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FW BOREHAM’S JOURNEY FROM THE PULPIT TO THE PEW AND THEN BACK TO THE PULPIT AGAIN
FWB at his writing-desk, 1953
Many pastors and preachers finish up their ministry and leave their pastorates only to find it difficult to integrate into a church where they no longer have their preaching responsibilities. One such pastor that I spoke with recently told me that for two decades his identity — and reason for attending his church — was due to his ministry with that church. Upon leaving his pastorate he has struggled for the past ten years to commit to a local church or even be a regular attender at one. This former pastor is not the only one who I have met who has told the same thing. Thus, you might be forgiven for thinking that a pastor such as Dr. F.W. Boreham, who had achieved international renown as one of the world’s most influential preachers in his day, would have also struggled to integrate into a local church upon his retirement. But he didn’t and here’s why.
“One of the reasons that I found retiring from pastoral ministry so difficult was the sense that in one day I went from ‘being the rooster’ and the next day becoming ‘the feather duster.’”
(A retired pastor who struggled integrate into a local church after his retirement.)
WHEN F.W. BOREHAM RETIRED
F.W. Boreham retired from pastoral ministry in 1928 at the age of 57. Few people will ever appreciate the physical and mental toll that many pastors must endure. FWB was no exception. The events of…[CONTINUE]
F. W. Boreham’s personal copy of his autobiography manuscript, Scots, Melbourne
Around 2009, after I had discovered Dr. F.W. Boreham, I determined that more people needed to become acquainted with not only his work – but him! Reading his autobiography and then the only biography written about him (which FWB would not allow Crago to publish until after his death), one is struck with Boreham’s uncommon humility. Perhaps it is this character trait that lies at the root of why too few have heard of him today. My efforts to introduce more people to Dr. F.W. Boreham came in the form of an article I wrote for findingtruthmatters.org. This attracted the attention of his eldest grandson, Phil Lincolne. He sensed that I was more than just a casual admirer of his Grandfather. Although we lived at opposite ends of the continent of Australia, he invited me to meet with him. The resultant meeting and conversation with Phil, reinforced my desire to make a documentary about his Granddad. He has helped me tremendously with scores of previously unseen photos, unknown anecdotes, FWB’s handwritten notes and books, as well as other memorabilia.
Dr. Andrew Corbett at the graveside of FWB
I initially had aspirations to complete this documentary on FWB in 2010. But three factors converged to make this a 7 year project rather than a twelve month one. Firstly, the legacy of his life deserved a more thorough telling his story which may not be appreciated by my generation, but could be told in a way that would make sense and still be appealing in generations to come. Secondly, in 2011 I was asked to manage a radio station (in addition to my role as the pastor of demanding church). I saw the parallels between FWB’s story (and his life-long involvement in the media while serving as a pastor) and my foray into the broadcast media industry. My management of this station included being on-air doing a live weekly program for 4 years. Thirdly, my limited resources to make the project a reality. By God’s grace, I have been able to travel extensively to the various parts of the world to further my research and undertake interviews relevant to this project. But the release of this documentary series is not the end for me. It is simply the close of one chapter and the beginning of another as I now continue to work with others toward providing an extensive digital experience for those interested in the work, person and legacy of Dr. F.W. Boreham.
Dr. Geoff Pound in the National Art Gallery of Victoria
Dr. Geoff Pound and I have been administrating the F.W. Boreham Facebook Page (mainly Geoff, as my attention has largely been on completing this documentary project) and many people have enjoyed the occasional FWB quote or reading. We will continue this. But it is on the F.W. Boreham website where I hope to permanently archive resources in an easy to access manner. Stop by the website often and check out the updates as they are made. Thank you for your support of this project and I trust that you are blessed by some of these insights from Dr. F. W. Boreham.
Andrew Corbett
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This remarkable biography, superbly crafted by Andrew Corbett, offers an exquisite biography of F.W. Boreham that is original, compelling, and entertaining. Navigating Strange Seas insightfully examines the life thread of this remarkable writer, preacher, and family man. The viewer experiences the Victorian era give way to the Modern era as FWB’s story springs freshly to life to us today. Dr. Corbett has succeeded in portraying Dr. Boreham with grace, respect, and insight.
In 1936 F W Boreham was introduced to a large gathering of pastors in Edinburgh as “the man whose name is on all our lips, whose books are on all our shelves and whose illustrations are in all our sermons.” Now, 80 years later, Dr. Andrew Corbett is introducing F W Boreham to a new generation through this DVD series, Navigating Strange Seas. Andrew has not only studied his subject’s 55 books but he has visited the key places where Dr. Boreham ministered and in the process, unearthed new material and fascinating insights. The DVDs depict the places where the Boreham family lived, they tell the Frank Boreham story, they include many of Boreham’s photographic images and they contain rare audio footage of the famous man preaching. This series will inform those who have never heard of F W Boreham. It will give them a taste of his writings and be useful to anyone seeking to navigate the strange seas of their life. As a pastor, Dr. Corbett is keen to convey the wisdom that F W Boreham shared in his essays and sermons about the high calling of being a pastor and how to navigate its peculiar pressures. Billy and Ruth Graham, Leslie Weatherhead, Ravi Zacharias, Gordon Moyes and countless preachers have all acknowledged the way that F W Boreham has inspired them and enriched their ministries. You will want to add your name to this list after purchasing this valuable DVD series for your own study and enjoyment. Buy a series to give a gift of encouragement to your pastor. Share this valuable new resource with the small groups within your church.
Long overdue given his stature as a preacher and writer, this carefully and lovingly constructed documentary of F. W. Boreham moved me to tears. It reminds me why years ago reading biographies of famous Christians was considered a means of spiritual growth. One can’t help but be inspired and challenged by this excellent portrait of such a magnanimous leader.
Boreham was heroic, but it encouraged me to discover that he could be shy and introverted. He was more at home in his study than with people, but he worked hard at being of service. He had the heart of an evangelist, and yet he was opposite of the flamboyant style that many might associate with that designation. The gentleness of wisdom made him persuasive.
In addition to photographs, either taken of or by Boreham, this makes use of recordings from sermons and broadcasts so that viewers hear Boreham tell parts of his story.
Dr. Andrew Corbett is a fine narrator and has done an outstanding job of condensing the highlights of Boreham’s life into a 90 minute narrative. This is rounded-out by interviews with surviving family members, peers and insights from several scholars.
I never realized until now that John Broadbanks, a character in Boreham’s writings, was modeled after J. J. Doke. Neither did I appreciate how hard it was for Boreham to leave his sweetheart behind after being sent to his first pastorate in far away Mosgiel. Discoveries about this man await the viewer.
This takes you to the places that Boreham inhabited for most of his life. It provides the background for the stories found in the 55 books that bear his name.
Anyone in or preparing for the ministry will benefit from learning about this man. His winsomeness is contagious. It’s one reason his books are so highly valued.
His stories served to creatively present Christ. Boreham refined his technique but never swerved from sharing the good news.
This documentary is a gateway not only into his writings but into a life well-lived.
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The five episodes of the F.W. Boreham documentary series are now available to purchase as DVDs or in full HD as a digital download. The introductory and summary DVD, The Pastoral Pilgrimage of Dr. F.W. Boreham is now available.
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