Have you ever heard of John Bunyan? I find his story to be amazing. He was born in 1628 near Bedford, England. He became a devout believer in Christ, and a preacher of the Gospel.
In the year 1660 he was imprisoned in the Bedford jail for twelve years for preaching without a license.
Bunyan was released in 1672 and was appointed to be the pastor of the Baptist church in Bedford. But he was sent back to prison on the same charge, this time for six months.
It was during his time in jail that he wrote his most famous work, “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” The book was published in 1678, and is one of the monumental works of English literature. It has been translated to more than 200 languages and has never been out of print. It is the most famous Christian allegory still in print today. Only the Bible has sold more copies since it was published.
If you have never read it, I recommend this Christian allegory to you. I have read it at least five times. It tells the story of a man’s journey from his hometown to the “Celestial City.”
The famous English preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, “If you prick John Bunyan, he will bleed Bible.” He also stated that outside of the Bible, “Pilgrim’s Progress” was the most important book in his life. In fact, he read the book at least 100 times (twice a year).
It is the story of our own journey through life with ups and downs, with highs and lows, with temptations and signs of God’s mercy. It is a story that is so relevant to our lives today and one that we need to hear.