Adoniram Judson was a missionary to Burma in the early 19th century. He initially set out to India but ended up in Burma, where he spent years learning the difficult local language and saw no converts for the first six years of his work. Despite great hardships including over 17 months imprisoned in terrible conditions, Judson persevered and his missionary efforts eventually led to the establishment of over 100 churches and 8000 believers in Burma.

1. Adoniram Judson A prisoner for the Gospel

2. Why would a man spend his life in Burma, as a missionary who wouldn't see a convert for six years?

3. Adoniram was not a Baptist missionary at first. He started out as a missionary commissioned by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, which was congregational. He started out for India, but God had other plans for Judson.

4. On his way to India, Judson read the Gospel of Matthew and the Holy Spirit led him to realize that baptism was by immersion. This was the turning point in Judson's life, but because of his new belief concerning baptism the East India Company grew hostile towards him and his ministry.

5. Adoniram was later forced to leave India by the East India Company, and so left for Burma. Upon arrival, he began learning the language, which proved itself to be more difficult to learn than Latin, Greek, or Hebrew which he already knew. This new mission field proved itself to be more difficult than anybody had anticipated.

6. It took 6 years of vigorous labor and trials before Judson saw any fruit. A native Burmese man named Maung Naw came to a saving faith in Christ, and marked the beginning of a work which was to reach 100 churches and 8,000 believers in Burma! But Judson still had a long, hard trail ahead of him; however, he did not give up in spite of the difficulties.

7. Between the triumphs of a growing church and having children, Judson spent over 17 months in a rotting, rat-infested, disease-ridden prison during a war between the Burmese and the British. Judson was accused of being a "Western Spy," and kept in prison for the duration of the war.

8. All this for what? Judson saw the long-term value in his work, and did it knowing that Christ did much more for him. He knew that his ministry would soon be done, but God had started a work that would not easily be undone.