Dorothy Barbara Bennett

“The LORD will guide you always… and you will be like a well-watered garden” Isaiah 58:11.

Dorothy Bennett was born of Welsh parents, on September 28, 1929, in Oxford, England. While still in elementary school, she felt called of God to be a missionary. However, the only Gospel she knew was from the words sung in church, written by Christians of a previous era! Upon graduating from High School, it was said: “Dorothy had strong religious inclinations and would be remembered for her leadership, drama and public speaking.” Torn by these two directions in her life, she set her face toward what she considered best for becoming a missionary. Hence, she entered nursing with all its unknown future. At the time she graduated as a RN, Dorothy was invited to hear an evangelist who scripturally preached that she was a ‘sinner’ and needed to be saved by His grace alone and not by her good ‘works.’ Her proud, religious heart reacted to

such an ‘ungentlemanly allegation’ but, before she pillowed her head that night, with much heart struggle, she surrendered her will to God; acknowledging that she was a ‘sinner’ in His Holy sight and sought forgiveness by His precious Blood shed on her behalf at Calvary. The peace of God immediately flooded her life; she was “born again” by the Holy Spirit, and the Bible became ‘alive’ as she shared its pages with others. All glory to Yeshua - Jesus Christ!

Following Dorothy taking further post-graduate nursing degrees, she attended the European Bible Institute in Paris, France. Then she held a senior nursing position in a Psychiatric hospital and an Epileptic Special School for highly educable children. When at this latter position, she sustained a severe spinal injury and ‘doctors’ told her that ‘she would not walk or work again. “But God”! Within a year of her accident, God planned the meeting of Dorothy and Richard and they soon become life partners for 61 years.

Commissioned from the London church where Richard had pastored, and later from their membership church in Manhattan, New York City, their worldwide gospel ministry brought a united Christ-exalting spiritual outreach to churches, conferences, missionary conventions, Bible Schools, Christian organisations, to nationals and to missionaries in various countries and among officer leadership of the Military. At the same time their missionary radio commenced in the early days of both TWR and FEBC messages reaching Europe and India.

Dorothy’s daytime evangelistic ‘home meetings’ helped bring many ladies to Christ and, with Richard, they both taught how to prayerfully and lovingly receive such ‘spiritual babies’ into the local church for biblical follow-up and care. Prior to every service or meeting, much praise and prayer was the vital ‘fuel’ for the compassion of His driving force to “Preach the Word.” Needed fresh infillings of the Holy Spirit, was their only enabling power to: “Walk by faith and not by sight” 2 Corinthians 5:7. Dorothy’s extensive biblical counselling ministry was a vital adjunct of her husband's ministry and still used of God to her departure.

“At Richard's side, Dorothy exercised an effective ministry to women. Today, her biblical teachings concisely apply doctrine and encouragement to ladies through messages broadcast in fourteen languages. Bible reading is added to her broadcasts in the audio format, and widely accepted and warmly-embraced by many listeners as her friendly, practical application is applied to their daily living. Her, ‘DDD’ programs, are on Internet and heard worldwide, being aired from Trans World Radio via Satellite, Short Wave and Medium Wave.”