WE are constantly on a stretch, if not on a strain, to devise new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the Church and secure enlargement and efficiency for the gospel. This trend of the day has a tendency to lose sight of the man or sink the man in the plan or organization. God’s plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else. Men are God’s method. The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.
E.M. Bounds (The Complete Collection of EM Bounds on Prayer)
Who was EM Bounds?
EM Bounds (Edward McKendree Bounds, 1835–1913) was an American Methodist pastor, chaplain, and author best known for his timeless writings on prayer. Born in Missouri, he began his career as a lawyer before entering ministry, later serving as a Confederate Army chaplain during the Civil War. After the war, he dedicated his life to preaching, writing, and calling believers to deeper communion with God through prayer. Though few of his works were published during his lifetime, his manuscripts were later compiled and released, influencing generations of Christians around the world. His most well-known books include Power Through Prayer, The Weapon of Prayer, and The Necessity of Prayer. Bounds believed that God accomplishes His work through praying people, not just clever programs or strategies—a conviction captured in his famous line: “The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.”
