By Ed Beavan
THE RENOWNED evangelical speaker the Rev Dr John Stott called for Christians to continue to strive for ”˜Christ-likeness’ during his final major address before retiring from public ministry.
Speaking at the annual Keswick Convention, the 87-year-old former chaplain to the Queen told the audience that ”˜Christ-likeness is the will of God for the people of God’.
He warned his audience that being Christ like in ”˜patient endurance’ may become ”˜increasingly relevant as persecution increases in many cultures’, and highlighted the importance of the incarnation for Christians.
He said: “As Christ had entered our world, so we are to enter other people’s worlds.
This entering into other people’s worlds is exactly what we mean by incarnational evangelism.
All authentic mission is incarnational mission.”
He added that evangelistic efforts often failed because Christians did not reflect the Christ they are proclaiming.
To illustrate the point he highlighted the words of a former Muslim converted to Christianity, the Rev Iskandar Jadeed, who said: “If all Christians were Christians””that is, Christ-like ”” there would be no more
Islam today.”
Keswick Convention Council Trustee and preacher, Jonathan Lamb, said Dr Stott’s final address had been deeply moving.
“He may be known as one of the greatest Christian leaders of the 20th century, but few of us could remain unmoved by the sight of a stooped figure, now quietly spoken, calling us to become more like Jesus Christ,” he said.
“Emotions were high amongst the thousands present, each with memories of the power and clarity of John Stott’s writing and preaching, and thankful for a life of godliness, integrity and humility.
“How fitting that his final visit to Keswick should deliberately point to the Lord Jesus, whom he has served so faithfully.”
–From the Church of England Newspaper, July 20, 2007
The harvest has been plentiful of which I am part and I am grateful to this worker in the field. His work continues to guide. Who now will go into the field?
John Stott’s writings were a huge factor in my conversion to real, Lordship-honoring, devoted Christianity when I was a college student. I once asked him if he preferred to be called ‘Father’ and he said that he much preferred his parishoners to call him ‘Uncle John’. And they did – and they do! The All Souls Langham Place website has a treasure trove of Stott’s preaching from decades of ministry. I highly recommend it. What a privilege we have all had to watch the life and ministry of this senior statesman of the church. Every blessing to you, Uncle John!