The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor

by John R.W. Stott

At the 150th anniversary of the dedication of his church, John Stott gave voice to his dream for All Souls, London, and all souls "I have a dream of Reflecting on his more than sixty years of service at All Souls and a worldwide ministry that led Time magazine to acknowledge him as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World," Stott alerts a church that is in transition to the marks of a church that is living. The Living Church is the full articulation of Stott's dream for the body of Christ in the world today. To the people of God who inherit the global church he has helped to build for the past sixty years, he bequeaths this There is such a thing as pursue it. The postmodern mood is unfriendly to all universal absolutes. Yet the apostle says there is such a thing as fight for it. And there is such a thing as lay hold of it. May God enable us to make an unabashed commitment . . . to what is true, what is good, and what is real.

Genres: Church, Christian, Christianity, Theology, Ecclesiology, Leadership, Nonfiction

180 pages, Hardcover

First published May 16, 2007

About the author

John R. W. Stott is known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist, and communicator of Scripture. For many years he served as rector of All Souls Church in London, where he carried out an effective urban pastoral ministry. A leader among evangelicals in Britain, the United States and around the world, Stott was a principal framer of the landmark Lausanne Covenant (1974). His many books, including Why I Am a Christian and The Cross of Christ, have sold millions of copies around the world and in dozens of languages. Whether in the West or in the Two-Thirds World, a hallmark of Stott's ministry has been expository preaching that addresses the hearts and minds of contemporary men and women. Stott was honored by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."

Reviews

[Maddie Jupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I thought it was encouraging, challenging and insightful. Was so cool to get a look into what the church really should be since I feel like I didn’t really know much about it. Would definitely recommend to anyone who feels the same. I also liked the way the book was structured. Great stuff from you Stott.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book connected a lot of dots for me. Stott’s teaching is so pastoral and gentle, yet it doesn’t stray away from truth. One of my favorite sections: He digs into the paradoxes of preaching — Being both biblical AND contemporary, authoritative AND tentative, prophetic AND pastoral, gifted AND studied, thoughtful AND passionate — then from this, and in all things, calls us to develop balanced, biblical Christianity. This little 150 pager just radically helped me to further formulate the way I view the church, my role in it, and the bigger picture of God’s vision and purposes for it.

[Glenn Wishnew III · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stott can accomplish in 7 pages what most authors strive for in 70.

[Steve Nation · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful picture of the church from a man I've been so shaped by as a Christian. Similar to Mark Dever's Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. I really liked Dever's book, but there's something about Stott's writing that speaks to me, challenges me, pushes me forward, in ways that few other writers do.

Each chapter provides one aspect of church life - simply, clearly, yet beautifully written. Leaves me loving Christ's church more and more, wanting to be a part of it and serve it as much as I can.

And the appendices are a goldmine too

[A.J. Mendoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Stott has this beautiful way of saying complex ideas in very simple ways. I would recommend this for any lay or paid leader found within a church. Stott prevents some theological views of the church that is both challenging to embrace but practical in its implementation. Highly orthodox for the Restoration Movement, this book is useful for formulating why the Church does what it does.

[Sam Crosbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. His personal reflections are particularly insightful. Looking forward to getting into some more Stott books throughout the year.

[Cedric · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Stott makes me want to be a better person and I heartily enjoyed this book. After more than six decades of dedicated service at All Souls, Langham Place, Stott delivers a profound message to a transitioning church. In "The Living Church," Stott expresses his vision for the contemporary body of Christ. To those who inherit the global Church he has played a pivotal role in shaping for the past sixty years, he imparts a profound calling: The concept of goodness is real, and we should actively pursue it. In a postmodern era skeptical of universal absolutes, he reminds us that truth exists, and we must ardently defend it. He also emphasizes that life is tangible, encouraging us to embrace it fully. May we find the strength, with God's guidance, to wholeheartedly commit ourselves to what is genuine, virtuous, and authentic.
I definitely recommend this title.

[Lucas Freitas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confesso que costumo me deixar seduzir por argumentos complexos, mas deveria mesmo era aprender com a clareza e simplicidade de John Stott.

Reforça minha sensação de que minha geração gosta muito mais de ouvir conselhos ("follow", no linguajar contemporâneo) de pessoas jovens demais para serem sábias o bastante. Talvez por isso o excesso de palavras ditas a uma audiência infinita nas redes sociais... Não que devamos ser desprezados pela nossa juventude, mas me parece mais sábio "follow" quem terminou bem do que sofrer com as incertezas de quem está só começando.

[Ryan Linkous · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful word of encouragement from a senior saint who has gone to be with the Lord.

It's less systematic than other treatments, but it will stir the heart. His counsel is always comprehensive, yet profound. If I could preach half as clearly with 25% of the passion of John Stott, I'd be a great preacher.

My favorite part of the entire book is his essay, "I Have a Dream of a Living Church."

[Paul Baker]

2025-10-20

Review 2025.09.001

Reviewers Note: It is the middle of 2025 and I am not doing a good job of keeping up with this desired goal of mine to write book reviews. I do not want to lower my expectations but I am going to so that I can catch up. This will mean short reviews on the books I read.

The Living Church by John Stott
180 Pages

Not bad. Is that a good enough review?

[Jason Pamblanco · Rating 3 out of 5]

The chapter on ministry is a mixed bag. The chapter on giving is very good. Overall Stott is a good thinker and his ability to see the tensions in most every area of church life and find balance is noble.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. I enjoyed it, and it ministered to my soul. I felt a great distance from the author, his Anglicanism and his Englishness. But I loved his warmth, his balance, his love of truth and his love for the church of Christ.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mooi praktisch boek over de kerk. Geen modellen, stappenplannen of "vernieuwende" inzichten, maar heldere Bijbelse kenmerken eenvoudig beschreven. Aan het eind van het boek een inspirerende oproep aan kerkleiders om 'als Timoteüs' te worden. Aanrader!

[Andrew Krom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never read anything by John Stott before, this was a good introduction to his ministry and thought! This book works through 8 characteristics of the church from a pastor's perspective. It was an easy and encouraging read.

[David Cowpar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stott, in his usual intelligent and clear form, does a great job reflecting on the essentials of what makes a church a living church from his position of having been a pastor for many decades.

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very wise man. I particularly enjoyed the reflections at the end of the book.

[Kevin Gaona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Very challenging of the current state of the American church.

[Xavier Torrado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitivamente siempre estarà entre uno de los libros de mayor impacto e influencia mi vida ministerial. John Stott siempre se distinguen por su balance y equilibro, y en este libro es evidente en su eclesiología. Habiendo escrito este libro al final de su vida; todo pastor, plantador de iglesia o joven en sus inicios ministeriales debe leer esta obra.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are plenty of books being written today about what makes a healthy church. The problem with most of these books is that they don’t say anything new, they are usually unbalanced, and they have very little lasting value. John Stott’s The Living Church is the complete exception.

The Living Church – Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor is by far the most profound book I have ever read on the health and welfare of the church. It is without a doubt of the purest form of expositional literature ever written – coming from an aged pastor with genuine wisdom and discernment. Though John Stott passed away in July of last year this republishing of The Living Church is more relevant today than ever before. As one of Time Magazines “100 Most Influential People in the World” of 2005, the Reverend John Stott’s works will continue to have a lasting impact on the world and the church which so desperately need this message.

As a prominent pastor in the church of England, John Stott was not subjugated to the many trappings we have in American denominationalism. He writes from what he observes from Scripture, not for what is popular to society and cultural norms. He has the innate insight to look deeper into the hearts of men to reveal the true nature of our foundational prejudices.

John Stott scolds and admonishes the believer as only a life long pastor – close to the heart of God, weathered by tribulation, and firmly planted on Scripture – can truly do. Each page of The Living Church provides a spiritual stimulation that offers both hope and conviction. Stott shows the sort of discernment that is rare in our day. Though he was 90 years old when he died, he did not possess an attitude that young people are nothing but trouble and have bring little to the table. Instead he showed complete wisdom as he listened to contemporary concerns and analyzed the age old situations. He offers credence to both sides of many arguments with the sort of balance that can only be achieved in the pursuit of God and truth, not arrogance and pride.

Each chapter of the book breaks down a theological framework into biblical conviction. Building a solid foundation for the importance of the local church, Stott is able to show how the proper understanding of the Body of Christ should have a lasting impact on the life of Christians and the culture we all live in. The Living Church deals with everything from evangelism, ministry, preaching, fellowship, giving, and politics. Every Christian would benefit from reading this book to better understand the impact the church should be having on their lives and community.

There seem to be enough books already written about the theology, polity, and welfare of the church. While everyone has a different opinion about these things, The Living Church speaks with authority and conviction. I highly recommend this book, and in fact, I am going to add it to my ‘Must Read’ list. Every Christian, as a member of the Body of Christ, ought to read The Living Church by John Stott.

Check out my book reviews every Wednesday at worthyofthegospel.com

[Justin Lonas · Rating 4 out of 5]

British pastor and theologian John R. W. Stott has been such a prominent voice for Bible-believing Christians worldwide that he has been referred to by some as “the evangelical pope.” In The Living Church, the latest in his long line of published works, Stott comes closest to that position in both tone and authority.

This is not just another book about “how to do church”—this is a work of solid scriptural exposition, reflecting years of pastoral experience that addresses the core issues of the faith.

The book speaks to the possibility of a new schism in the Body between those who would hold to Scripture and those whose focus is on engaging the lost at all costs. Stott is, by turns, laudatory and critical of both the emerging church movement and traditional evangelicalism in his arguments without ever leaving the anchor of Scripture. His premise is that neither branch is wholly right and argues for a unified (if paradoxical) approach to church life.

Stott approaches the subject from seven angles, each of which represents a crucial aspect of the responsibility of the Body: worship, evangelism, ministry, fellowship, preaching, giving, and impact. In each of these areas, he points out that the biblical approach is one of balancing extremes (i.e.—biblical authority vs. human doubt, rationality vs. spirituality) where the truth is not found in compromise but in fully encompassing both. He argues that this balance is the key to maintaining a church that fulfills the Lord’s purpose in leaving us in the world.

Stott has produced a fitting capstone to his writing career and a piercing examination of the state of Christendom. As the subtitle implies, the book is at its core an earnest plea from a man near the end of his life exhorting those whom he loves to fully embrace the calling to pursue Christ’s model of a church that is both emphatically holy and emphatically relevant.

[Jacky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stott's reflections as an octogenarian reveals spiritual fundamentals which every churched Christian should be conscious of.

It goes through 9 chapters of a 'living church', a church of fulfilled essentials, of worship, of evangelism, of ministry, of fellowship (koinonia), of balanced preaching, of giving, of impact (salt and light) and of timothys (Paul's disciple). This is followed by a brief autobiographical sketch of why he is still a member of the Church of England, going through the church relationships in Great Britain and the warnings of different denominations, entailing also a speech which he recited in 1974, entitled "I have a dream of a living church", consciously adapted from the Martin Luther King 'cliche'.

Noted briefly, he dreams of a biblical, a worshipping, a caring, a serving and an expectant church.

Any Christian reading this will realise the flaws within themselves in their contribution to the bigger picture of the church, the bride of Christ, and the warnings and encouragement that Stott could provide having belonged to the same church for eight decades from his early youth to present age. This man truly invokes respect on paper, and one could only imagine the humility of being in his physical presence. If Stott could do that, how much more should we respond to Christ comprehensively and uncompromisingly especially in consideration of the matrices of church dynamics?

[Marlon Myburgh · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book Stott shows what can be expected from an authentic, living church.

He works through what God would deem as essential from His vision for His church according to Acts 2, being that of a learning, caring, worshipping, evangelizing church.

It goes into detail with regards to different elements.

Worship. The Characteristics of Worship that Glorifies God’s Holy Name goes into detail into the various facets of worship. Biblical worship i.e. what is expected from those reading as well as preaching, Congregational, should clearly express the international, intercultural character of the body of Christ, Spiritual (Batalogia condemned according to Mt. 6:7) and Moral (worship must be accompanied by an upright life).

Evangelism: Mission through the local church and the forms of evangelism. The church must understand itself, organize itself, express itself, be itself

As well as a lot more, Ministry, Fellowship, Preaching’s five paradoxes, Giving, Impact (salt and light, weapons for social change and Christian distinctives), etc.

I really learned a lot from this book.

You can see John Stott’s passion as a pastor of God’s flock shining through. His presentation is crystal clear and concise. You don't need a degree to understand the principles.

This book deserves a 5 star rating.

[Bendick Ong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read john stott when I got to know Christ 10 years ago. His basic christianity is one of the first introductory book given to me. (Together with macarthur’s the pillars of Christian character actually – but somehow stott’s style appeals to me more.) This book presents the main tenets of Christianity in a very clear and organised manner, and with good illustrations. Simple enough to not lose you, yet deep enough to entice you. The first 8 chapters presents the three main points: Who is Christ? What is sin? And what did Christ do? The last 3 chapters speak to me most as they ask what it means to follow Christ. Ie. Given all these, what now? Have benefitted a lot from this book.

Since then, have dropped him for a long while before picking him up again. Must admit i started reading him again cos i was attracted by the nice book covers heehee. The series by ivp comes with a beautiful spine that stands out in beautiful dignity on the shelf.

His living church is also another good book where stott presents the main essentials of a true and living church in this world. He puts down his humble opinions of what constitutes worship, evangelism, ministry, fellowship, preaching, giving and testimony in clear and assertive way.

[Johan Setiawan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku ini menolong saya mengerti banyak hal tentang gereja. Penulis menyampaikan ide pemikirannya dengan sederhana tetapi dengan makna yang dalam dan "mengena". Tanpa terasa, 3 hari saya bisa menyelesaikan pembacaan buku ini. Di dalamnya ada pembelajaran yang sangat baik bagaimana seharusnya Gereja Tuhan mengambil sikap dalam konteks dunia saat ini.Dalam pembahasannya, Penulis menjelaskan apa pergumulan umum dan khusus gereja masa lalu dan masa kini serta bagaimana solusi pemahaman dan tindakan untuk menangani setiap permasalahan yang ada. Ada banyak hal tentang gereja yang di singgung dalam buku ini, beberapa diantaranya adalah tradisinya, gembalanya, jemaatnya, aktivisnya, keuangannya dan programnya. Dalam beberapa hal pergumulan tentang gereja, mata saya seperti dimelekkan akan sesuatu yang terjadi dibalik sebuah fenomena gereja yang sering dianggap orang biasa. Dalam buku ini, Penulis banyak berfokus dan mengacu pada Kisah Para Rasul dan 2 Korintus. Saya pikir, setiap pemimpin gereja, majelis, aktivis dan jemaat (bila perlu) wajib membaca buku ini supaya betul-betul yang namanya Gereja Tuhan itu nyata di muka bumi ini.

[M. J. Denning · Rating 4 out of 5]

In many ways this book is an anthology of teachings drawn from his other books, reorganized and rounded out to speak to today's context. It also has the feel of a memoir with the inclusion of three historical appendixes. I wonder if this will be his last book. I was disappointed that a deeper and more thorough treatment was not given about postmodernism and the emerging church. It is basically covered in five pages or so in the preface. Stott's primary admonition regarding the emerging church has to do with its relationship to the tradition church. As can be expected from Stott, he is balanced and encourages love and unity by stating, "We both could afford to be less suspicious, less dismissive of one another, and more respectful and open." Altogether, it’s another scripturaly balanced and thoughtful book by the man some have called “the protestant pope”.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been unaware of this book until I saw it referenced in some essay or another book. Written a few years before his death, John Stott reflects on over 60 years of ministry and offer sage advice for pastors. There is a sense that this is a follow-up to his work on the Sermon on the Mount - Christian Counter-Culture. He writes with a view toward dealing with the post-modern influence in the 21st century church. I found my heart and, in a sense, my ministry refreshed as he covered such topics as worship, evangelism, ministry and preaching. I also came away with at least two sermon ideas! The three appendices are vintage Stott; particularly the one on why he remained a member of the Church of England.

[Rhonda D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

My church read through this during summer 2008 as we merged with another church. The ideas that Stott has are good for church structure in the age of post-modernism. He finds key ideas and actions that create good churches. He encourages all churches (and all Christians) to do these things. He does realize that variety will happen in these areas, even with some good fundamental ideas. He focuses on the areas of essentials, worship, evangelism, ministry, fellowship, preaching, giving, impact as well as three appendices including why he has stayed in the Anglican church and "I Have a Dream" for a living church.

[Raffi · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Stott tries to put a balance between the conservatives and the liberals, between being relevant and attached to the roots of the Gospel, between a thoughtful preacher and a passionate preacher. He firmly grounds the church on prayers, worship, service, evangelism, fellowship, giving the biblical meanings of each, putting away with the wrong descriptions that have invaded the church pulpits today.

I look forward to read more from his writings. He simply puts perspectives correctly and gives a good overview of the different ideas and concepts and styles, reminding always the core of the message of Christ.

[Blake Schwendimann · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Stott's The Living Church is "incarnational theology." He reflects upon almost a century of ministry and explains how the church can actually BE the church. He touches on God's Vision for the church, Worship, Evangelism, Ministry (laity & clergy), Preaching, Giving (&Stewardship) and how we can actually impact the World for Christ. It'd be a great workbook for servant leaders in a church context.

[Heila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't finished it yet, actually. I had to turn in my interlibrary loan copy or start paying 10 cents a day! (; But I'm buying a copy, because this one is stellar! Reviews use both the words: "rigorous" and "nourishing" to describe it. (: I am encouraged and excited about it.

Okay the first 2/3 of this book was amazing, the last 1/3 not as much! I have corners turned down all throughout the first section and then none.

He has a lot of clarity on certain things and not others....