Being a Christian means being part of a bigger story, for God has worked in the course of history to make a people for himself. There is great joy in being part of this story, because we are spared the anxiety of creating ourselves out of nothing. Rather than going it alone, we stand on the shoulders of those before us in the faith, and consequently see further. The studies in this book tell the stories of twelve great heroes of the faith from the last two thousand years of history. Sometimes their strengths drove their story, sometimes their weaknesses, but their lives left others profoundly changed. From each of these flawed but faithful mentors, we can draw courage and receive spiritual nurture as we contend for the faith today.