Book Reviews

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.

Related Book Reviews: Basic Christianity: The Inside Story of John Stott by Roger Steer The Last Word: Reflections on a Lifetime of Preaching by John Stott The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling by John Stott

This is a 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).

Related Book Reviews: John Stott at Keswick: A Lifetime of Preaching by John Stott The Last Word: Reflections on a Lifetime of Preaching by John Stott The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling by John Stott

In reading thisbook 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 thisbook, 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.

Related Book Reviews: Basic Christianity: The Inside Story of John Stott by Roger Steer John Stott at Keswick: A Lifetime of Preaching by John Stott The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling by John Stott

This book was written inStott’s 88^th 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 centers 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.

Related Book Reviews: Basic Christianity: The Inside Story of John Stott by Roger Steer John Stott at Keswick: A Lifetime of Preaching by John Stott The Last Word: Reflections on a Lifetime of Preaching by John Stott

Meetings for Better Understanding: A Church Without Walls Model for Reaching Muslims for Christ
Ian T. Coulter, Foreward Dr. Anees Zaka.

Do we understand the Muslims we see everywhere in our culture today? When we see them in the grocery store, department store, malls, etc., what is our natural tendency? We avoid contact and certainly are both fearful and hesitant to talk with them. The Church Without Walls model of witnessing to Muslims gives us a practical usable strategy of understanding and a guide for practicing our responsibility and privilege of sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom. Dr. Anees Zaka, founder of Church Without Walls, says of Ian Coulter’s book, it is a step-by-step process for doing (this ministry).

Ian Coulter’s how-to book, Meetings for Better Understanding, is biblically written and because it is a common sense approach to spreading, sharing, or telling the good news, it works not only among the Muslims, but it works with anyone with whom God would have us witness. It will help us know what to say and how to say it to build relationships for better understanding whether it is one-on-one or in groups or larger settings. One suggestion for us is when we see someone with a burka or hijab on her head, let that be a reminder of the challenge God has set before us and do not turn away. Although that particular occasion may not be the time or place, God may give the right time and setting to us as we obey him.

Coulter’s book as well as similar books by Dr. Zaka come into view as we understand that as Christians we are not only responsible to know the truth, who is Christ himself, as he said to Pontius Pilate, we are also to share him with others. On the one hand we can and should be concerned about the growing number of Muslims locally and globally. But on the other hand, can we not see this as God providing opportunities to reach out to them?

In light of this growing concern of the spread of Islam, the stark reality of what happened on September 11, 2001 brought home to us the intent of Muslim terrorists when they hijacked three airliners, caused mass destruction, and over 3,000 people died as a result of their war on the U.S. Even now we are witnessing a wide spread controversy regarding the building of a Mosque Museum near “ground zero” where the twin towers, destroyed by two of the airliners, once stood.

As Christians we believe there is only one living and true God and this God exists in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe Jesus Christ is the only truth, life, and way to God. Any religion not built on this truth has to be considered wrong, even false. Does this get us off the hook? We would like to think so. Does the Bible not remind us that God’s good news of the Kingdom belongs to those from every tongue, nation, tribe, and people? Does not the Apostle Paul ask and answer, “how shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach…?”

Several years ago, being challenged to write a book on world mission strategy including a chapter on Islam, I became better acquainted with Dr. Zaka and the ministry of Church Without Walls, of which Coulter was later a part. I realized their philosophy of ministry was biblical, strategic, and just plain common sense. How can you witness to someone without dialogue and conversation and how much better if the dialogue grows out of a relationship? Having written on similar concerns, it was encouraging to receive a note of appreciation from Ian Coulter as well as to be quoted in chapter three of his book.

On the cover of this book we read, “Why do we buy what we buy, vote the way we vote, eat what we eat and say what we say? Why do we have the friends we have, and work and play as we do? It’s our choice? Yes, but there are forces, often unseen, that shape every decision we make and every action we take.” That is an overwhelming and sweeping statement but it is absolutely true. The tragedy of this is for those of us who are Christians, who are to be self-controlled and alert and aware of the dangers and temptations in this spiritual warfare, we are not generally conscious of the forces moving, shaping, and influencing our lives so we continue to exhibit lifestyles that do not always coincide with who we are as Christians.

One of the main things that has driven our ministry at CEP over the years and continues to motivate my own personal ministry is the need for Christians to understand the kingdom world and life view as we call it. We have recommended, during that time, some excellent books on worldview. Our aim has always been to help Christians develop a Christian mind that knows how to understand the importance of worldviews and their impact on the lives of those holding them.

Many of those outstanding books have taken a more philosophical or apologetic approach for example: Christianity’s worldview or Islam’s world view, or the secularist worldview. They are crucial in our spiritual development of thinking with a transformed mind. With those types of world view it is easy to say as a Christian I am not influenced by Islam or the New Age or the secular worldview. But what this book represents are those “hidden worldviews” that impact our lifestyle as Christians almost unaware. I would say there are two levels of worldviews, the one being the philosophies and religion category, but the other refers to those hidden worldviews that impact our everyday lives, even as Christians.

Sanford and Wilkens have identified eight more culturally oriented worldviews that subtly work their way into a Christian’s mind and heart thus impacting their daily lives and often without ever giving them a second thought. Things like: individualism or consumerism, or moral relativism, or postmodern tribalism, as it is called. These hidden worldviews have the power to knock us off course in our Christian life and actually cause us to betray who we say we are and what we are supposed to stand for. The authors clearly describe their book by saying that it is an apologetic approach with a different twist. “Too often we assume that non-Christian worldviews stay safely on the other side of the church door. As you will see in this book, we believe that this is far from the case.”

If we could get Christians to self consciously realize that how they dress, what we buy, choices we make, and the whole cultural maze stuff that becomes part of our lives happens because we do not embrace or practice a consistently Christian worldview; hence we are no different from the world around us, often even in things like our worship style. The authors point out, and rightly so, because most of the worldviews identified in this book are not the more intellectual ones, they often fly below the radar screen and “they find their way behind the church doors, mixed in with Christian ideas and sometimes identified as Christian positions.” They are real competitors with Christianity and they stake their claim on the lives of Christians and nonbelievers alike.” page 13.

I also found the book to be “fair and balanced” in that it not only identifies the dangers of these worldviews but highlights some positives from them as well, which we need to hear. The chapter on postmodern tribalism is a chapter that every leader in the PCA should read carefully and discuss with other leaders.

I very much appreciate their development of the Christian worldview in chapter 10. If I were arranging the book I might have started with that as our base; nevertheless, it is a most helpful presentation in identifying that worldview.

I have recommended it for Sunday school adult electives, or small group study and discussion, as well and one’s on personal reading and study. I would definitely include this in my list of my top ten books on worldview.