Neither Christ alone as man nor the Father alone as God could be our substitute. Only God in Christ, God the Father's own and only Son made man, could take our place.
Evangelical leader, pastor, mentor, evangelist and writer John Stott died peacefully at a retirement home aged 90 yesterday. I heard the news from a lifelong friend of Dr Stott, who was affectionately known as "Uncle John" to his many friends. Philip wrote:
My dear friend (and perhaps yours, too) died this afternoon at 3.15. He passed peacefully into the presence of his Lord and Saviour whom he served so joyfully and effectively throughout his life.
Frances Whitehead, his niece Caroline and her daughter - Emily, his former study assistant, Matthew Smith, his fiancĂŠ - Eia and I were with him. There was no apparent pain and no famous last words. He died at peace both without and within. Rico Tice from All Souls church had visited him in the morning. Shortly before he died we read 2 Timothy and 4:6-8 seemed particularly applicable.
There will be obituaries in the main papers and a memorial service at St Paulâs Cathedral (eventually).
I will miss him very much â he taught me to love and follow Jesus Christ by his life as much as in his writings.
I thought you would like to know as soon as possible, so please forgive this for not being more personal.
âThe Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lordâ.
John Stott stands as a towering figure over the history and growth of evangelicalism in the second half of the 20th Century. You can read more about his influence and life in detail on the Christianity Today obituary here.
As a measure of his influence, he was voted among the top 100 influential people in the world by a Time magazine article in April 2005. And his influence is everywhere in a whole generation of evangelicals who grew up devouring his carefully written and researched books, and benefitting from his humble pastoral mentoring and prayers.
Other tributes to Dr Stott include:
"The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to Heaven." Billy Graham
"It will not be possible to write the history of the church in the 20th century without reference to John Stott. His remarkable ministry spanned the whole of the second half of the century and even in his eighties he was making an impact on the 21st. His leadership of the evangelical movement, both in the Anglican Communion and in wider inter-denominational settings, was a major factor in moving it from rather narrow-minded fundamentalism after the Second World War, to the fastest growing part of world Christianity that it is today. The list of movements and institutions he founded, fostered and strengthened can be read in the biographical pages of this website. His books have challenged and nourished millions of Christians into a balanced and thinking biblical faith. His legacy through the global impact of the Langham Partnership International and the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity is incalculable.
For the vast majority of people whose lives he influenced profoundly, however, he was simply âUncle Johnâ â a much loved friend, correspondent, and brother, to whose prayers we will never know how much we owe. Like Moses, he was one of the greatest leaders God has given to his people, and yet at the same time, one of the humblest men on the face of the earth. He was, for all of us who knew him, a walking embodiment of the simple beauty of Jesus, whom he loved above all else.". Chris Wright, Langham Partnership International Director
Personally, I have been hugely shaped as a Christian disciple by both Basic Christianity and The Cross of Christ.
Other obituaries can be found here:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/john-stott-obit.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/world/europe/28stott.html
http://www.tributes.com/show/John-Stott-92007699
http://barrycooper.com/2011/07/27/uncle-john/
âI donât want to be stuck in some library.ââHow is Greek going to help me?â âIsnât it a bit weird to turn my faith into an academic discipline?â
Most people in local churches acknowledge that getting to know God better is important. Some people actively take steps to deepen their understanding by attending home groups, conferences or reading books. Few, however, take the plunge and study theology. It has a bit of a bad press: boring, irrelevant and even a danger to our faith. But the reality is that studying theology, at a Bible-centred college, can be one of the most transforming and exciting experiences of our life!
1. Theology is relationship-deepening
Good theology never encourages us to know about God, it always inspires us to know God. The more we truly understand the living and active word of the Lord (Heb 4:12), the more we fall in love with the author and perfecter of life (Heb 12:2) and can spur one another on to good works (Heb 10:24)... learning from trusted teachers who think biblically and encourage us to do the same is a brilliant way to deepen our understanding and fuel our faith.
2. Theology is practical
Understanding Godâs nature and purposes are deeply practical pursuits because they effect how we think and act (Rom 12:2). And whatever our specific spiritual gifts â preaching, pastoral care or administration â studying theology can help develop them. Setting time aside to learn from people who have a proven track record at exercising their gifts humbly and faithfully inspires us to grow and serve passionately (1Cor 4:16).
3. Theology encourages wisdom
There are very few new heresies in the world â the old ones just keep popping up in new guises. Rigorously engaging with the past equips us to avoid being âtossed aboutâ in the present (Eph 4:14-16).
4. Theology is enjoyable
And doing all this with our brothers and sisters in Christ is just plain fun! We rejoice in what we learn (Ps 19:8) and meet lovely people who become valued partners in mission and prayerful companions in the good times and the bad...
So why not give it a go? Whether you opt for full-time, part-time or distance-learning, thereâs a course out there that might just change your life!
"A Christian fundamentalist with right-wing views."
This is how police described Anders Behring Breivik, the bomber and gunman responsible for the appalling tragedy in Norway this last weekend.
I suspect I am not alone in shuddering at the way this title links an act of cold-blooded murder with the Prince of Peace. Perhaps the confusion comes from the fact that political parties described as "Christian" in continental Europe, often now have a very tenuous connection with living faith and belief. The Christian Democratic party in Norway for example (the KrF) is supported by some muslims and secularists because of its stance on headline issues such as abortion and gay marriage. But the rule that party officers must sign a declaration of their Christian faith has come under increasing pressure to be removed in recent years. Sadly, the word "Christian" has become synonymous with "right wing" in many parts of European politics.
So just to get it straight. There is no-one who is a follower of Jesus Christ who could claim that these acts of terrorism are in any way consistent with the teaching and example of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus calls us to lay down our own lives, not those of others (1 John 3:16). He calls us to live in peace (2 Corinthians 13:11). He calls us to let God be the judge, not us (Luke 6:37). He calls us to love not hate (Galatians 6:10).
Join me in praying for the distressed and bereaved in Norway at this time. Join me in trying to live out His life of love and self giving. Join me in trying to change the world with the word of the gospel, not with bullets and bombs.
Nb. For our international readers; please see this report about the ticketing for the London 2012 Olympics and the mild debacle that it became.
Did you get any Olympic tickets? Did you even try? As a sports fan, I was so excited when London was awarded the Olympics. Iâd never thought I could go to the Olympics â and now I could. Wonderful! I jumped through all the hoops â applied for a wide range of sports to increase my options â and waited with anticipation. There was a false dawn when some money was taken from my account that would have been the exact amount for several tickets. Yes, I thought, Iâve definitely got something. But it turned out to be my council tax. More waiting⌠and waiting⌠until, eventually, the email that started âWe are sorryâŚâ. I was gutted.
A few weeks later, the whole saga started again. This time I set my alarm for 5.45am, so that I could sign in and apply on the dot of 6.00. My application was finished at 6.03am â yes! ⌠No ⌠âWe are having processing difficultiesâŚâ Round and round the circuit I went â apply / deny / apply / deny â ugh! Eventually the application was accepted â but that didnât mean tickets, just that theyâd received my request. âYouâll hear for certain in 12-24 hoursâ â oh, no I didnât. Aagh! Then eventually, when Iâd given up hope, another email: âWeâre delighted to tell youâŚâ. Phew! Iâve got one. Just one solitary ticket, (and even that was dependent on them successfully taking the payment from my account), but I now know how lucky I am to be going at all.
The whole process was exhausting, frustrating and an emotional roller-coaster. But it also got me thinking. The worst thing about the Olympics process was the not knowing. The uncertainty, coupled with the disappointment of hopes dashed, was crushing. And in the end I had to tell myself I was delighted with something thatâs far less than I originally hoped for. In contrast â how wonderful the gospel message is. Weâre not left hanging around waiting. The outcome is based on the finished work of Christ, not the vagaries of a lottery. And the glittering prize wonât lose itâs glow as we get closer to it â instead it will prove to be far more wonderful than we can ever imagine. Iâm still quite excited about my single Olympic ticket â but Iâm thrilled to the bottom of my soul by the prize I have through Christ my Lord.
Recently I was given a âZero Intoleranceâ leaflet. Itâs a publication from the United Reformed Church â one that seeks to encourage congregations of all denominations to stamp out prejudice. Itâs a precursor to a poster campaign that may be hitting a church or a street near you in the not too distant future.
Its central thesis is that Jesus welcomed everyone but the church doesnât and that failure to love is a blot on our copybook, a reason why many have left local congregations and a reason why others donât join. Its call is to encourage churches to become âradically welcomingâ to the marginalised of society and to accept people of all backgrounds without issuing any call to change.
If nothing else, the campaign poses some interesting questions ...
â˘Do we need to repent of prejudice?
Quite possibly! I, for one, have been sinful since conception (Ps 51:5) and there is no part of my being that hasnât been tainted by sin. Unlike God, I donât always look at peopleâs hearts, I do sometimes look at outward appearances at least at first glance (1Sam 16:7) and that is something I do need to repent of. Maybe your church too...
â˘Does more need to be done to make our churches more welcoming?
Absolutely! There is much to commend the welcome of my church and I guess yours as well but weâre not perfect. James 2 makes it quite clear that churches down the ages have been guilty of the sin of partiality. We need to be passionate and intentional about doing all we can to change that.
â˘Is it our responsibility to accept people without calling them to change?
Not in a million years! The church isnât a place where people stay the same. We follow a saviour who loved those that others tossed aside but who also issued the call to lifestyle change (Jn 8:11). We are bearers of the Holy Spirit whose role it is to help us put off the âold selfâ and put on the new (Col 3). And that message must ring true to people of all backgrounds (including our own).
If you see a âZero Intoleranceâ poster later in 2011, why not think and pray about how you can start some conversations like this, using it as a spur to show love... and speak truth.
