Jim Elliot
WASTED LIFE?Five Missionaries Speared To Death In Jungle
Many people thought it was a tragic waste of a life when Jim Elliot and the other four missionaries died trying to contact the unreached Aucas.
Yet, how many Christians would risk their life for an opportunity to share the gospel? Jim Elliot, a young modern martyr, gave what he could not keep and gained what he could not lose.
A ‘missions’ statistic that profoundly challenged Jim was, “There is one Christian worker for every 50,000 people in foreign lands, while there is one to every 500 in the United States.” Early in 1952, Jim Elliot sailed for Ecuador. The plan was to locate in an old oil station that was abandoned because it was considered too dangerous for oil personnel. It was close to the Auca tribe and had a small airstrip. In February 1953, Jim and Elisabeth met in Quito and then on October 8, 1953 they were married. Their daughter, Valerie, was born two years later. Jim and Elisabeth worked together in translating the New Testament into the Quechua Indian language at the new mission station. The Aucas were a violent and murderous tribe and had never had any contact with the outside world. Jim wanted to bring the gospel there so he started a plan which was called Operation Auca. Besides him and his wife, his team consisted of five more missionary couples.
‘NOT A LONG LIFE, BUT A FULL ONE’
The men discovered the first Auca huts with the help of a missionary jungle pilot, Nate Saint. The first attempt to contact them was by airplane. They would fly around the camp shouting friendship words in the Auca language through a loud speaker and dropping down gifts in a basket. Encouraged by this progress, after three to four months of gift dropping, they decided to make a base on the Curray River, ‘Palm Beach’. After they had set up shelter they eventually made contact with the Aucas. After a little persuasion, they were able to convince some to come into their camp. Encouraged by this visit, the men felt that it was time to go in and try to minister to them.
One morning, after numerous songs of praise and considerable prayer, the men radioed their wives saying that they were going to go into the village and would radio them again later. ‘Operation Auca’ was under way. The next day, a group of twenty or thirty Aucas went to Palm Beach. “Guys, the Aucas are coming!” As soon as the others heard that, they flew into action straightening up their camp. Little did these five men know that this would be their last few hours of life. The last radio contact they made was Jim calling his wife saying, “We’ll call you back in three hours.” Jim Elliot’s body was found down stream with three others. Their bodies had been brutally pierced with spears and hacked by machetes.
After Jim’s death, Elisabeth, her daughter and another of the missionaries sister, Rachel, moved to work with the Auca Indians. The love of Christ shown through their forgiveness allowed them to have amazing success with the once murderous Indians. Jim’s life was not a waste, in fact, God used his death to bring life through salvation to many Aucas and encouragement and inspiration to thousands of believers worldwide.
You can read more about Jim Elliot on Inspirational Christians.
Rose Nyoni
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... I have read 2 books on the auca Indians account and have been so challenged not only by the love and faith of these men but by the gracious acceptance of their wives regarding their husbabds' martyrdom. To top it all The movie The end of the spear shows an amazing story of forgiveness and sacrifice which is veru challenging. |
Gordon Liston
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... I was challenged by the story of Jim Elliot and these men and the testimony of the families. My wife and I went from Ireland to Senegal and we worked with New Tribes Mission for 15 years. I have seen first hand many lives devoted to reaching the unreached. "Our liberty in Christ has come to us through the lives of many we ought to spend it wisely." Gordon Liston. |
lizz hennington
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... I am reading a 195 paged biography about Jim Elliot. I know it's not much ,but it is for school. I will make it thorough,and satisfying. I will try my best also to be a srong witness and testimony forJim Elliot and The Lord Jesus Chist. God Bless to Whoever reads this message. Lizz Hennington |
Laurel Pritchard
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... I love what Jim Elliot did for the Auca indians! I fell drawn to help do what he did! He was a great person! I just cant believe that the wives of those men would go back and tell the Auca Indians about Jesuss! They were true lovers!        |
ozueh
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... The zeal of wives is a Godly zeal and not just Good zeal. God be praise for your lives |
T DAVID JOHN
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... This Book has been a source of inspiration to me,God be praised for such wonderful lives. |
sammi
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... such an inspirational story. this makes me want to go share the gospel with EVERYONE. i willll. |
boppie
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... im researching jim elliot for a bible project...but when i read this..its mcuh more than just an assignment..these men gave their lives to serve our Lord God..i want to be like that..even if im only 15.... |
Patti martinez
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... Our grandson Jack Elliot was named after Jim Elliot i love his name ! It means so much now that I know the great story of Jim Elliot . |
Quinn Kuepfer
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... I have been inspired by this story so i have decided to do a speech on his life. |
vinia
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... i am so inspired by the lives of these men and especialy their wives agreeing to go with them, leaving their comfort zones and losing thier lives for the love of others. our generation needs hearts such as these! lord send me to strangers that never heard of Jesus |
Rhea
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... I am amazed at the way Jim Elliot was very interested in the word of God, We people should learn something from this. |
mel
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... Amazing...just amazing... I love Jim Elliot's quote “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” |
coolmate
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... Y DONT YOU TRY IN AFGHANISTAN HARD WORK GOOD RESULTS IF NOT HEAVEN FOR YOU IN SHORT PERIOSD |
Jonathan Gopinath
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... Its really inspiring when read about the missioneris who martyred. The amazing christian faith of their wife's are unimaginable. |
Olayinka petrus
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... Their wives actually displayed the love of Christ and there is no doubt that the crown of life awaits them and their husbands. |
Jonathan
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... no matter wht false teachers preach but we have so many testimonys living or martyred they all said '' to thee my Lord, I give my life'' God bless them all who believe in his Holy name through Christ. |
matt
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... Does anybody know why they were killed?? The Indians were afraid of them, so they killed em??? |
D Lion
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... "I have taken it upon myself to set down the ststus quo and hope to add to it as we progress in te days ahead." Good example for us all, to not just live up to expectations, but to exceed them. Elliot definitely did. |
D Lion
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... "Status" and "the"; sorry for the typos. And I meant to italicize only "status quo." |
heather Belcher
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... I think that that is quite amazing what Jim Eliot did for Jesus Christ ! It makes us think are we giving it all to Christ or are we just watching someone else give all they have to Jesus ? Choose today if your really going to live for him or not ! this is truly insperational to me ive been thinking about becoming a missonary for quite sometime now . God has truly put that on my hear. Btw lets not glorify Jim but God who did the work in him . |
pandu
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... i believe there are still some tribes in the world that have not heard the gospel. let this inspire us to realy lay down our lives for Jesus and do His will to spread the gospel to those souls even if it means dying |
jesus
said:
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... Many people thought it was a tragic waste of a life when Jim Elliot and the other four missionaries died trying to contact the unreached Aucas. Yet, how many Christians would risk their life for an opportunity to share the gospel? Jim Elliot, a young modern martyr, gave what he could not keep and gained what he could not lose. A ‘missions’ statistic that profoundly challenged Jim was, “There is one Christian worker for every 50,000 people in foreign lands, while there is one to every 500 in the United States.” Early in 1952, Jim Elliot sailed for Ecuador. The plan was to locate in an old oil station that was abandoned because it was considered too dangerous for oil personnel. It was close to the Auca tribe and had a small airstrip. In February 1953, Jim and Elisabeth met in Quito and then on October 8, 1953 they were married. Their daughter, Valerie, was born two years later. Jim and Elisabeth worked together in translating the New Testament into the Quechua Indian language at the new mission station. The Aucas were a violent and murderous tribe and had never had any contact with the outside world. Jim wanted to bring the gospel there so he started a plan which was called Operation Auca. Besides him and his wife, his team consisted of five more missionary couples. ‘NOT A LONG LIFE, BUT A FULL ONE’ The men discovered the first Auca huts with the help of a missionary jungle pilot, Nate Saint. The first attempt to contact them was by airplane. They would fly around the camp shouting friendship words in the Auca language through a loud speaker and dropping down gifts in a basket. Encouraged by this progress, after three to four months of gift dropping, they decided to make a base on the Curray River, ‘Palm Beach’. After they had set up shelter they eventually made contact with the Aucas. After a little persuasion, they were able to convince some to come into their camp. Encouraged by this visit, the men felt that it was time to go in and try to minister to them. One morning, after numerous songs of praise and considerable prayer, the men radioed their wives saying that they were going to go into the village and would radio them again later. ‘Operation Auca’ was under way. The next day, a group of twenty or thirty Aucas went to Palm Beach. “Guys, the Aucas are coming!” As soon as the others heard that, they flew into action straightening up their camp. Little did these five men know that this would be their last few hours of life. The last radio contact they made was Jim calling his wife saying, “We’ll call you back in three hours.” Jim Elliot’s body was found down stream with three others. Their bodies had been brutally pierced with spears and hacked by machetes. After Jim’s death, Elisabeth, her daughter and another of the missionaries sister, Rachel, moved to work with the Auca Indians. The love of Christ shown through their forgiveness allowed them to have amazing success with the once murderous Indians. Jim’s life was not a waste, in fact, God used his death to bring life through salvation to many Aucas and encouragement and inspiration to thousands of believers worldwide. |
ALMA SOLIS
said:
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... I SAW A PLAY IN SINGAPORE ABOUT THE LIFE STORY OF JIM ELLIOT.IT WAS AN EYE OPENER TO ME. WHAT A GREAT REASON TO SERVE GOD IN A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT LIKE PHILIPPINES. THE LIFE OF JIM ELLIOT GIVES INSPIRATION TO ME TO SHARE THE GOSPEL EVEN IN MY COMMUNITY ONLY.I SALUTE THE LIFE OF THE GREAT MISSIONARIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.YOUR LABOR IN THE LORD WILL NOT IN VAIN. |
Adriana
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... I have been amazed about the courage those missionaries had for as long as the 1st book was out,called "De vijf kruisen in de jungle" ("The 5 crosses in the Jungle").I think it was. Adriana |
EMEKA
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... The love of Christ really constrained them and its really a wise decision for one to give what he could not keep to gain what he could not lose.It has been my earnest disire to labor for our Lord Jesus Christ in missionary field, please how can I get in contact with people of like minds. |
hannah barnett
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... i have to do stupid reports foor school but this really helped me so thanks so much i just copyed down what it said and got a good grade thank you so much |
hannah barnett
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...thankssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss ssssssssssssssssssssssssss sssssssssssssssssssoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo mumnccccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh iiiiiiiiiii hattttttttttttttttttttttte school |
Jeffrey
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... How nice. A group of people establish a nice relationship with an allegedly violent tribe and then proceed to tell them they are worthless scum that need to be saved and spread a message of hate and wind up dead. How predictable. Did you think that maybe it might of been smarted to just establish a relationship with them rather than spreading a message of hate and labelling them as worthless scum? |
HANNA
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... this makes our life for more encouragement to do the works for GOD ALMIGHTY & feel so sad  |
Caleb Diggs
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... i love Philip James "Jim" Elliot his story is very inspiring, he is the one who encouraged me to go into the missionsfield. |
Mrs. Stypayhorlikson
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... When I read this I was so inspired by their bravery, then their familie's bravery.....can you imagine your father, grandfather, or brother being stabbed to death ministering to people? How many people would have that happen then go to the exact same spot, the exact same place, and do the exact same thing, to the EXACT SAME PEOPLE!?!?!?!?!? That, my friends is faith..... |
Ethan
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... Jim Elliot was awesome. I read one of his many biographys and it was really good. I read the article way above which is pretty good. it's a pretty sad, horrible, panfill, terrifying, way to die. At least we know where they are...in Heaven. |
