Vance Havner was unique! He was born in the North Carolina mountains on October 17th, 1901. He was saved at the age of 10 years and started preaching as a youth of 12, standing on a box so that he could be seen from behind the pulpit. People were keen to come and listen to the ‘Boy Preacher’. He went to several colleges but never graduated from any. In his twenties, being influenced by Harry Emmerson Forsdick of New York, his ministry became tainted with liberalism. It was ‘Christianity and Liberalism’ written by Machen, that eventually drew him back to his early roots as it clearly pointed out the differences between biblical fundamental Christianity and liberalism. He was a fundamental preacher after that. He married Sara Allred in December 1940. Her death in 1973 was devastating to him. His itinerant ministry after that focused on encouraging Christians to deeper commitment, and faithful service to God. In his lifetime he preached over 13,000 times at over 1000 meetings over a span of 72 years.