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BASIC CHRISTIAN - THE INSIDE STORY OF JOHN STOTT
Steer, Roger
(click author name for other books by that author)
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Retail Price:
$19.00
Price: $13.87
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| 1 - 4 | $13.87 | | 5 - 9 | $13.30 | | 10 - 20 | $12.73 | | 21 + | $12.16 |
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Publisher:
IVP
ISBN:
9780830338462
Item #:
9734
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Binding:
Paperback
Chapters:
30
Page Count:
288
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Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott chronicles the engaging story of Stott's remarkable life. Roger Steer takes you from John Stott's lifelong association with the parish church of All Souls in London to every continent on the planet. The account of Stott's ministry strikingly parallels the record of the rise of evangelical Christianity during the same years.
You'll see the early influences on his life unfold into Stott's profound impact on the Church of England and the church worldwide. His associations with the British Inter-Varsity, Billy Graham, the Keswick Convention and the Urbana Conventions are woven together with the story of the landmark books he wrote--Basic Christianity, The Cross of Christ and more.
Included is the dramatic confrontation with Martyn Lloyd-Jones over the place of evangelicals in the Church of England. You'll witness the critical role Stott's leadership played in the framing of the Lausanne Covenant and how his plea for a new understanding of the balance between evangelism and social action shaped the decades to come.
This completely new biography tells the full tale of why he was, as Time magazine noted in 2005, one of the hundred most influential people in the world.
Interesting tid bits from the story. . .
John Stott's father stood strongly against his desire to be ordained in the Church of England and his pacifist leanings during World War II?
John Stott once dressed up as a street urchin, fashioned a "strong Cockney accent" and lived under a bridge near the Thames in London in order to see how others lived--and whether or not the good Christians of the city reached out to them? (They did not.)
John Stott and the late D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones had a major breach in their relationship over Stott's refusal to leave the Church of England?
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Publication Date:
2010
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I have developed a greater and greater appreciation over the years for Bible preacher, teacher, and scholar John R. W. Stott. We share a common commitment to the church’s role of making disciples and though he doesn’t use my phrase, kingdom disciples with a world and life view, this is obviously where he is coming from. His commentaries on the Bible and contemporary issues, and discipleship and other general topics within the framework of evangelical Christianity, have taught me, challenged me, and helped me in so many ways. He says about discipleship: “Basic to all discipleship is our resolve not only to address Jesus with polite titles but to follow his teaching and obey his commands.” What I want to do with this review is to give you a quote from what he calls his last book which I must admit was a statement hard for me to accept. I am grateful for this man and his ministry. His leadership in both global and local Christianity has been phenomenal. I never preach or teach on a passage of Scripture in which I am aware that Stott has written without including him in my study and research.
There are several books I will list in this unusual review format. I want to include this lengthy quote in what he says is his last book, The Radical Disciple.
“As I lay down my pen for the last time (literally, since I confess I am not computerized) at the age of eighty-eight, I venture to send this valedictory message to my readers. I am grateful for your encouragement for many of you have written to me.
Looking ahead, none of us of course knows what the future of printing and publishing may be. But I myself am confident that the future of books is assured and that, though they will be complemented, they will never be altogether replaced. For there is something unique about books. Our favorite books become very precious to us and we even develop with them an almost living and affectionate relationship. Is it an altogether fanciful fact that we handle, stroke and even smell them as tokens of our esteem and affection? I am not referring only to an author’s feeling for what he has written, but to all readers and their library. I have made it a rule not to quote from any book unless I have first handled it. So let me urge you to keep reading, and encourage your relatives and friends to do the same. For this is a much neglected means of grace.”
Stott concludes his remarks with a brief explanation of what he has done in his will regarding his books. There are four recently published books that I want to mention in this “review.”
Comments: The Radical Disciple — As noted above this book was written in this, Stott’s 88th year. Actually is has been written for the majority of his ministry for it summarizes all the basics that Stott has emphasized and taught so clearly over the years. According to Stott, a disciple is actually a “radical disciple.” By that he has a twofold meaning in that term: 1. a disciple is someone under instruction and discipline of a teacher, but 2. he or she is also radical, meaning, reaching to the root, thoroughgoing.
In this final book, Stott selects eight aspects of discipleship that he believes most Christians often neglect. As he list them, nonconformity, Christ-likeness, maturity, creation care, simplicity, balance, dependence, and death, he reminds us that kingdom disciples are not free to pick and choose those different things. Our challenge is to submit to the Lord’s authority in all these areas.
This is a powerful little book which is an easy read but difficult to dismiss. It is challenging from beginning to end and definitely center on Christ the King. I would definitely say to our readers, this is a must read little book but be prepared, it is a powerful book.
Book two: The Last Word: In reading this little book and I believe it is one that should be read over and over, you will not only learn from and about a master disciplemaker, you will not be the same as you take to heart his words. I will highlight some of those words from Stott himself.
He states very pointedly that our role is not to make Christianity relevant but rather to demonstrate its relevancy. That strikes a strident chord because I have become more and more convinced over the years that the more we attempt to make Christianity relevant, the more irrelevant we make it. However, Stott’s says that he fosters the concept of “double listening.” He says he is convinced that much good Bible teaching does not reflect double listening hence the preaching becomes sterile. By double listening he means, first, listening to the Word of God and second, listening to the world. While admitting the change in his ministry when he actually embraced double listening, he also reminds us that the first level of listening to the Word must always have priority because the authority of the Word is so connected with the authority of Christ that both stand together. Stott shares his testimony of realizing his failure to listen to the world and how starting a small reading group of professionals in London broke the ice. But he admits that was not an easy learning experience for him. But he became more and more convinced of the importance of the relation of Scripture to culture, which he calls “a vital question.”
His challenge to develop a Christian mind has not only challenged me conceptually over the years, but his writings and modeling how Christians can and should deal with the contemporary issues have been tremendously impacting on my life and ministry.
He frequently reminds us that developing a Christian mind often involves dealing honestly with doubts. He says however, doubts should be transient while questioning should always be a permanent part of discipleship.
I would ask, what does bird watching, failing eye sight, humility, and Christian thinking, and discipleship have in common? The answer is John Stott.
In this little book, he includes his famous Keswick sermon on Justification from Romans 5. What a basic and powerful message. That is worth the purchase of the book itself, especially with so much controversy over that topic today.
In The Last Word, Stott sets forth a fourfold challenge that has driven his own ministry and involvement in training/discipling Christians over the years. 1. Interpret the Bible, 2. Understand the modern world, 3. Living as a radical disciple, 4. Reach out in mission, so that faith, conduct, and mission blend together.
Book Three: Basic Christian by Roger Steer. This is biography of John Stott. It basically focuses on that part of Stott’s life that began with his ministry at All Soul’s parish church in London to his worldwide ministry on all the major continents of the world. Steer included a quote from Dr. Billy Graham which I believe is so true, “John Stott is the most respected evangelical clergyman in the world today, and has been a standard, or role model for thousands of clergy.”
There are so many things that could be said about this biography. I’ll only mention a couple. Chapter 25, Wincing Under Attack, is an important chapter. One of the problems that developed several years ago that caused great concern for many evangelical and reformed theologians, and rightly so, was John Stott’s view of hell and punishment. Stott’s view differs significantly from most reformed and evangelicals understanding of hell. He has been misquoted, misunderstood, and often turned away because it was said that Stott did not believe in hell. This chapter contains a lengthy interview with David Edwards, a provost, historian, writer, and editor. He put this before Stott. Bottom line, it would be wrong and misleading to say that John Stott does not believe in hell. What does he believe? You’ll have to read this book and chapter. But I will quote him here, “”I do not dogmatise about the position to which I have come. I hold it tentatively.”
Another valuable chapter in this biography deals with “what is evangelicalism.” Not only has Stott written quite a bit on this subject, he has been looked to as the man to give a clear definition of a theological perspective that has become more and more vague, confused, and uncertain. (We reviewed an earlier Stott book giving his concept of evangelicalism).
Book four: John Stott at Keswick, A Lifetime of Preaching. Briefly, this is simply a book of some of the most outstanding sermons that Stott delivered between 1965 and 2000 AD at the Keswick Conventions. I admit that reading some sermons can be a boring experience but with Stott’s double listening, masterful expository style, and genuine Christ-like spirit, I have not found that to be true about John Stott’s sermons. From my first hearing of Stott speaking on the upper room discourses at the Urbana Missions conference back in the 60’s to hearing him and seeing his leadership in the Lausanne movement, to his commitment to making radical (kingdom) disciples, I thank God for this man. He has taught me much by word and example. Also, as I have stated in this publication regarding the late Francis Schaeffer, thank God that he led these men to write books for us to embrace, study, and learn from as we attempt to double listen and make radical disciples.
~ Charles Dunahoo
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