At the age of 91 Martin Goldsmith has went to be with his Lord on February 3, 2026. He was the last of the gifted team who launched the new, combined, 3 Colleges that made up All Nations Christian College (ANCC) way back in the early 1970s. What a team they were: Principal David Morris plus Meg Foote, Margaret Jones, Doreen Peck, Ron Davies, Stan Bruce and Tom Paget. But while Martin was a committed team member he was always a one-off individual!
It was Martin who pioneered the role of the teaching missiologist together with introducing the teaching in the UK of non-Western theological development. It was Martin who instigated the (still running) Islamics Course and the Refresh for Mission Course. And it was Martin who persuaded Tony Collins of Monarch Publications to print a series of mission related books—all written by ANCC staff.
Books... were Martin’s thing.
Books, of course, were Martin’s thing. He authored about 30 himself and shamelessly publicized and sold them wherever he went on his travels. He told his much traveled life story in his book “Life’s Tapestry”. And he also encouraged Elizabeth, his wife, to write her own life story, “God Can Be Trusted” which has been re-printed 8 times.
Martin was born into a liberal Jewish family but he was challenged by Christianity when he went away to boarding school. On leaving he did his 2 years National Service in the Royal Navy where he trained to be a Russian interpreter. Afterwards he studied at Worcester College, Oxford, where he became a committed Christian.
He experienced times of revival and which yielded a fund of stories for his future lectures.
After his degree at Oxford he studied theology in Bristol and then served for ten adventurous years with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Thailand where he experienced times of revival and which yielded a fund of stories for his future lectures.
It was in exotic Singapore, in the early 60s that Martin married fellow OMF missionary, Elizabeth Hoyte. By the time they were transferred to Malaysia they had 2 children, Andrew and Margaret. Their third child, Ruth, was born when the Goldsmiths started their lengthy teaching careers at ANCC.
In total, Martin taught and lectured full time for 24 years and then a subsequent 30 years part time at ANCC (notably with the En Route Course). During their 50 years living in Stanstead Abbotts, the local village nearest to ANCC, Martin & Elizabeth were committed worshipers and preachers at St Andrews Church, just 500 meters from their home.
He could... be quite provocative and wanted to stretch students into opening their minds.
While lecturing, Martin had a unique capacity to laugh and guffaw at his own jokes. He could also be quite provocative and wanted to stretch students into opening their minds.
But he always showed that he was being deliberately outlandish by forcefully sticking his tongue into his cheek! He made great play of his Jewish background and constantly challenged students to measure their Christian thinking against Jewish concepts and understanding.
He was a popular tutor and many students who were not even in his Tutor Group turned to him for advice. He also enjoyed College sporting activities and played in the annual Staff against Students hockey matches until well into his 50s.
Martin was an avowed advocate of ANCC and scores of students came to the College because of the challenge to engage in mission that he had delivered at their university or church.
We give God thanks for Martin, for all that he gave to the life and work of the college, and we pray God’s comfort and peace for Elizabeth and the family.
Originally published by All Nations Christian College. Republished with permission.
Rev. Dr. Bob Hunt is a former tutor and vice principal of All Nations Christian College (ANCC) in Ware, Hertfordshire, UK. Bob's journey with All Nations began in 1964 as one of its earliest students. After graduation he dedicated himself to missions, including impactful work in the Congo, before returning to impart his wisdom as a tutor and later as Vice Principal, totaling an incredible 33 years of service to the college.
