Saints CVs – Anthony Norris Groves 1795–1853

Modern-day Baghdad has endured decades of conflict caused by oppressive regimes, war, and terrorism. But even in the 1800s, it was a dangerous city, rife with crime, civil unrest, and disease. Despite these challenges, Anthony Norris Groves chose to take his wife, Mary, and their two young sons to this city - then a provincial capital of the Ottoman Empire - to share the gospel with its predominantly Muslim population. He paid a high price for his obedience to God.

Groves was originally a successful dentist in southern England. Raised in the Anglican tradition, he began to question its framework and practices after an intensive personal study of the Bible. Longing to return to the simplicity of New Testament Christianity, he became part of the emerging evangelical movement in Victorian England - coming into contact with figures like John Nelson Darby and George Muller.

In 1825, Groves published a small but impactful book titled Christian Devotedness, which is available to read online.¹ In this work, he outlined key principles of biblical discipleship, emphasizing trust in God’s provision and wholehearted surrender of personal possessions. He also proposed a radical vision for missions: that missionaries should rely entirely on God, rather than on institutional support or guaranteed income.

At that time, many missionaries were commended and sponsored by missionary societies. Groves rejected this model, choosing instead to live by faith alone. His distinctive approach led to him being called the ‘father of faith missions’.²

His first mission field was Baghdad. Groves had limited apparent success there but he sought to build relationships, and taught English using the Bible - an evangelistic method still widely used today by Christians for teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). Tragedy struck when his wife Mary died of plague, along with their newborn daughter. Groves recorded this desperate sorrow in his journal, ‘I trust, in the Lord’s will from the bottom of my heart, yet I feel a desolation and loneliness of heart … I may have nothing in this world left but His service’.³

However, his heart remained burdened for under-evangelized regions. Before long, he felt called to India, where he established a mission work based on similar principles. Indigenous Christians in India faced strong social and economic persecution, losing their jobs upon professing faith. In response, Groves helped to set up small-scale businesses such as coffee cultivation, enabling new converts to support themselves - following the example of the Apostle Paul with his tentmaking.

Although the number of believers was small, one of them - Indian evangelist John Christian Arulappan (also spelled Aroolappen) - went on to have a significant itinerant evangelistic ministry.

Groves eventually returned to England in poor health and died in 1853. His impact, however, extended far beyond his lifetime. He influenced missionary work in the Middle East, India, and Britain. His son Henry, who survived the Baghdad ordeal and accompanied his father to India, became a strong supporter of missions. Henry also developed the Yearly Bible Calendar,⁴ which became the basis for devotional reading schemes like Choice Gleanings still in widespread use today.

Anthony Norris Groves was also the brother of Mary, who married George Muller. Both families followed the same principle of absolute dependence on God for daily needs in Christian service.

As we reflect on the biography of Anthony Norris Groves, we see a remarkable example of sacrificial service and unshakable faith. Though his life was marked by suffering and loss, his legacy endures - challenging us to trust God fully and to demonstrate similar wholehearted devotion

Quotes from Christian Devotedness

‘Primitive Christianity owed much of its irresistible energy to the open and public manifestation by the early disciples, of their love to their Redeemer and King, and to one another.

‘Whether the gathering in the sheep of Christ out of a lost world, or even of a single one, be not worthy of all the sacrifices we are called upon to make?’