30th November: Today in Christian History

30th November, 722

On this day in Christian History, Boniface was consecrated a bishop by Pope Gregory II for the work he will do as a missionary to the Germans.

30th November, 1170

On this day in Christian History, Thomas à Becket crosses the English Channel, returning to his post at Canterbury after a six-year exile in France. Four weeks later, knights of King Henry II will murder him.

30th November, 1215

On this day in Christian History, the Fourth Lateran Council ends with its third session. At this council official use was first made of the term “transubstantiation” with reference to the Eucharist.

30th November, 1554

On this day in Christian History, Cardinal Pole announced England’s reconciliation with the pope.

November 30, 1737

Moravian missionaries on Saint Thomas island allow Andreas and Petrus, two Afro-Caribbeans, to share the Lord’s Table, a first for the island’s slave population. 

November 30, 1812

Harriet Newell, one of America’s first women missionaries to a foreign land, dies of consumption near India. She had lost a baby shortly before, owing to a severe storm, and was prostrate from the experience.

November 30, 1846

John Geddie sails from Nova Scotia for Polynesia where he will labor for many disappointing years on Aneiteum in the New Hebrides before seeing a spiritual breakthrough. Once the islanders are converted, however, they will be so zealous for Christ that they will send missionaries to other islands.

November 30, 1892

Death of F. J. A. Hort, Bible scholar who had worked with B. F. Westcott on a critical edition of the Greek New Testament, the foundation for almost all modern English translations of the New Testament.

30th November, 2020

Ghana Court of Appeal delivers judgment in favour of Living Faith Church Worldwide aka Winners' Chapel International 16 years after the rebellion in Ghana by Bishop George Adjeman. The Supreme Court in 2023 upheld the ruling of the Appeal Court and issued an order for Bishop Adjeman to vacate the Church premises. Bishop Adjeman is yet to comply.

30th November, 1957

First Service is held in the basement of the Apostolic Faith Church, Nigeria Headquarters, at 49 Moloney Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos, with 657 people in attendance. The Headquarters is currently based at Faith City, Igbesa Ogun State, Nigeria. The Nigeria Mission of the Apostolic Faith Church began under the leadership of Brother Timothy Oshokoya with 8 people but today, there are over 700 branches across Nigeria. The mother Church is the United States Apostolic Faith International, which was founded by Reverend Florence Crawford in 1906.

30th November, 1888

Robert Gilmour LeTourneau was born in Richford, Vermont, United States of America. He was a prolific inventor of off-shore drilling platforms, electric-drive wheels, and heavy earth-moving machinery. He was a devoted Christian and a philanthropist who affected the lives of many with his benevolent acts. He gave 90 percent of his salary and company profits for religious donations while living on the other 10 percent. He is the founder of LeTourneau University, a private, Interdenominational Evangelical Christian University in Longview, Texas. He passed on to glory at the age of 81.

30th November, 1953

On this day in Christian History, Missionaries commence a thirty days of revival and healing services at “Sharon,” a property in Tiruvalla, India, purchased by pastor Painnumoottil John Thomas. The Attendance reached over one hundred thousand a night and many converts become the nucleus of the Sharon Fellowship Churches of India (Sharon Church) which will have over two thousand local fellowships in thirty-four countries by the twenty-first century. Within two years Thomas established a pastoral training college on the property, the first of ten Bible colleges.

30th November, 1979

On this day in Christian History, the State burial of Aberi K. Balya, held in Uganda. During his lifetime, he had helped to translate the Bible into the Runyoro/Rutooro language, became a bishop in the Church of England, and established many schools.

30th November, 1974

Samson Uche Mogekwu popularly known as Samsong is born. He is a Nigerian Gospel artiste and minister.

30th November, 2015

The academic activities of Saint Augustine University began. It is located in Lagos State and founded by the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

30th November, 2021

Marcus Lamb goes to be with the Lord. Marcus Lamb was the founder of Daystar Television Network, an award winning, faith-based television network dedicated to spreading the Gospel all around the Globe. He passed on to glory at the age of 64.