Count Zinzendorf
1700–1760 — Germany
Era: Early Modern
Brilliance: 7/10 | Stewardship: 9/10 | Composite Index: 63
Moravians: 100-year prayer meeting. Launched the modern missionary movement.
"I have one passion: it is He, only He. Everything else I hate, despise, and forsake."
Biography
Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf was a German religious reformer who founded the Moravian Church and established Herrnhut, a radical Christian community built on continuous prayer and missionary zeal. He transformed pietism into a movement that prioritized spiritual renewal and global evangelism, launching missionaries to the Caribbean, Africa, and the Americas decades before other denominations. His legacy fundamentally shaped Protestant Christianity's approach to discipleship and world missions.
Key Facts
- Established the Herrnhut community in 1722, which maintained continuous prayer for 100 years without interruption
- Sent out more missionaries per capita than any contemporary movement—reaching the Caribbean, Greenland, and Africa by 1740
- Wrote over 2,000 hymns and poems, many still sung in churches today
- Personally traveled as a missionary disguised as a tradesman to the West Indies and North America
- His theology emphasized Christ-centered devotion ('heart religion') over doctrinal rigidity, pioneering ecumenical cooperation
One man. One prayer. 100 years. Changed world missions forever.
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