A Good & Faithful Servant

Having known Dr. Whitcomb for over 40 years, I found the biography "Good & Faithful Servant" very hard to put down. Learning details of the life of my brother in Christ, my professor, my colleague in ministry and my friend was a joy. While I had heard snatches of his story over the years, reading how God had used so many incidents to save, form and guide John Whitcomb to be a man whom God used so mightily. I am thankful that he was a man who believed that God has spoken clearly, and that He is the only reliable witness to where we came from and why we are here.
The book is a worthwhile read for all believers.
I look forward to Volume 2.
Lester Vnasdale

I received this product for free in exchange for this post. Professor John C. Whitman was truly a faithful servant as a great theologian who taught and wrote about the book of Genesis. Many friends, students, and other professors who knew him, saw him as a great teacher. Prof. John C. Whitman never knew Jesus till his college years but God had a plan for him and he became a great theologian that we still recognize today. The book has many great pics and journal entries from John C. Whitman.

Before getting a copy of this book for me to review, I had honestly never heard of John C. Whitcomb. I really enjoyed reading this book, told by his son (but edited by John himself). This was an interesting book, and reading about how many people one person can touch and teach is really inspiring. This was a very well-written biography that captured my attention and showed me how everyday, ordinary people, can and will touch the lives of many. Now excuse me while I go and grab The Genesis Flood by John Whitcomb!

A good and faithful servant is about the life of professor John C. Whitecomb, told through the eyes of his son, with various journal entries
That help give us a look into his thoughts. He reminds me a lot of intellectual greats, tang God have wisdom to stand for Christianity like G. Campbell Morgan.
Creation has always been a
Hot topic in society but it’s great minds like Mr. white comb can argue
Quite eloquently because he studied
His bible and was disciplined, he sought the answers for the questions within the word. It was so encouraging to read about another man God send to China,
And how the story of Hudson Taylor impacted the lives of others
Who went on to serve God. I can’t imagine what it was like to
Be in China shortly after the boxer rebellion when the attitudes against many foreigners were that they were foreign devils. It seems like God just had a path laid out for John and instilled a sense of staying strong on the word and not backing down, with also a heart to educate the realities of Christ. I can reference this book to anyone whose wanting to hear about a man of God. The thing that touched me most was to hear about this man from his son, you can hear the admiration and love and as a homeschool mom I know we all want to raise our kids with a love for God. I received this e book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

It is important for us to remember those who fought for truth and freedom before us, and who laid the foundation others would then build on. This is true in general, but especially in the realm of Godly truth. Throughout human history there have always been perversions of truth and light and broadscale deception. In our recent history we have been blessed with godly leaders both in thought and example, who have provided biblical clarity in areas of global deception, such as the denial and rejection of a clearly discernable creator God. Professor John Whitcomb, deceased in 2020, was one of these much appreciated and loved leaders. He was a staunch and able proponent of the historicity and veracity of the Bible and was especially valued for his co-authorship of the fundamental treatise, The Genesis Flood, with Prof. Henry Morris.
My father, Prof. Arthur Earnest Wilder-Smith, was a good friend and Co-warrior with Profs. Whitcomb and Morris at a time when fundamental belief in the Word of God and esoecially specific Creation was heavily under attack, with little response from beleving scientists or theologians. They thus formed a team of Bible- believing, personable and much beloved defenders of the faith, who pioneered the path for subsequent generations. My father would often warmly describe his meetings with his co-warriors and friends. As a family we enjoyed several memorable and enjoyable holidays at beautiful Winona Lake, where Prof. Whitcomb taught.
His son, Professor David Whitcomb, a valued friend of mine and also a gastroenterologist, has detailed the life of his father in his recent biography, A Good & Faithful Servant. This book is a detailed description of the motivation and life of a faithful and effective evangelist for the Lord, written with unique insight from diaries and the intimate family perspective. I warmly recommend this book to all interested in studying how to live a dedicated and effective life of testimony for the Lord.

Although I received this book for free in exchange for a review, I was captivated by the remarkable life of John Whitcomb and plan to add a hard copy to my personal library as well as encourage my husband and sons to read this book. My husband is in full time ministry and this story was a particularly timely encouragement to me as a pastor’s wife. John Whitcomb’s personal discipline, character, and love for God impacted a generation (as well as generations to come)and his life experiences along with his meticulous study of God’s Word and his commitment to conveying the Truth found in the Bible and how it specifically relates to The Genesis Flood, impacted and challenged me in a profound way.

This biography, although lengthy, is a beautifully written tribute to a seemingly ordinary man who had a front row seat or personally participated in some of the major historical events of the 20th century, while making history of his own. His journal entries record several encounters with notable figures, including Albert Einstein.

If you enjoy reading World War 2 history, this book includes very rich detail of John Whitcomb’s experiences in Europe.

John Whitcomb had always wanted to be a missionary to China and while those dreams were never realized, God used his special gifts and talents for His purposes in other arenas.

Perhaps the biggest accomplishment of John Whitcomb’s life was taking a stand against institutional group think and challenging the adoption of the “gap theory” by many in Christian academic and spiritual circles. In an effort to reconcile evolutionary theory with the Bible, many Christian leaders capitulated to this “gap theory.” It wasn’t until the collaborative efforts of John Whitcomb and Henry Morris and their book, The Genesis Flood, published in 1961, that exposed and turned Christians back to a young earth worldview and global flood as explanation for the fossil record.

I will read this book again!

I thoroughly enjoyed "A Good and Faithful Servant." The biography of John C. Whitcomb Jr. was especially fascinating on two levels. First, John C. Whitcomb had a life which started in China, eventually landed him in Germany during WWII, then expanded to a life of influence in the US and many other countries. He met many famous and influential people. But secondly, God shaped John C. Whitcomb through the experiences he had and the people he met, until he became a strong and articulate defender of the Bible and a father of the modern creationist movement. His 1961 book, The Genesis Flood, co-authored with Henry Morris, still stands today as one of the best books on flood geology and young earth creationism.
The author of this biography is Dr. David Whitcomb, the son of John C. Whitcomb. David Whitcomb revealed in the introduction to the biography that he has dyslexia. It took him ten years to write this biography of his father. This biography is extremely well-written and easy to understand. This effort testifies to the deep love and respect that Dr David had for his father - a sentiment shared by many others over the years of John C. Whitcomb's life.
Anyone interested in science, theology, or theories of origin should definitely read this book! And you will also discover a humble, brilliant, tenacious, servant who gives all the glory to Christ.

Dr. David C. Whitcomb has provided a wonderful addition to the genre of Biographies with his "A Good and Faithful Servant" about the life and history-changing ministry of his father, Dr. John Whitcomb. As a high school History teacher I was blessed to have Dr. John into my classroom and speak to my students about his experiences in WW2. My students and myself were so fortunate to be able to hear, not only about his war exploits, but also to hear his heart for people and the inspired Word of God. Both of these aspects come through loud and clear in this wonderful biography. As a biography junky I am reminded of what Abraham Lincoln once said about a book he had read, "This is the sort of thing that will be enjoyed by people who like that sort of thing". Well, let me be clear, if you love biographies you will love this one. However, this volume is much more than just a fix for biography fans - it will also thrill people who love to study the Bible and the topic of textual criticism, especially in the area of Genesis and creation. In both areas (Biography and theology) I would place this book up near the top of the list along with David McCullough, Edmund Morris, Lee Strobel, Ken Ham and Henry Morris. The love that I witnessed between Dr. John and his dear wife Norma is also included in the story, proving that the author wasn't just interested in the public life and ministry of his subject and father. It is well researched and includes even the smallest of details about the life of this wonderful "good and faithful servant" of God.

It was about 30 years ago that I first met and heard Dr. John Whitcomb at a local church conference.  It was apparent, almost immediately, that Dr. John Whitcomb was special.  As lofty as Dr. John Whitcomb was intellectually, he was one of the most humble believers I have ever met.  I had the privilege, over a good portion of two decades from the early 1990s, to hear Dr. John Whitcomb teach at the Middletown Bible Church (CT) conferences.  Dr. Whitcomb was only one of a very small handful of teachers who could hold my attention for over an hour, and still want to hear more.

Learning that there was a biography written about Dr. Whitcomb, I couldn't wait to learn more about him.  His biographer, Dr. David Whitcomb, has put together a tremendous volume in capturing the essence of his dad.  There are two aspects of the biography that I found incredibly useful.  The first, the diary that Dr. John Whitcomb kept, from when very young and throughout his life, brought the biography to life; truly amazing.  Second, the footnotes the author, Dr. David Whitcomb, provides are a great resource in and of themselves. I was truly blessed to know more about the tapestry of Dr. John Whitcomb's life that the Lord used to mold and prepare him for service unto the Lord.
The mark of a good book is when you are about half way through you dread that it is coming to an end; I especially felt this way reading the biography of Dr. John Whitcomb! 

As students of the Bible, we have used Dr. John Whitcomb's Christian Workman series for our in depth Scripture studies. His DVD recordings are excellent instructions for anyone interested in the Lord's message to the world. After reading "A Good and Faithful Servant" I understood the life of service that Dr. Whitcomb lived, and how he wanted Bible Students everywhere to have quality instruction in the Word.

My favorite biography up until now was "H.A. Ironside, Ordained of the Lord." Dr. Ironside was another soldier of the Lord who was committed to giving the Lord's Word to His saints. But now I have a new favorite biography. Dr. David Whitcomb's book about his dad is an excellent read, with a proper love for the theme of his work. My wife and I loved Dr. Whitcomb and his commitment to teaching us the Word of God. We now love the man because we know that he never missed a chance to help the Lord's people know their Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Savior. This biography of Dr. Whitcomb is highly recommended reading.