While Charles Simeon (1759–1836) is remembered in some circles today, his life and ministry has mostly faded into history. However, we can learn much from his example of fifty years as an expository preacher, enduring pastor, and intentional mentor.

Charles Simeon, the Preacher

“Sir, we would see Jesus,” Simeon carved on his pulpit at the Trinity Church in Cambridge, England.1 Only he could see the inscription, reminding him Who he represented as he preached the Word of God. From 1782 until his death in 1836, Simeon defied the common preaching methods of his day. Instead of seeking to entertain his congregation or merely repeating tradition, the preacher exposited the text of Scripture, endeavoring to explain and proclaim what God said to His people. Simeon explained, “My endeavour is to bring out of Scripture what is there, and not to thrust in what I think might be there.”2 His approach would influence the preachers of his day, including the young theology students studying for ministry at the nearby Cambridge University.

To help others preach the Word, Simeon published his sermons in volumes he titled, Horae Homileticae. This work is in my Logos Bible Software library, but unlike his biography, I have never read these historic sermons. However, a popular modern preaching seminar, the Charles Simeon Trust, bears his name and promotes expository preaching.

Charles Simeon, the Pastor

Though famous for his fifty years as pastor of Trinity Church, Simeon nearly did not survive his early years there. So strong was the opposition to his appointment as pastor that the pews were locked to prevent the congregation from hearing his sermons. These difficulties early in his ministry profoundly affected his methods for ministry and especially his preaching.3 As his church stabilized under his leadership, Simeon sought to extend biblical teaching beyond his own congregation, establishing the original Simeon Trust to influence the appointment of Bible-preaching pastors in other churches.

Charles Simeon, the Mentor

Simeon not only served as pastor in Cambridge but he also held academic posts in the nearby university. As a result, he influenced young men headed for ministry. In some cases, the Lord used him to redirect people into ministry. He mentored them in the Word, taught them to preach, and introduced them to God’s work around the world. Simeon received copies of William Carey’s missionary correspondence and shared it with his protégés. When his friend, David Brown, headed to India as a chaplain for the British East India Company, Simeon recruited men to join the chaplain.4 These men included the famous missionary Henry Martyn, who later translated the Bible in both India and Persia.5 Though Simeon never served on the mission field himself, God used him to prepare and send many missionaries overseas.

Final Thoughts

Simeon lived in a different era. His theology differed from mine in some important areas. Yet, we can learn much from his example.

Simeon’s life shows how God can use faithful Christians beyond where God has placed them. What you do in your local church does make a difference.

  • The children you teach in Sunday School may one day serve as missionaries. This was true for every Sunday School teacher I ever had.
  • The young intern your church gives opportunities to preach and serve may one day lead many to Christ. Once again, I am an example as much as those who Simeon trained.
  • The focus of discipling believers and training leaders in the local church may never result in massive church growth as is the case with my home church, but it may multiply believers and churches elsewhere for the glory of God.
  • One witness or preacher faithfully going against the tide of their day sharing the gospel or preaching the Word of God exegetically can make a difference.
  • Discipling and mentoring believers and leaders is essential to the expansion of God’s work at home and abroad.

For more on Charles Simeon, stories from his life, and quotes from his work, read my new book, Daring Decision: A 31-Day Journey with those who Followed God’s Leading. In addition to Simeon, this missions devotional shows how God used thirty others, including Henry Martyn, Lottie Moon, Adoniram Judson, David Livingstone, Betty Greene, Erik Liddell, and Jonathan Goforth.

  1. This often-repeated story of the carving on the pulpit may just be a legend. I could find no contemporary source from Simeon’s day to verify the account. None of his early biographies mention it. However, the statement does summarize Simeon’s approach well. ↩︎
  2. H. C. G. Moule, Charles Simeon (London: Methuen and Company, 1905), 97. ↩︎
  3. M. R. Conrad, Daring Decision: A 31-Day Journey with those who Followed God’s Leading (Grayson, GA: Church Works Media, 2025), 158–159. ↩︎
  4. Daring Decision, 161 (see Day 22 which highlights Charles Simeon). ↩︎
  5. Daring Decision, 151–155 (see Day 21 which highlights Henry Martyn). ↩︎

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