The Most Influential Man of the Millennium

December 1999

Dear Friends,

A warm Christmas greeting to you! If you’re like Shirley and me, you’re currently in the throes of making preparations for the holidays — wrapping presents, planning Christmas dinner, decorating the tree and running like crazy. I hope amidst all this hubbub that you’re reserving some time with your loved ones to reflect on the deeper meaning of this season. For believers, Christmas represents the physical incarnation of the Creator of the universe. The Gospel of John describes Jesus’ birth in the most awe-inspiring way when it says: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, NIV).

While Jesus is unquestionably the single most important figure in all of history, the approach of the year 2000 has inspired a number of organizations to compile lists of the most influential individuals of the past millennium. The cable TV network A&E, for example, recently aired a series entitled Biography of the Millennium: 100 People — 1,000 Years. It featured interviews from numerous scholars, politicians and theologians who sought to identify the people who most impacted our world, for better or worse, in the period between A.D. 1000 and 2000. Their selections are very interesting—and provocative.

Let’s review those 100 names, beginning at the bottom of the list. As you read and consider the impact made by each individual, take a guess at who was given the highest honor. It may surprise you!

I’m sure there is hardly a person reading this letter who wouldn’t argue with either the individual selections or the order in which they are placed. I certainly have my quarrels with some of them. Can you believe Margaret Sanger — an undisputed racist and inspiration for the modern abortion movement — was ranked number 50, ahead of Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Benjamin Franklin and Jonas Salk? Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the Allies to victory in the greatest struggle against tyranny in world history, didn’t even make the cut! And how about Princess Diana making the list, but Queen Victoria, who influenced the entire Western world for decades, was completely ignored? It is also disappointing, but not surprising I suppose, that there were very few religious leaders designated. Passed over were Dr. Billy Graham, Pope John Paul II, John Calvin, William Wilberforce, William Booth, John Wesley, Dwight L. Moody, John Knox, David Livingstone and Hudson Taylor. Surely one or more of these influential men should have made the grade at some level. Oh well, who ever said that life was fair?

Despite my disagreements with some of the people named above, I am in complete accord with A&E’s selection of the “top gun.” When all was said and done, Johann Gutenberg was proclaimed to be the most influential person of the past 1,000 years. His impact cannot be underestimated. Gutenberg’s invention of the moveable-type printing press in the middle of the fifteenth century changed society forever. The Church Net UK News Service says that “the printing method [Gutenberg] gave the world was the sole means of mass communication for centuries and remained largely unchanged right through until the twentieth century.”2 While many of the individuals on A&E’s list are either scientists, religious leaders or powerful politicians, Gutenberg was a simple, hard-working German who was by no means a genius, either by today’s standards or those of the fifteenth century world in which he lived. Nevertheless, most of the people who have dramatically impacted our world in the last 1,000 years — from John Locke to Thomas Jefferson, Louis Pasteur to Adolf Hitler — are in Gutenberg’s debt.

The invention of the printing press completely changed the way information could be shared and disseminated, signaling a dramatic shift from the isolated, city-state mentality of European monarchies to the interactive “global culture” that we recognize today. Gutenberg’s invention helped fuel some of the most important social and cultural changes that were to come, including the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution. It also orchestrated the creation of the “middle class,” as the free flow of information between common men and women gave power to the people and struck a fatal blow to the absolute rule of the elite. Echoes of this shift are certainly evident in the democratic form of government that we in North America enjoy today.

Gutenberg probably didn’t realize at the time that his invention would, either directly or indirectly, play a role in the toppling of kingdoms and the empowerment of the common people. Instead, he was driven by a mission that was far simpler but had positively eternal ramifications. Johann Gutenberg wanted to make the Word of God available to everyone and, in so doing, share the good news of Christ with people all over the world. No mortal man ever set out to accomplish such a noble purpose for the cause of Christianity. Several quotes from Gutenberg reflect this passion. Consider the following:

God suffers in the multitude of souls whom His holy word cannot reach. Religious truth is imprisoned in a small number of manuscript books, which confine instead of spreading the public treasure. Let us break the seal which seals up holy things, and give wings to truth, in order that she may go and win every soul that comes into this world, by her word, no longer written at great expense by a hand easily palsied, but multiplied like the wind by an untiring machine.3

Gutenberg also saw eternal potential in the invention itself:

Yes, it is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall soon flow, in inexhaustible streams, the most abundant and most marvellous liquor that has ever flowed to relieve the thirst of men! Through it, God will spread His word. A spring of pure truth shall flow from it; like a new star it shall scatter the darkness of ignorance, and cause a light heretofore unknown to shine amongst men.4

The fruit of Gutenberg’s labor was a three-volume, Latin version of the Holy Scriptures. Completed in Mainz in 1455, the Gutenberg Bible (also known as the 42-Line Bible or the Mazarin Bible) was the first book to have been printed using metal moveable type. It is not known how many of the Bibles were printed (many historians believe there were about 200). Only 47 copies survive today, most of them worn and tattered. Only three “perfect” copies are known to exist, one of which can be found in the Library of Congress.5

Surely, Christians today should be mindful of the way the Lord used a humble man in Mainz, Germany, to help spread the good news to every nation on earth. You and I owe our knowledge of God’s Word to the work of his hands. Gutenberg’s contributions can be seen in the countless translations of Scripture that are now available around the world, as well as in the many mediums — TV, radio, magazines, email, audio and video tapes, films and the Internet — through which the Gospel is preached.

Indeed, the ministry of Focus on the Family is a direct beneficiary of Gutenberg’s landmark invention. The written words on this very page — part of a newsletter that is mailed to more than two million people each month and posted on this web site — are modern-day representations of Gutenberg’s ideas. And, like him, we are motivated primarily by an earnest desire to share the good news with those who so desperately need to hear it. Our mission is “to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in disseminating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible, and, specifically, to accomplish that objective by helping to preserve traditional values and the institution of the family.” This mindset is reflected in everything we produce, from books and magazines to radio broadcasts and our web sites.

We join hands in this cause with thousands of other Christian ministries, both within the church and those working alongside it, to give testimony to God’s grace and mercy during this season when we celebrate Jesus’ birth. He has chosen to bless our efforts, despite our imperfections, to help reach a lost and dying world. Without the plan of salvation, we would have no promise of eternal life when our brief days on this earth are ended.

And so, before closing, I’d like to share the essence of that good news that motivated Johann Gutenberg more than 500 years ago. Let me personalize my letter now. You might be a long-time friend of Focus on the Family, or this letter may be your first contact from us. Regardless, it would be na ve to think that everyone reading these words knows what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Most people understand that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth, but it’s sometimes difficult to see beyond the commercialism, the lights and the food to see the real significance of that event.

Here is the Gospel in its most straightforward form: Every human being who ever lived has been afflicted with a disease called sin, which means we are all in a state of rebellion against God. It is a condition that has been inherited universally and passed down from the time of Adam and Eve. We have no ability to rid ourselves of this curse because it is imbedded in our very natures. King David referred to this bent toward evil when he wrote, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5, NIV). Contrary to what some people believe, Scripture tells us it is impossible to be good or righteous enough to cleanse this wickedness, regardless of how hard we try. And because of God’s infinite justice, He cannot ignore our sin. As such, we are hopelessly lost and deserving of eternal punishment.

Fortunately for us, however, God’s infinite love demanded that He provide a remedy — a way out — for the human family. His wonderful answer was to send His only Son, Jesus Christ, to dwell among us for a short time nearly 2,000 years ago. Because He was without sin, being both “fully God and fully human,” He was the only one who could take upon Himself the guilt and shame of a fallen humanity by enduring the punishment each of us deserves. That is why He was crucified on a cruel Roman cross, only 33 years after His celebrated birth in Bethlehem, and why He cried “It is finished!” as He was dying. He meant that the sacrifice had been made and the remedy purchased for all those who will repent of sin and believe on His name.

But the story didn’t end there! On the third day, He arose from the grave, victorious over sin and death. He ascended to the Father, and one day He’s coming back to take His children home to Heaven. Jesus bridged the gap between God and man, making it possible for us to have fellowship with Him through the Holy Spirit.

Each of us must choose the path we will take. Those who reject this magnificent gift, however, have no hope of salvation because there is no other alternative — no other plan by which they can find forgiveness. They are doomed to endure what the Scripture refers to as “eternal destruction” in the hereafter (2 Thessalonians 1:9, NIV).

This understanding of God’s great love for us and of Jesus’ mission on earth is outlined in both the Old and New Testaments. Let me share an incredible prophecy found in Isaiah, chapter 53, written more than 700 years before the birth of Christ. See if you recognize the elements of the explanation I’ve just provided in the following inspired passage:

“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He [Jesus] grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

“Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.

“But He was pierced [on the cross] for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open his mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.

“By oppression and judgment He was taken away. And who can speak of His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people He was stricken.

“He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death, though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the Lord makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

“After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

“Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53, NIV).

If this ancient truth makes sense to you and you’ve never committed your life to Christ, perhaps you’re ready to do so now. This Christmas, instead of simply being aware of the historical account of Christ’s birth, you might — for the first time — fully understand and celebrate His life, death and resurrection as a member of God’s family. If you’d like to accept Jesus as your own Lord and Savior, please take a moment to pray as you read the following words:

Lord, I bring You my sinful nature as You’ve revealed it to me. I know I don’t have anything valuable to offer except for myself and my love. I can’t earn Your forgiveness, but You’ve offered it as a gift from Your Son, Jesus Christ. I accept Your control over my life and intend to serve You, obey You and follow You from this moment forward. You have my past, my present, my future, my family, my money and my time. Nothing will I withhold. Thank You for loving me and forgiving me and making me Your own. Amen.

If you have taken this vitally important step, we urge you to call and share your good news with us. Or, if you still have unanswered questions and are not yet ready to pray this prayer, we’d be happy to talk with you about having a relationship with Jesus. No one will visit or coerce you in any way. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-A-FAMILY, and a member of our staff will be happy to speak with you. In addition, we’ll send you a booklet called Coming Home: An Invitation to Join God’s Family, which contains a number of Bible verses explaining how to receive eternal life.

With that, I’ll bring this letter to a close. The next time you talk to the Lord, you might want to thank Him for inspiring a humble man named Johann Gutenberg to make the Scriptures available inexpensively to millions. That man really was, I believe, the most influential man born in the past 1,000 years!

Thank you so much for standing with us again this year! You are making this ministry possible in 97 countries around the world. With the new millennium just around the corner, we have a number of important new projects in the works. We covet your prayers and your support as we prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.

Merry Christmas to you and your family. May this be the most blessed season of all.

Sincerely,

James C. Dobson, Ph.D.
President

*(Note: Referrals to Web sites not produced by Focus on the Family are for informational purposes only and do not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the sites' content.)