John Stott possibly had more impact than anyone else (except perhaps for Billy Graham) in the 20th century on the Christian world. He was known for his formidable intellect - having gained first class honours at Cambridge University, and for his faithful and crystal, clear expositions. These were especially seen in his New Testament commentaries in The Bible Speaks Today series, which had a huge influence globally. As his biographer, Timothy Dudley-Smith, put it: 'All over the world, as preachers and pastors prepare sermons, they turn to their book shelves and ask, “I wonder what John Stott has to say about this passage.”’
He was a visionary. He was the architect of the Lausanne Covenant in 1974, which was a significant document for evangelicals worldwide. He also recognised the importance of a theologically robust and evangelical education for the Majority World, and founded an initiative, now known as Langham Partnership International, to provide scholarships for the best and brightest Christians to further their studies. Furthermore, he was a shining example in encouraging Christians to engage with society in a biblically faithful way, seen for instance, in his founding of the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC). He was passionate about global mission - "We must be global Christians with a global mission, because our God is a global God", he once wrote.
Among his most influential books include The Cross of Christ, which is probably the best book of its kind of the 20th century. He considered The Incomparable Christ his favourite book, which is in keeping with a man who clearly loved the Lord Jesus. Of course, who could forget Basic Christianity, which was a life-changer for so many in its clear and warm-hearted exposition of the basics of the Christian faith.
Finally, what comes across again and again was that he was a man marked by deep humility. He lived in humble surroundings all his life, and was often embarrassed by what he perceived as unwarranted attention and praise. He wasn't just a preacher, but a pastor - often making time just to chat with you and pray with you. This was a man whose public and private life was one and the same.
We praise God for the life of John Stott, and rejoice that he is safely at home with the Lord.
Brian K
Selected writings:
Basic Christianity (1958)
What Christ thinks of the Church: An Exposition of Revelation 2-3 (1958)
Christ the Controversialist (1970)
Understanding the Bible (1972)
Your Mind Matters (1972)
Baptism and Fullness (1975)
The Message of Ephesians (1979)
I Believe in Preaching (1982)
Issues Facing Christians Today (1st edition 1984, now in its 4th edition 2006)
The Cross of Christ (1986)
The Contemporary Christian (1992)
The Incomparable Christ (2001)
The Living Church (2007)
The Radical Disciple (2010)
Obituaries and Tributes
John Stott Memorial
Tribute from All Souls, his home church
A tribute from Dr. David Wells, distinguished senior professor at Gordon-Conwell Seminary
John Stott: An Appreciation
Tributes from Biblemesh
A tribute from John Piper
Christianity Today Obituary
BBC Obituary
NY Times piece
Obituary in the Independent
Obituary in the Telegraph
A Youtube tribute
Biographies of John Stott:
2 volumes - The Making of a leader and A Global Ministry by Timothy Dudley-Smith (available in the SMACC Library)
Inside Story by Roger Steer
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