Who was Dr. Alex W. Ness?
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In short: Dr. Alex W. Ness (1921 to 1996) was a Canadian Pentecostal Bible teacher, lecturer and author who grew up on the prairies, taught thousands of pastors in Ministers' Institutes in more than 100 countries, planted churches around the world and pioneered religious television in Canada. His fifteen books in print, from Pattern for Living to Transference of Spirits, are published exclusively by Moriah Publications.
Early life and call
Alexander William Ness was born in 1921 and grew up on the Canadian prairies. His autobiography, Pioneering, tells the story of his conversion and the steps that led him into ministry, and the title is apt: much of his life was spent going where no church yet stood.
A teaching ministry on five continents
Dr. Ness is remembered first as a teacher. Through Ministers' Institutes he personally taught thousands of pastors and Christian workers in over 100 countries, and the books he wrote were in most cases the notes from those classes, which is why they read as systematic studies rather than sermons. Holy Spirit Volumes 1 and 2, with their study guides, and Pattern for Living all began that way.
Evangelist and church planter
On the mission field he preached to very large crowds, mainly in South America, Africa and Asia, and planted churches that in many cases are still standing. Moriah Publications describes him as a missionary statesman, and the description fits a man who travelled the world for decades and preached to audiences that in total numbered in the millions.
Pioneer of religious television in Canada
At a time when Christian broadcasting in Canada was almost unknown, Dr. Ness put Bible teaching on television. Unto Full Stature, his series on Christian maturity filmed in the mid-1980s, survives from that work and is available on DVD.
The books
Fifteen titles are in print: Pattern for Living, Transference of Spirits, Holy Spirit Volume 1 and Volume 2 with their study guides, Kingdom Principles, Dear Pastor, Holiness, Suffering, Triumphant Christian Living, Pioneering, Born Again in two editions, and the Unto Full Stature DVD set. Dear Pastor, written after forty years in the pulpit, is the one most often given to young ministers.
Legacy
Dr. Ness died in 1996. Pastor Stéphane Chauvette of Montréal, who founded Moriah Publications the same year, secured worldwide exclusivity over his writings so that none would go out of print. New copies of every title come from Moriah Publications; the copies that appear on secondhand sites are earlier printings.
Read next
- About Dr. Alex W. Ness
- All books by Dr. Alex W. Ness
- Pioneering, his autobiography
- The Dr. Alex W. Ness Collection, 7 books
Frequently asked
When was Dr. Alex W. Ness born and when did he die?
He was born in 1921 and died in 1996.
What is Dr. Ness best known for?
Teaching pastors in Ministers' Institutes in over 100 countries, pioneering religious television in Canada, and his books, especially Pattern for Living and Transference of Spirits.
Which of his books should I read first?
Readers usually start with Transference of Spirits or Triumphant Christian Living. Pastors start with Dear Pastor. Pattern for Living is the reference work.
Where can I buy Dr. Ness's books new?
Moriah Publications holds the exclusive rights and is the only source of new copies. They ship from Canada.