WILKINSON, Bruce H. 1947-

PERSONAL: Born 1947, in Kearney, NJ; married Darlene Wilkinson, 1969; children: David, Jennifer, Jessica. Education: Northeastern Bible College, B.A.; Dallas Theological Seminary, M.A., 1974; Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, Portland, OR, D.D.

ADDRESSES: Home—Johannesburg, South Africa. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Multnomah Publishers, P.O. Box 1720, Sisters, OR 97759.

CAREER: Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, founder and president, c.1977-2002; writer.

AWARDS, HONORS: Gold Medallion Book Award in Christian Living, for The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life, 2001; Christian Book of the Year, Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, 2001, 2002.

WRITINGS:

(With others) The Daily Walk Bible with 365 Devotional Helps to Guide You Through the Bible in One Year, Tyndale (Wheaton, IL), 1987.

(Editor, with Kenneth Boa) Talk Thru the Bible, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1990.

How to Teach Almost Anything to Practically Anyone, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 1992.

(With others) A Closer Walk, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 1992.

(Editor) Almost Every Answer for Practically Any Teacher: A Resource Guide for All Who Desire to Teach for Lifechange, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 1992.

(With Gene A. Getz) Nehemiah: Becoming a Disciplined Leader, Broadman & Holman (Nashville, TN), 1995.

(With others) Family Walk Devotional Bible, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 1996.

(Editor, with others) NIV Youthwalk Devotional Bible, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 1997.

(Editor, with others) Closer Walk New Testament, Walk Thru the Bible Ministries (Atlanta, GA), 1997.

Personal Holiness in Times of Temptation, Harvest House, 1998.

(Editor) Thirty Days to Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 1999.

Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs: The Powerful Principle of the Three Chairs, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 1999.

The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2000.

(With David Kopp) The Prayer of Jabez Devotional, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2001.

(With David Kopp) Secrets of the Vine: Breaking Through to Abundance, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2001.

(With David Kopp) The Prayer of Jabez for Teens, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2001.

The Prayer of Jabez for Kids, illustrated by Dan Brawner, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 2001.

(With Melody Carlson) The Prayer of Jabez for Little Ones, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 2001.

The Prayer of Jabez Devotions for Kids Living Big for God, illustrated by Rob Suggs, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 2001.

(With David Kopp) Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2002.

(With David Kopp) Secrets of the Vine Devotional, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2002.

Secrets of the Vine for Kids, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 2002.

(With Melody Carlson) Secrets of the Vine for Little Ones, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 2002.

Secrets of the Vine for Young Hearts, illustrated by Rob Suggs, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 2002.

(With Mack Thomas) A Life God Rewards for Guys Only, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2002.

(With Mack Thomas) A Life God Rewards for Kids, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2002.

(With David Kopp) A Life God Rewards for Teens, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2002.

(With Mack Thomas) A Life God Rewards: Girls Only, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2002.

(With David Kopp) Reflections from A Life God Rewards, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2002.

(With Mack Thomas) A Life God Rewards for Little Ones, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2002.

(With Kenneth Boa) The Wilkinson and Boa Bible Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Help You Get More Out of the Bible, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 2002.

(With David Kopp) Secrets of the Vine for Teens, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2003.

Set Apart: Discovering Personal Victory Through Holiness, Multnomah (Sisters, OR), 2003.

ADAPTATIONS: The Prayer of Jabez for Teens Cards, Hay House; The Prayer of Jabez for Young Hearts, audiocassette, Thomas Nelson; Secrets of the Vine Cards: Breaking Through to Abundance, Hay House; Wilkinson Bible Handbook, Thomas Nelson.

SIDELIGHTS: Born into a devout Christian home, Bruce H. Wilkinson seemed destined to forge a career in religious work. After earning his doctorate of divinity, Wilkinson established the Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, utilizing a study method he had developed while still a graduate student. This nondenominational group, wrote John Blake in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, now has "an annual budget of about $17 million, conducts biblical training seminars in 52 countries and publishes 11 Christian magazines."

Among Wilkinson's many works is a book that has become an international best-seller: The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life. Jabez, the thirty-fifth son of Judah, had a favorite prayer that Wilkinson discovered more than thirty years ago in 1 Chronicles 4:10: "Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!" Wilkinson made the prayer a part of his daily life. Laura Dempsey, writing in the Dayton Daily News, commented, "Wilkinson liked the fact that Jabez wasn't afraid to ask God to bless him indeed and to broaden his borders." A reviewer in the Christian Science Monitor stated that Wilkinson "believes that when this prayer is used daily, it opens the doors to God's blessing."

The publication of The Prayer of Jabez has been met with a certain amount of controversy. Erin McClam, writing in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, noted that "one camp of theologians believes Jabez is stunning in its selfishness." Wilkinson told McClam, however, that because of The Prayer of Jabez, "millions of people are discovering prayer." Judith Cebula, writing in the Indianapolis Star, commented that, with millions of copies sold since its release, The Prayer of Jabez "has catapulted an obscure character from the most obscure part of the Bible into the prayer lives of evangelical Christians nationwide." Jim Jones, writing for the Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, stated, "A part of the prayer's appeal is that Jabez, whose name means 'pain' in Hebrew, is not one of the heroes of the Bible. He's an ordinary person like you and me. Yet God blesses him greatly."

Although the controversy endures, several religious leaders find that the book is personally satisfying, while at the same time it encourages their congregations to seek prayer. Charles Austin, writing in the Bergen County Record, asked a number of leaders why they thought the book had such appeal. One pastor replied, "Because there's this thirst out there for spiritual things." Sherice L. Shields, writing for the Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, summed up The Prayer of Jabez phenomenon: "A tiny blessing prayer in a tiny book is having a mighty impact nationwide."

Wilkinson continues to fulfill his religious calling by writing books, giving speaking engagements—he has addressed 350,000 men across America in three years—producing video seminars based on his conferences, and teaching.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

periodicals

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 28, 2001, John Blake, "Bruce Wilkinson Truly Believes in the Power of Prayer," p. B1.

Christian Science Monitor, July 26, 2001, "The Monitor's Guide to Religious Bestsellers," p. 21.

Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN), June 17, 2001, Erin McClam, "Prayer of Jabez: God's Will or Guide for Greed?" p. E1.

Dallas Morning News, April 7, 2001, Berta Delgado, "A Simple Prayer with Awesome Answers," p. 1G.

Dayton Daily News, May 24, 2001, Laura Dempsey, "Salesman's Prayer Answered," p. 1C.

Indianapolis Star, May 26, 2001, Judith Cebula, "Does 'Bless Me' Mean 'Gimme'?: Prayer by Jabez Raises Questions about Asking for Prosperity," p. F1.

Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, May 16, 2001, Sherice L. Shields, "New Book Prayer of Jabez Is Igniting Spirits and Sales," p. K1290; May 23, 2001, Jim Jones, "Is it Selfish or Valid?: Prayer Stirs Debate," p. K5067.

Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, FL), May 26, 2001, Elizabeth Clarke, "Book: Prayer Will Change Your Life in Month," p. 8D.

Record (Bergen County, NJ), July 9, 2001, Charles Austin, "'Always-Answered' Prayer Sparks Questions in Some," p. A1.

Virginia Pilot, August 12, 2001, James W. H. Sell, "Jabez Touts the Gospel of Greed," p. J1.*