Paris Reidhead

Paris Reidhead (1919–1992)

A Spokesman unto God

The life of Paris Reidhead was marked by a sense of divine purpose from its very beginning. Born on May 30, 1919, on a farm in Minneapolis, Minnesota, his birth was a documented miracle. Delivered breech with a broken neck, doctors initially declared that he had not survived the labor. However, Ruby Perkins Reidhead, his mother, responded that this could not be so, for she had prayed and God revealed that her son, this child, would be a spokesman unto Him. When the doctor checked a second time, the infant’s head had straightened, his color had returned to normal, and his breathing was regular. This was Paris Reidhead’s birth —a life that would eventually fulfill that prophetic promise the Lord made to Ruby Perkins Reidhead.

Missionary Heart and the Sudan

Though he would become a renowned pastor and author, Reidhead was, at his core, a missionary. His ministry began at age 18 as a student pastor in rural Minnesota. He built a rigorous academic foundation, receiving his B.A. from Taylor University and a Graduate of Theology degree from Northwestern College. He furthered his expertise through graduate studies in Linguistics and Anthropology, as well as training at the World Gospel Mission’s Bible Institute.

In 1945, driven by a deep call to overseas missions, Reidhead and his wife of two years, Marjorie, traveled under the auspices of the Sudan Interior Mission to the Sudan-Ethiopia border. During their five years there, Reidhead performed foundational linguistic work, analyzing tribal languages to facilitate the translation of the New Testament into the Dinka language which laid the groundwork for future evangelism and education. 

While enduring tribal conflicts and the constant threat of malaria, Reidhead recognized a vital truth: if people were to survive and live out the Gospel, their physical hunger had to be addressed alongside their spiritual needs. This realization regarding Christian economic development for developing nations became one of his most significant legacies. 

Upon returning to the United States, he was appointed Deputation Secretary of the Sudan Interior Mission in the Southeastern United States and quickly became a nationally recognized spokesman for global missions.

Pastoral Leadership and "Ten Shekels and a Shirt"

In 1956, Reidhead was appointed pastor of the historic Gospel Tabernacle in New York City, the birthplace of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA). During his tenure there, which lasted until 1966, he also founded Bethany Fellowship in Minneapolis, which grew into a premier missionary training center.

It was during this era—specifically at a 1965 conference in Minnesota—that he delivered his most famous and enduring sermon, "Ten Shekels and a Shirt." This message, which challenged humanistic motives in modern Christianity and called for a return to God-centered worship, became a landmark of evangelical preaching. 

In his later years, Reidhead increasingly viewed himself as a "missionary to America’s churches," burdened by a desire to feed believers who were hungering for the "Bread of Heaven."

A Vision for Global Development

Reidhead’s time in New York furthered his commitment to the physical survival of those in the mission field. In 1966, Third World development became his full-time focus. He served as a consultant to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, where he recruited U.S. firms to relocate operations to developing countries.

In 1971, he founded the Institute for International Development, a model for Christian economic development that eventually channeled over $100 million into Third World projects and served as a blueprint for nearly ninety other evangelical organizations. In 1984, he expanded this vision by founding Enterprise Development International (Endpoverty.org), an organization devoted to helping Third World churches and agencies create job opportunities for destitute families.

The Legacy of Paris Reidhead Bible Teaching Ministries (PRBTMI)

To preserve his extensive library of sermons and books, Reidhead founded Paris Reidhead Bible Teaching Ministries, Inc. in 1986. The inspiration for this media ministry came from a unique moment: Reidhead reportedly listened to a recording of "Ten Shekels and a Shirt" without immediately realizing he was the speaker. He was so moved by the message that he recognized the power of recorded media to reach people he could never visit in person.

He famously proclaimed that "Repentance is the only means whereby the barrier between man and God can be removed." His books, such as Getting Evangelicals Saved, and his vast collection of recorded sermons continue to offer transformative truth to those seeking a deeper faith.

A Prophetic Voice for Today

Paris Reidhead passed away in 1992, but his anointed teaching continues to reach a global audience. Today, PRBTMI continues to provide spiritual nourishment to university fellowships, prison chaplains, military personnel, and pastors worldwide, ensuring that his prophetic voice remains a guiding light for souls hungry for the truth.