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Selwyn Hughes
Selwyn Hughes (April 27, 1928–January 9, 2006) was a Welsh Christian preacher, evangelist, and author, best known for his daily devotional Every Day with Jesus, which reached nearly a million readers worldwide. Born in Fochriw near Caerphilly, Wales, to a coal-mining family, Hughes worked as a miner during his teenage years, including a stint as a “Bevin Boy” in 1946–1947 during National Service. Converted at 16 in 1944, he felt a divine call to ministry, leading him to study theology in Bristol after leaving the mines. Ordained in the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, he served churches in Cornwall, Wales, Yorkshire, Essex, and London for 18 years, beginning his writing career in the 1960s with Bible-reading notes on postcards for his congregation. In 1965, Hughes founded the Crusade for World Revival (CWR), an international ministry focused on training Christian counselors and producing resources, including Every Day with Jesus, which he wrote for over 40 years. He authored over 50 books, blending pastoral insight with practical faith, such as The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success and his autobiography My Story (2004). Despite personal tragedies—the death of his wife Enid from cancer in 1986 and both sons in 2000 and 2001—his faith remained unshaken, earning him praise from George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, as a “giant in the faith.” Hughes died of cancer in 2006, leaving a legacy of spiritual encouragement and revivalist zeal. He received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Brunel University in 2005.
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Selwyn Hughes emphasizes the profound truth of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, highlighting the historical reality of God coming to earth in human form. Christianity is not merely a set of principles or teachings but is rooted in concrete events and happenings, with the Incarnation being a central aspect of the gospel. To be a true Christian is to accept the reality of Christ's birth, life, death, and resurrection as described in the Scriptures. The essence of the Christian faith lies in the fact that 'The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.'
The Genius of Christianity
"... The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (v. 14) For reading & meditation: Isaiah 7:13-17 Some religions, such as Hinduism, claim that their gods incarnate themselves, but those so-called incarnations are rooted in fantasy, not in fact. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ is not just a great idea - it really happened. There were eyewitnesses and a written record. The genius of Christianity is that it is not just a religion of influences, values and principles. It is a religion of happenings, of events, of plain but wonderful historical occurrences. The Incarnation belongs to the very marrow of the gospel; therefore, we can assert that God in the Person of His Son came to earth at a certain hour in history, lived and died among us, and afterwards rose from the dead. Those who say, "I admire the ethics of the Sermon on the Mount, I applaud the work and teachings of Christ and follow His principles in my daily life, but I cannot believe the historical part of it, that God took a body and became man," cannot really claim to be Christians. If they do not believe Christ's statements concerning Himself and the reason why He came into this world, then though they may be many splendid things they are not disciples of Christ. To be a Christian means first and foremost accepting the great fact of the Incarnation - that Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, was born at Bethlehem in the way the Scriptures describe. Of this be certain - the Christian faith carries certain facts at its heart, and the greatest of them is this: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." O Father, I pray that nothing will ever diminish the wondrous truth of Your Incarnation in my soul. For without that You would be a distant deity, vague and unapproachable. In Jesus You have come close to me. And how! I shall be eternally grateful. Amen
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Selwyn Hughes (April 27, 1928–January 9, 2006) was a Welsh Christian preacher, evangelist, and author, best known for his daily devotional Every Day with Jesus, which reached nearly a million readers worldwide. Born in Fochriw near Caerphilly, Wales, to a coal-mining family, Hughes worked as a miner during his teenage years, including a stint as a “Bevin Boy” in 1946–1947 during National Service. Converted at 16 in 1944, he felt a divine call to ministry, leading him to study theology in Bristol after leaving the mines. Ordained in the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, he served churches in Cornwall, Wales, Yorkshire, Essex, and London for 18 years, beginning his writing career in the 1960s with Bible-reading notes on postcards for his congregation. In 1965, Hughes founded the Crusade for World Revival (CWR), an international ministry focused on training Christian counselors and producing resources, including Every Day with Jesus, which he wrote for over 40 years. He authored over 50 books, blending pastoral insight with practical faith, such as The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success and his autobiography My Story (2004). Despite personal tragedies—the death of his wife Enid from cancer in 1986 and both sons in 2000 and 2001—his faith remained unshaken, earning him praise from George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, as a “giant in the faith.” Hughes died of cancer in 2006, leaving a legacy of spiritual encouragement and revivalist zeal. He received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Brunel University in 2005.