John Stott - Exemplary Evangelical

Go away and something is going to happen. I have arrived home to find that John Stott has gone to be with the Lord. Here is an excerpt from a Langham Partnership email sent today:

"Today at 3.15pm UK time (2.15am NZ time), John Stott went to be with the Lord. Close family and friends were with him during the morning, and they listened together with him to selections from Handel’s Messiah, including “I know that my Redeemer liveth”, and read through 2 Timothy. He died very peacefully during the afternoon. He had become very weak and weary in recent months and we thank God for a merciful and peaceful ending to his earthly pilgrimage.

John Stott reached the great age of 90 in April this year. During his lifetime, he became known worldwide for the clarity, faithfulness and relevance of his writing and preaching, combined with extraordinary integrity and humility. A man of remarkable global vision and strategic insight, he was instrumental in the establishment of many thriving Christian agencies. Countless people around the world can testify to the personal encouragement they have received from ‘Uncle John’. His ministry took him to every corner of the globe, and thus his influence was truly global.

It was no accident that in 2005 John Stott was listed by TIME magazine as one of the world’s 100 most influential people. The tribute to him at that time was written by Billy Graham [not on the list], who concluded by saying, “He represents a touchstone of authentic biblical scholarship that, in my opinion, has scarcely been paralleled since the days of the 16th century European Reformers.” "

John Stott's writings have been influential in my life. He has modelled for me clarity in thinking allied with evangelical convictions. However today is about him not me. Thanks be to God for his life, his teaching and his evangelical example.