Gordon Lindsay: An Overview of His Life and Ministry (Preprint)

By Roscoe Barnes III, PhD
Author, F.F. Bosworth: The Man Behind "Christ the Healer"
Copyright (c) 2020

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Gordon Lindsay
(1906 - 1973)

Note: This article, a preprint, has been submitted and accepted for publication in 'Brill's Encyclopedia of Global Pentecostalism.'

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Gordon Lindsay (1906-1973) was a Pentecostal pastor, revivalist, and prolific writer who documented the Post-World War II healing revival that was spearheaded by The Voice of Healing. He is probably best known for his work with William Branham and as the founder of Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, TX.

The author of more than 200 books, Lindsay played a vital role in the ministry success of scores of healing evangelists during the 1940s and 1950s. He also assisted in the establishment of 100s of churches in various countries. Over the years, he created international outreach programs for the distribution of Christian literature and support for foreign missionaries. He believed that it was in God's providence that "The Voice of Healing was used to spearhead apostolic ministry in many nations." (Lindsay, 1992)

Lindsay was born on June 18, 1906, in Zion City, Ill. His parents, Thomas and Effie (Ramsey) Lindsay, were devoted followers of John Alexander Dowie, the controversial faith healer who founded Zion City as a Christian community. When Zion City went into bankruptcy, Lindsay's family moved to Idaho, and later to California and then, Portland, Ore.

Lindsay, while still a teenager, converted to Christ under the preaching of Charles Parham. The preaching occurred in a church pastored by John G. Lake, who was known as a famous healing evangelist and the founder of healing rooms in parts of the United States.

Lindsay attributed his spiritual experiences to his mother's prayers. Shortly after his conversion, he received the baptism in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. When he surrendered his life to Christ, he felt a call to the ministry. He experienced a passionate interest in apostolic ministry with a longing to reach multitudes for Christ. After a period of time in prayer, he began preaching as an evangelist.

In the early 1930s, Lindsay was preaching a revival in Oregon when a young lady, Freda Schimpf, attended the service and surrendered her life to Christ. Four years later, she and Lindsay began a casual friendship that led to their marriage on November 14, 1937. The couple spent a number of years ministering as evangelists. In July 1944, they received a call to pastor an Assembly of God Church in Ashland, Ore.

In the spring of 1947, Gordon received a letter from his friend, Jack Moore, telling him about the unusual ministry of William Branham. Moore invited Gordon and Freda to attend a Branham service in Sacramento, Calif. It was during that service that Gordon and Branham felt led of the Lord to work together as a team. Gordon, who perceived Branham to be divinely gifted, but very simple and unassuming, agreed to manage his meetings. Gordon would use his networking skills, along with his writing and business acumen to introduce Branham to interdenominational audiences in citywide campaigns.

Realizing the power of literature, Gordon and Moore began publishing The Voice of Healing Magazine as the official organ of Branham’s ministry. The first issue appeared in April 1948. However, in July of that year, Branham announced he would be taking a break from the ministry because issues related to his health. Gordon was shocked and disappointed, but after prayer, he decided to use the magazine as a promotional tool for other evangelists with healing ministries. The Voice of Healing evolved into a loose association of ministers with a set of guidelines and regular conferences. As the circulation of the magazine grew, having up to 30,000 monthly subscribers in 1949, it featured many of the most prominent names in the movement, including Oral Roberts, Jack Coe, David Nunn, T.L. Osborn, W.V. Grant, A.A. Allen, and F.F. Bosworth.

By the late 1950s, the healing revival had started to wane, but that did not damper Gordon's passion for writing. His literary output was nothing short of extraordinary. His book, William Branham: A Man Sent from God, was a popular title that helped to catapult Branham to international fame.

Gordon authored about 250 books on various teachings of the Bible; he also penned several biographies that included such figures as John Alexander Dowie and John G. Lake. In keeping with Gordon’s new focus on global missions, the name of his magazine was changed to World-Wide Revival. The magazine and the Voice of Healing ministry later became known as Christ for the Nations Inc. In 1970, Gordon and Freda founded Christ for the Nations Institute as an interdenominational charismatic Bible college.

Gordon lived to see only the early years of his school. On a Sunday afternoon, on April 1, 1973, he died unexpectedly while sitting on the platform during a worship service at Christ for the Nations Institute. He was 66. The day after his funeral, the ministry’s board voted unanimously to make Freda president of the ministry.

Further reading:

Burgess, Stanley M., and Gary B. McGee, eds. 1988. Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library/Zondervan.

Harrell Jr., David Edwin. 1975. All Things Are Possible: The Healing and Charismatic Revivals in Modern America. Bloomington and London: Indiana University Press.

Lindsay, Gordon. 1992. The Gordon Lindsay Story. Dallas, TX: Christ For The Nations.

Lindsay, Gordon. n.d. William Branham: A Man Sent From God. Jeffersonville, IN: William Branham.

Lindsay, Mrs. Gordon. 1976. My Diary Secrets. Dallas. TX: Christ For The Nations.

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Visit the F.F. Bosworth page here. Questions about the research and commentary on F.F. Bosworth may be directed to Roscoe Barnes III, Ph.D., via email at doctorbarnes3@gmail.com or roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com. For updates on F.F. Bosworth history, simply follow this blog or @bosworth_fred and @Roscoebarnes3 on Twitter. #ChristTheHealer #BosworthMention #BosworthMatters