Winning the Lost

What would it take for you to reach people everyone else has overlooked? Alexander Duff built a whole new missions strategy around that question.

“Though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more … I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:19, 23).

Alexander Duff had a plan. As a student at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, he became burdened for the people of India. But he felt that new thinking was needed, because his burden was for India’s upper classes, who largely had been ignored in previous evangelism efforts. His strategy was to create a unique educational environment, providing students English-language training in core subjects, but also including Bible study.

Becoming the first missionary of the Church of Scotland, he and his wife arrived in Calcutta in 1830. Within a few months, he opened a school. Only five students joined him that first day, meeting under a banyan tree. But word spread, and soon more than 300 students had enrolled. Enrollment continued to grow and so did his influence, both in India and around the world.

Some criticized his methods because there were only a few converts. But others realized the big impact Duff was making on the many lives of families. Following his example, many students entered full-time ministry.

Duff had pioneered the strategy of combining missions and education. Soon this strategy was employed on other mission fields. As Duff toured the world, he inspired hundreds to join him on the mission fields and to follow God’s unique strategy for their lives. Ask God to open your eyes to how you can impact lives for Christ. Let Him use you, right where you are.

Reflection Question: What creative ideas sparked as you asked God for soul-winning strategies?

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Alexander Duff’s approach to missions differ from others of his time?

He combined English-language education with Bible study specifically to reach India’s upper classes—a strategy other missionaries hadn’t prioritized, since most earlier efforts focused on lower-caste communities.

How many students did Duff start with, and how did his ministry grow?

He opened his first school under a banyan tree in Calcutta in 1830 with just five students; within months enrollment passed 300, and his education-based mission model was later adopted on other mission fields worldwide.

What does “becoming all things to all people” (1 Corinthians 9) look like without compromising the Gospel message itself?

It means adapting method, language, and approach to reach a specific audience—as Duff did through education—while keeping the Gospel’s actual content unchanged.