Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Martin Luther was a German monk, author, and the father of a movement called the Protestant Reformation. He was against corruption and incorrect teaching within the church, and is famous for nailing his 95 Theses on the door of the church. He believed people could talk to God and read the Bible for themselves instead of having to rely on a priest. He also translated the Bible from Greek into German and wrote many hymns.
William Tyndale (1494-1536)
William Tyndale was passionate about making the Bible available to the common people of England in their own language. He became the first person to print the Bible in English, even when people persecuted him and he had to run away from England to keep doing his work. He was plotted against, betrayed, and killed because the official church at that time didn’t approve of a Bible in English.
John Newton (1725-1807)
As a young man, John Newton hated God. He was a sailor and worked in the slave trade, and even became the Captain of several slave ships. However, in a storm that nearly killed him, Newton turned to God. He fought against slavery, became a priest, and wrote many hymns, including the famous song “Amazing Grace.”
Eric Liddell (1902-1945)
Eric Liddell was a Scottish runner and missionary to China. He always put God first, and even in the Olympics he refused to run a race on Sunday. The movie Chariots of Fire is based on his life. As a missionary in China, Liddell lived a life of service to others. As a prisoner of war during World War II, he had a chance to leave his life as a prisoner, but he decided to let a pregnant woman go in his place.