Friday, October 2, 2026

It is the 2nd of October 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

What can 13 pounds, two shillings, and sixpence buy you? Well, the shillings and sixpence might not be accepted outside of antiquaries. In modern dollars, that’s about 17 bucks- so, a meal at a fast-food restaurant (I just got a burger and Coke at a drive-through, and it cost 12 dollars and change…)? Well, in 1792 when this money was collected, it was closer to about 3,000 dollars- still not a large sum for what would become one of the most influential organizations in the modern church.

 

The men who met on this, the 2nd of October in 1792, in a home in Kettering, Northamptonshire, were dissenters, were interested in missions work, and were self-consciously ‘particular’ Baptists. What this means for our story is important. A “particular” Baptist refers to their doctrine of the atonement- Christ died for the elect- not a death “in general” but “in particular” for a decreed number. Don’t get too worked up over it… the issue was that these “particular” Baptists had been so interested in Missions. One of these men in the home in Kettering was Andrew Fuller. Fuller had been a minister in a hyper-Calvinist church that had gone so far in affirming the sovereignty of God that they claimed it made a general call to believe the Gospel unnecessary at best and confusing at worst. It was a minority position, but one taken on by Fuller in his book “The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation”.

 

The men in Kettering had also opposed a traditional reading of the Great Commission which claimed that the call to preach to all nations either expired with the first generation of Christians, or was only to regularly called and ordained ministers and thus not a universal call.

 

The argument in favor of missions- modern, voluntary, and to the ends of the earth had been made by one of the men present this evening in Kettering. He was William Carey. Not the “father of missions” as that reduces centuries of missions but certainly the first missionary “celebrity” in the modern age. Early in 1792 he had preached a sermon which would become a popular tract- it was his “An Enquiry in the Obligations of Christians to use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens”. The “means” was the important part.

 

Carey would argue that Christians weren’t to just “pray for” the unconverted in foreign lands, but that the new opportunities of the modern age would allow Christians to actively evangelize the whole world. This is what the 13 pounds, twelve shillings and six pence were collected to do. Sure, it wasn’t much- but it was the beginning of the first modern missions organization- the “Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel among the Heathen,” which was founded with that money.

 

What is today the “Baptist Mission Society” pioneered the modern missions movement- it was a voluntary and trans-denominational movement. It stressed the use of commercial routes and new means of navigation and commerce to aid the missionaries’ travel and funding. Missionaries were encouraged to learn the native language, cultivate friendships, and assimilate themselves into the culture rather than standing outside of it. The model set by the BMS was to remove the burden of missions from a singular missionary or patron and instead pool the smaller gifts to fund a larger voluntary mission society.

 

It is worth noting that the modern Baptist is less likely to discuss theological distinctions as much as they might missionary organizations- sending and supporting missionaries would become the bond for modern Baptists what denominational boards might be for others.

 

In the following year, Carey and physician John Thomas were sent to India, and the center at Serampore would become a hive for Missionaries to India. The BMS would continue to grow, expanding into much of the rest of the world; today the BMS World Mission serves missionaries in 35 countries with assets in the millions- a long way from the 13 pounds, two shillings and sixpence collected in Kettering on this evening in 1792.

 

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and Philippians 2

14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 2nd of October 2026 brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who was hoping today would be dedicated to the Nottingham Cheese Riot… he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who loves a good cheese riot, just couldn’t get the church history hook into it- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.