Who was A.W. Tozer?

Response

Aiden Wilson Tozer (1897—1963) was an American pastor in the Christian and Missionary Alliance and an author who emphasized the importance of a deeper understanding of God and the cultivation of the “inner life.” Due to this emphasis, he has been characterized as an “evangelical mystic.” A.W. Tozer was highly influential in evangelical Christianity during his era and was frequently referred to as a “prophet of the twentieth century.”

Tozer, as he preferred to be called, was born on April 21, 1897, in western Pennsylvania and experienced poverty during his early years. Around the age of 15, his family relocated to Akron, Ohio. Before turning 17, he encountered a street preacher who urged his audience to cry out to God, saying, “Be merciful to me a sinner.” This message resonated with Tozer, prompting him to return home and do just that, embracing Christ through faith. He delved into studying the Bible and reading quality literature, which nurtured his faith. Despite lacking formal education (neither high school nor college), he was self-taught and eventually received two honorary doctorates. Throughout his life, Tozer delved into a wide array of subjects, including religion, philosophy, literature, and poetry.

In 1919, A.W. Tozer assumed the role of pastor at a small church in West Virginia and later served at churches in Indiana and Ohio. By 1928, he had become the pastor of the Southside Alliance Church in Chicago, overseeing a congregation of approximately 80 members. Tozer was of slight build, not particularly stylish, and not a dynamic orator. Nevertheless, the spiritual depth of his sermons, combined with his eloquence and clear articulation of ideas, captivated his audience. The congregation grew steadily, leading to the construction of a new building to accommodate 800 worshippers eleven years later. In 1950, Tozer took on the role of editor for Alliance Weekly (now Alliance Life), the official magazine of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. His editorials and articles provided him with a national platform, establishing him as a prominent advocate for evangelical Christianity.

A.W. Tozer, a prominent figure in Christianity, started a weekly radio broadcast in 1951, expanding his influence. Following 31 years as the pastor of the Southside Alliance Church, Tozer answered a call to the Avenue Road Alliance Church in Toronto, where he served until his passing on May 12, 1963.

During his funeral, his daughter remarked, “I can’t feel sad. I know Dad’s happy. He’s lived for this all his life.” Tozer’s ministry focused on understanding God, delving into what truly mattered while setting aside the superficial and extraneous. He believed in challenging both the intellect and the soul, the mind and the heart, consistently and eloquently.

The legacy of A.W. Tozer endures today. His sermons can be found online in audio format, but he is most renowned for his books, particularly two spiritual classics: The Knowledge of the Holy and The Pursuit of God.

Selected quotes from A.W. Tozer exemplify the fervor of his life:

“Go back to the grass roots. Open your hearts and search the Scriptures. Bear your cross, follow your Lord and pay no heed to the passing religious vogue. The masses are always wrong. In every generation the number of the righteous is small. Be sure you are among them.”

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. . . . Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God, just as her most significant message is what she says about Him or leaves unsaid, for her silence is often more eloquent than her speech.”

“The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven’t yet come to the end of themselves. We’re still trying to give orders, and interfering with God’s work within us.”

“I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for he.

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“We are saved to worship God. All that Christ has done . . . leads to this one end.”

“We cannot grasp the true meaning of the divine holiness by considering someone or something very pure and then elevating the concept to the highest degree we are capable of. God’s holiness is not merely the best we know infinitely surpassed. We have no comparison to the divine holiness. It stands alone, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible, and unattainable. The natural man is blind to it. He may fear God’s power and admire His wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even fathom.”