Life Speaks

History Makers
In Memoriam

J. Christy Wilson, Jr. went to be with the Lord Friday, February 19th, 1999. 

Christy was one of the main Tentmaker Activists, leader, and mentor of the 20th Century. He was not only a member of the TI Advisory Council, but one of the founders of TI, Tentmakers International (Formerly TIE).

Born of American missionary parents in Tabriz, Azerbaijan, Iran, in 1921, he received degrees from Princeton University, University of Edinburgh, Cambridge University and Columbia Teachers College.

After serving a few years on ministerial staffs in the U.S. he and his wife Betty went to Afghanistan in 1951 to join other Christians, who were teaching in the Government schools as "tentmakers" or self-supporting witnesses, since missionaries were not allowed in that country. He became acting principal of a Government High School, gave private lessons to the Crown Prince, and conducted an English course for Afghan diplomats. He became pastor of the Community Christian Church that was started in Kabul in 1952. Mrs. Wilson started a Braille education for the blind during this period.

Dr. Wilson was the Executive Secretary of the International Afghan Mission that was established in 1966 as a fellowship of Christian workers from different nations, denominations and missions. In 1970, he was in charge of building the only Christian Church on neutral Afghan soil. When they returned to the states in 1974, he became Professor of World Evangelization at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.

He served as Co-Chair of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization's Tentmaker Task Force. He has written Today's Tentmakers, The Forbidden Harvest, Bringing Christ to All the World, and; More to Be Desired than Gold.

He is survived by his wife Betty, three children and eleven grandchildren. We are all richer and blessed for having known J. Christy Wilson, Jr.