The Fellowship of the Burning Heart

Four of the most impactful servants of God in America’s 20^th century lived according to a pledge they called, The Fellowship of the Burning Heart. Read their lifelong commitments here. If you’re interested doing something similar, check out The Great Experiment.

In 1947 Henrietta Mears, Bill Bright, Richard C. Halverson and Louis H. Evans, Jr. had a powerful, supernatural encounter with the Holy Spirit. That night they made a pact and wrote a pledge to make their whole lives dedicated and expendable for the purposes of God. They referred to their commitment as the Fellowship of the Burning Heart. Their lifelong pledge reads as follows:

I am committed to the principle that Christian discipleship is sustained solely by God alone through His Spirit; that the abiding life of John 15 is His way of sustaining me.  Therefore, I pledge myself to a disciplined devotional life in which I promise through prayer, Bible study, and devotional reading to give God not less that one continuous hour per day (Psalm 1).

I am committed to the principle that Christian Discipleship begins with Christian character.  Therefore, I pledge myself to holy living that by a life of self-denial and self-discipline, I may emulate those Christ-like qualities of chastity and virtue which will magnify the Lord (Phil. 1:20-21).

I am committed to the principle that Discipleship exercises itself principally in the winning for the lost to Christ.  Therefore, I pledge myself to seek every possible opportunity to witness, and to witness at every possible opportunity, to the end that I may be responsible for bringing at least one to Christ every 12 months (Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8).

I am committed to the principle that Christian Discipleship demands nothing less than absolute consecration to Christ.  Therefore, I present my body a living sacrifice, utterly abandoned to God.  By this commitment, I will that God’s perfect will shall find complete expression in my life; and I offer myself in all sobriety to be expendable for Christ (Rom. 12:1-2; Phil 3:7-14).

Editor’s note: This article was first shared May 4, 2018