T he story of Paul Rood is the story of a man mightily used o f God as a wor ld -wi de preacher, a Bible Institute president and a rallying center for the cause of evangelical Christianity. It’s the story of how at the height of his public ministry this soldier of the cross was suddenly stricken with illness. And it’s the story of how he met this terrifying roadblock. It happened at the close of his second tour of Europe in 1950— the stroke which caused the paraly sis of his respiratory system and the loss of his speech. He has not spoken since. But the ministry of the man who first preached to his brothers and sisters at the age of nine has not ceased. At his home in La Canada, Calif, he carries on a full time ministry of intercession. He bought an illuminated globe to remind him to pray for missionaries and other Christian workers around the world. He knows from experience that prayer is the solution to any situ ation. And he’s had experience in fac ing a good many tough situations.
church and started Sunday twilight open-air meetings during July and August which consistently drew crowds of 1,500. When he accepted the call from the Lakeview Covenant Church in Chicago, he prayed that no week would elapse without someone be ing saved. And every week for two years someone made a profession of faith either publicly or privately. While in Chicago he organized a luncheon meeting which grew into the Christian Business Men’s Committee. Later he interested Ar nold Grunigan in starting a San Francisco branch of CBMC and since then the organization has be come world-wide. He was born of Scandinavian parents in Duluth, Minn. At 14 he moved with his family to Port land, Ore. He went to work in a factory, 10 hours a day for $1. One day a fellow worker asked him if he were a Christian. He saw he was not and a month later made a def inite commitment at a union cam paign service. Since that time—in health and in sickness—he has been a full-time witness for Christ.
It was in 1935, at B io l a ’ s darkest financial hour, that he became pres ident. Salaries were three months behind and the school was a mil lion dollars in debt. Rood’s answer to the financial problem was to call a day of prayer. In answer, the money came in to pay back salaries. In three years the debt was reduced to less than $300,000. Today at 66 he recalls early days at B io l a . He remembers the re vival that came to the student body when Don Hillis wrote about the revival that came to Wheaton. Un der his leadership child evangelism was emphasized and a correspond ence course was started. In 1939 he resigned his post at B io l a and joined the World Chris tian Fundamentals Association. He held early pastorates in Illi nois and Minnesota. At 26 he was pastor of the Seattle, Wash. Mis sion Covenant Church. During his stay there a $31,500 debt was paid off, a pipe organ was installed and the Sammamish Bible Conference was inaugurated. From there he went to Turlock, Calif.—a town of 5,000 population. He built a new
Along with other ministers, Billy Graham's photo hangs in study; is autographed: "To my 'father' in the Lord, Dr. Paul Rood, with thanksgiving for your friendship. Psalms 16:11."
Even though he cannot speak audibly his ministry goes steadily forward through his prayer life. He uses a lighted globe to remind him daily of the world's need of Christ.
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O C TO B ER , 1955
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