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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 uniqueness and finality of Christianity, refuting the idea that Jesus is just one Savior among many. He highlights the importance of firmly resisting the argument presented by pluralists and critics who downplay the exclusivity of Christianity. Hughes stresses that Christianity is not a comparative religion but the one and only way to have a personal relationship with God, as seen in Galatians 2:20 where living by faith in the Son of God is paramount.
Pluralism's Persuasiveness
"The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God ..." (v. 20) For reading & meditation: Galatians 2:11-21 The argument presented by pluralists that Christians must view their religion as one among many, and Jesus as only one Savior among others, must be firmly resisted. It may sound arrogant to say so but it is nevertheless a fact that Christianity is unique, absolute, definitive, ultimate, and final. Critics of the uniqueness of Christianity can be very persuasive. "The world is under great threat," they tell us, "because of environmental pollution, economic injustice, and many other problems. Nothing that divides us, including our religions, should be considered as important as the need to live together in harmony." Another emphasis is on the need to study comparative faiths. There is a sense in which understanding what other people believe is useful, but not until the claims of Christianity are seen to be definitive and final. Christianity is not a comparative religion; it reveals God's one and only way of entering into a personal relationship with Him. The text before us today in the Amplified Bible reads: "The life I now live ... I live by faith - by adherence to and reliance on and [complete] trust - in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Bishop Leslie Newbigin put it well: "If it is really true, as it is, that 'the Son of God loved me and gave himself up for me,' how can I agree that this amazing act of matchless grace should merely become part of a syllabus for the 'comparative study of religions'?" Christ is not first in a class; He occupies the category all by Himself. My Father and my God, may the Person of Your Son become as real and as precious to me as He is to You. And teach me more about Him so that I can make clear to others why He is a Savior beyond compare. For His own dear Name's sake. 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.