devotion book that is a little more than just a light, momentary thought, this is the book you have been looking for. With stories that inspire, challenge, and convict, this devotion takes a happening from history on each day of the year and brings it to life in the present.
July 3, 2018
Daily martyrs and missions. Mostly for adults unless you read them out loud and heavily edit. We used it for our Together Time and learned a lot!
January 1, 2024
I used it as one of my daily devotionals this year, 365 stories of people in Christian history. These short pieces were one page long and varied through time from the early church to the last century. Because there were so many, the content was varied, but that is to be expected. Some stories were more interesting than others for whatever reasons.
The set up was straightforward. The page is in two parts. The first is the story, usually about a single person; the second part is a Bible quotation, often a couple of verses. It is easy to read, informative, and in a number of cases, thought provoking.
I would recommend it as an adjunct to any devotional plan you might employ, and it is important that Christians know something of their history.
The set up was straightforward. The page is in two parts. The first is the story, usually about a single person; the second part is a Bible quotation, often a couple of verses. It is easy to read, informative, and in a number of cases, thought provoking.
I would recommend it as an adjunct to any devotional plan you might employ, and it is important that Christians know something of their history.
December 30, 2019
Daily readings describing a person or event in Christian history. Some were surprising (tragic events rather than encouraging ones) and many involved martyrdom, which wasn’t quite the daily dose of encouragement I expected, but once my expectations adjusted, this was a great supplement to my daily Bible readings.
February 16, 2025
This is a really unique book. I read it as a bit of a devotional, sometimes forgetting and reading a few back to back in one sitting…. Short blips of what happened on this day in history, whether it be 50 or 1500+ years ago. I learned a lot about church history and Christians of old. I might even read it through again being there’s so much I didn’t catch!
January 5, 2020
365 brief stories about Christians throughout history.
Snapshots and not well developed; the stories are interesting and many resulted in further investigation
Snapshots and not well developed; the stories are interesting and many resulted in further investigation
December 30, 2022
Absolutely fascinating!
July 9, 2025
I was always looking forward to reading the portion for each day :) very interesting, insightful, sometimes challenging and sometimes comforting.
November 11, 2010
“Packed with a wealth of information for anyone interested in Christian history.”
What happened in Christian history on the day you were born, the day you were married, or any other special day? Find it all in On This Day in Christian History: 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories about Saints, Martyrs and Heroes by Robert J. Morgan.
When I received this book for review, I instantly went to the special days in my life and found that John Calvin, the French Protestant Reformer, died on my birthday. His last words inspired me “What! Would you have the Lord find me idle when He comes!”
I searched on to find other special dates to read what happened on those days as well. I found little known facts such as: the sacrifice of two devoted parents for their son Lee Scarborough (July 4th), the incredible story of Obadiah Holmes response to those who whipped him unmercifully (September 6th), and the story of how Jerome of Prague (Jerome Prazsky) was seized and later burned at the stake in like manner as his friend, John Hus (April 15th.)
After searching through all the special days I could remember and reading of the courage and suffering of those Christians who had gone before me, I began reading the accounts day by day.
Each of the 365 stories tell of strength, persecution, martyrdom, faith, courage, and hope. The format for the Christian history stories is a title, a short narrative for the event, and a relevant Scripture passage making it a perfect devotional companion.
Keep this book on your nightstand or desk drawer. It contains the stories we all need to face hard days or hard times. This is an incredible source of Christian history. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Church history but also to anyone feeling overwhelmed, down trodden, or in need of inspiration. It should be in every Church library.
Disclaimer:
Thomas Nelson Publishers provided this book free of charge for review purpose. It was donated to the Church library of Westwood Baptist Church.
What happened in Christian history on the day you were born, the day you were married, or any other special day? Find it all in On This Day in Christian History: 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories about Saints, Martyrs and Heroes by Robert J. Morgan.
When I received this book for review, I instantly went to the special days in my life and found that John Calvin, the French Protestant Reformer, died on my birthday. His last words inspired me “What! Would you have the Lord find me idle when He comes!”
I searched on to find other special dates to read what happened on those days as well. I found little known facts such as: the sacrifice of two devoted parents for their son Lee Scarborough (July 4th), the incredible story of Obadiah Holmes response to those who whipped him unmercifully (September 6th), and the story of how Jerome of Prague (Jerome Prazsky) was seized and later burned at the stake in like manner as his friend, John Hus (April 15th.)
After searching through all the special days I could remember and reading of the courage and suffering of those Christians who had gone before me, I began reading the accounts day by day.
Each of the 365 stories tell of strength, persecution, martyrdom, faith, courage, and hope. The format for the Christian history stories is a title, a short narrative for the event, and a relevant Scripture passage making it a perfect devotional companion.
Keep this book on your nightstand or desk drawer. It contains the stories we all need to face hard days or hard times. This is an incredible source of Christian history. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Church history but also to anyone feeling overwhelmed, down trodden, or in need of inspiration. It should be in every Church library.
Disclaimer:
Thomas Nelson Publishers provided this book free of charge for review purpose. It was donated to the Church library of Westwood Baptist Church.
June 27, 2012
I would like to learn more about Christian history, but the prospect seems rather daunting. I was quite happy, then, to receive a free review copy of the book "On This Day in Christian History." The author is Robert J. Morgan, who also wrote the best-selling "Then Sings My Soul." Each day's entry is brief, but compelling and informative, and accompanied by supportive Bible verses. The book is very readable, thanks to a well-chosen typeface and layout.
I found the book a very enjoyable read, though I must confess I hardly limited myself to reading one entry daily. While I'm certainly no Biblical scholar for having read this book, I have learned many new things, and the book will remain a welcome addition to my library. I think this book would be a good addition to any Christian's library, whether you are new to the faith or not.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I think it could be improved by the addition of a better index. The current index only covers selected topics. As a Methodist, for example, I would have liked to have been able to find entries relating to Wesley and Methodism to read all at once, or all entries relating to the Saints.
For better or worse, I come to Christian books with daily entries with the expectation that they will fit well into a daily devotional format. While the Bible verses accompanying each day's entry are well-chosen, there is no accompanying text encouraging the reader to study further or to relate the day's entry and verse(s) to their own life. As I said, however, this is an issue of my expectations, although I think this does present an opportunity for future editions.
Note: I received a free review copy of this book.
(from my Amazon.com review)
I found the book a very enjoyable read, though I must confess I hardly limited myself to reading one entry daily. While I'm certainly no Biblical scholar for having read this book, I have learned many new things, and the book will remain a welcome addition to my library. I think this book would be a good addition to any Christian's library, whether you are new to the faith or not.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I think it could be improved by the addition of a better index. The current index only covers selected topics. As a Methodist, for example, I would have liked to have been able to find entries relating to Wesley and Methodism to read all at once, or all entries relating to the Saints.
For better or worse, I come to Christian books with daily entries with the expectation that they will fit well into a daily devotional format. While the Bible verses accompanying each day's entry are well-chosen, there is no accompanying text encouraging the reader to study further or to relate the day's entry and verse(s) to their own life. As I said, however, this is an issue of my expectations, although I think this does present an opportunity for future editions.
Note: I received a free review copy of this book.
(from my Amazon.com review)
November 10, 2010
I received a free copy of "On This Day in Christian History 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories about Saints, Martyrs and Heroes" by Robert Morgan to review courtesy of BookSneeze.com. The book features stories of various religious figures throughout Christian history. It's similar to Catholicism having a saint of the day.
Each day you can read an inspiring short story about a saint, martyr, or hero. Like today is the birthday of Augustus Montague Toplady, according to the book. He wrote the famous poem:
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.
I enjoyed reading "On This Day in Christian History 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories about Saints, Martyrs and Heroes" by Robert Morgan. I don't know much about Christian history. I love how I can just read an inspiring story each day. At the bottom of each page there is a scripture from the Bible to read too. It's kind of like a daily meditation.
This book is great for busy people who can't sit and read for long periods. I learn a lot better and feel inspired when reading and reflecting on small bits of information at a time. So this book is great for me.
I'd defiantly recommend this book to my friends and family. I am actually thinking of giving the book as a Christmas gift to my sister or mom. My mom loves to read daily devotions.
Review from my blog: http://4theloveoflit.blogspot.com/201...
Each day you can read an inspiring short story about a saint, martyr, or hero. Like today is the birthday of Augustus Montague Toplady, according to the book. He wrote the famous poem:
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.
I enjoyed reading "On This Day in Christian History 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories about Saints, Martyrs and Heroes" by Robert Morgan. I don't know much about Christian history. I love how I can just read an inspiring story each day. At the bottom of each page there is a scripture from the Bible to read too. It's kind of like a daily meditation.
This book is great for busy people who can't sit and read for long periods. I learn a lot better and feel inspired when reading and reflecting on small bits of information at a time. So this book is great for me.
I'd defiantly recommend this book to my friends and family. I am actually thinking of giving the book as a Christmas gift to my sister or mom. My mom loves to read daily devotions.
Review from my blog: http://4theloveoflit.blogspot.com/201...
December 2, 2010
On this day in Christian History is a collection of 365 short stories about Saints, Martyrs and Heroes. The author, Robert J. Morgan, describes it as "an armchair tour of the chronicles of Christianity in a devotional format".
Each story is told in bite size form covering just one page and includes a quote from a relevant passage of the Bible at the bottom for easy reference.
The stories, told on the date they occurred, are interesting and in some cases inspiring, in others amusing. A nice way to learn about Christian history without getting overwhelmed or preached at.
I particularly liked the story of Gregory the Great on September 3rd. A famous Roman who became the father of the medieval papacy, with all the good and bad that entailed.
There is an index of selected topics at the back of the book making it easy to find a story to match your topic of interest. To name a few; aging, friendship, loneliness, parenting, suffering and time management.
On this day in Christian History is ideal for people teaching about the church but also those interested in history as all the stories included contain verified facts. If you have an interest in religion but aren't quite sure where to start this is the ideal book for you.
Each story is told in bite size form covering just one page and includes a quote from a relevant passage of the Bible at the bottom for easy reference.
The stories, told on the date they occurred, are interesting and in some cases inspiring, in others amusing. A nice way to learn about Christian history without getting overwhelmed or preached at.
I particularly liked the story of Gregory the Great on September 3rd. A famous Roman who became the father of the medieval papacy, with all the good and bad that entailed.
There is an index of selected topics at the back of the book making it easy to find a story to match your topic of interest. To name a few; aging, friendship, loneliness, parenting, suffering and time management.
On this day in Christian History is ideal for people teaching about the church but also those interested in history as all the stories included contain verified facts. If you have an interest in religion but aren't quite sure where to start this is the ideal book for you.
February 17, 2024
Worth the 5 minutes it will take to read each day. Stories of christendom's heros, victories, failures, and villains.
November 21, 2010
Robert Morgan ~On This Day In Christian History~
Robert Morgan shares with us 365 true stories about people from all walks of life from saints to sinners.
This book is very educational, shows you when, what and who did what, people that really made an impact on Christianity. Some names are very recent and when can recognise them right away for example mother Theresa and a very well known man who has helped millions of people all across the country, can you guess who he is? Billy Graham.
If read one a day it would be a very uplifting experience, something to feed your mind and your soul, each page has a story and a quote from the scriptures it makes the whole thing complete and inspiring. I highly recommend this book. It is for the young and the not so young. We all need a little inspiring sometimes.
Robert Morgan shares with us 365 true stories about people from all walks of life from saints to sinners.
This book is very educational, shows you when, what and who did what, people that really made an impact on Christianity. Some names are very recent and when can recognise them right away for example mother Theresa and a very well known man who has helped millions of people all across the country, can you guess who he is? Billy Graham.
If read one a day it would be a very uplifting experience, something to feed your mind and your soul, each page has a story and a quote from the scriptures it makes the whole thing complete and inspiring. I highly recommend this book. It is for the young and the not so young. We all need a little inspiring sometimes.
January 15, 2017
I have read many devotional books over the years, and this one is my favorite hands-down. Each day is like a small, fascinating history lesson, from some event that happened on that date in history. The writing is really good - and I found each day's event interesting.
Some devotional books feel like the author had to really work to make 365 days worth of content. This book felt curated, as if the author could kick out these historical gems forever. I looked forward to reading this every day.
Some devotional books feel like the author had to really work to make 365 days worth of content. This book felt curated, as if the author could kick out these historical gems forever. I looked forward to reading this every day.
September 20, 2013
I think this is the best Christian, history-related book I've read in a long while. It's jam-packed with dates, facts, names, places, events, and much more! I loved it so much that I finished it in well under a year, even though it's aupposed to be read in a year as a daily devotional.
I would definitely recommend this book to all my friends! You won't regret it; it's truly incredible!
I would definitely recommend this book to all my friends! You won't regret it; it's truly incredible!
June 27, 2014
Excellent, excellent book. I have bought it for gifts for two or three friends. I don't think any of them appreciated it like I wanted them to. I am going to begin reading this book again today. The title says what it is about. I am not one so much for daily inspirational readings, but I do like church history, and I do love a story.
December 24, 2010
It was much more enjoyable and entertaining than I expected. The geographical and temporal variety was also considerable. It was odd reading a devotional book in a 2-month span, but overall it was a pleasant and informative read.
Booksneeze.com provided my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Booksneeze.com provided my copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2011
Liked especially the "Index of Selected Illustrations" cross reference tool in the back. Used this book primarily as a devotional at first, but the index helped to find things later for a variety of topics.
March 18, 2012
Of course, whether this book is considered good can depend on what day of the year it is. Overall it's worthwhile and interesting, but the language is so lofty, that it's hard to just enjoy the stories.
August 11, 2008
This is a collection of daily readings built around an event in church history associated with today's date. A blend of trivia, history, inspiration, & challenge.
February 24, 2011
Every day this daily-read is making my mind think wider & my heart grow bigger.
May 11, 2014
This is about the third time that I have tried to get through this book. It's just not happening. I can not get into this book.
May 14, 2014
"Fantastic book divided into 365 one-page sections about Christians who endured various trials for their faith in Jesus over the last 2,000 years. Inspiring, informative, and encouraging!"
December 31, 2016
exciting
These devotionals remind us of the heroes of our faith. They are short but will give the reader a taste of the sacrifices of our fathers.
These devotionals remind us of the heroes of our faith. They are short but will give the reader a taste of the sacrifices of our fathers.
January 1, 2017
Great Daily Devotional
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews