Someday when we get to heaven, we’ll finally get to know who God considered the most successful Christians. But for now we follow the examples of faithful Christians who have served the Lord. Here are 7 men from the 16th century onwards who are remembered for the ways they changed the world for Christ.

On October 31, 1517, a man named Martin Luther nailed a document to the door of his church. Only, this wasn’t just another document, it was a spark that set the world on fire. Luther’s bold act set in motion a movement centered on Scripture and the gospel, called the Reformation, which spread throughout the world. His legacy is seen in protestant churches throughout every continent of people.

Just before he was executed for giving England a Bible in her native tongue, William Tyndale prayed, “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.” Tyndale dedicated, and ultimately gave, his life to give every English speaking person the Bible in their own language. His prayer was answered, and his legacy is felt not only in the English Bibles we read today, but in the hundreds of other translations of the Bible available today.

The father of modern missions, William Carey, changed the course of the world with three words: “I will go.” His decision to leave everything and go to India to preach the gospel and translate the Bible in the native languages of that land, set in motion a new course for history. He left a legacy of thousands of Christians faithfully serving all over the world.