John Stott died this week. He was 90.
Stott was sometimes called “the evangelical pope.” He was a man of wisdom, depth, clarity, warmth, and massive influence. He radiated love for Christ and his church. Though he spent most his years as pastor of All Souls Church in London, he was truly a global Christian, giving the royalties from his many books to support scholars and evangelists in the developing world. Though a lifelong Anglican, he declined the opportunity to become a bishop because he wanted to remain available to the wider church, among whom he was affectionately known as “Uncle John.”
His death prompted a deluge of tributes from all corners of the church and globe, and even from non-Christians.
Saddleback Church?s Pastor Rick Warren simply declared him “a giant.”
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said of him, “During a long life of unsparing service and witness, John won a unique place in the hearts of all who encountered him. Without ever compromising his firm evangelical faith, he showed himself willing to challenge some of the ways in which that faith had become conventional or inward-looking. It is not too much to say that he helped to change the face of evangelicalism internationally, arguing for the necessity of ?holistic? mission that applied the Gospel of Jesus to every area of life. But he will be remembered most warmly as an expositor of scripture and a teacher of the faith, whose depth and simplicity brought doctrine alive in all sorts of new ways.”
The Rev. S. Douglas Birdsall, executive chair of the Lausanne Conference, which Stott co-founded with Billy Graham, remarked that “John Stott?s focus was the cross. The church was his great love. World evangelization was his passion. Scripture was his authority. Heaven was his hope. Now it is his home.”
Maybe it was David Brooks, a Jewish columnist for the New York Times, who captured him best. In an op-ed piece a few years ago, Brooks lamented the tendency of the media to find the most outlandish and offensive evangelical Christians and to make them representatives of the movement. He then pointed to Stott as evangelical Christianity?s real spokesman, describing him as “friendly, courteous and natural” whose faith was “humble and self-critical, but also confident, joyful and optimistic,” and praising him for his “thoughtful allegiance to scripture.” And that from someone outside the Christian faith.
Personally, Stott mentored me through his books, especially his Magnus Opus, The Cross of Christ. The man possessed the rare combination of first-rate scholarship, lucid and compelling prose, and godly pastoral wisdom. He could parse Greek phrases with rigor and precision, and argue fine points of doctrine with agility and exactitude, but he never lost sight of the biblical imperative to live the truth, not just to know it. His genius, indeed, was application: How then shall we live? Truth that does not work its way into our hearts, our tongues, our eyes, our feet, our hands, was dead.
But truth that takes hold of us and leads us into intimacy with Jesus, obedience to him, and Kingdom work for him and with him ? that is living. Stott had a living faith. Though he is gone, his influence will live on for many years ? indeed, I believe it will grow. And of course, he?s doing just fine.
Billy Graham said on Wednesday, “The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisers. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to heaven.”
Me too.
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