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Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Written by his eldest grandson, this new biography of famed preacher Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines his remarkable life and legacy, reflecting on his enduring importance for Christians today.
160 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2015
20 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Catherwood
64 books15 followersChristopher Catherwood is a writer and historian based in Cambridge. He has taught at the University of Cambridge and the University of Richmond, Virginia. An expert on Winston Churchill, his previous books include the bestseller Winston’s Folly.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 3, 2020
Martyn Lloyd Jones: His Life & Relevance in the 21st century, by Christopher Catherwood.
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One of the most interesting things about this book is the author himself, who not only knew Dr. MLJ, but was also his grandson. Any time I read a scholastic biography, I assume that the author is trying to “befriend” tho one with whom he/she is writing about, but in this case, we get to read about MLJ but none other than his own grandson.
•
Martyn Lloyd Jones was born ok Dec. 20, 1899, and died on March 1, 1981. To say this the life of MLJ was simple would be a huge understatement. At the age of 21, he was the Chief Clinical Assistant to King George V. To understand his preaching, it is very important to understand his medical training. For just as a doctor sees a disease & prescribes the remedy, Lloyd-Jones realizes that every man had a disease (sin), which must be dealt with by the Great Physician.
•
After his conversion, he became known as a gifted speaker, which led to the prominent G. Campbell Morgan to ask him to become his “joint minister” at Westminster Chapel, which he did in 1938. By the 1950s, he was preaching 3 sermons per week {2 on Sunday & 1 on Friday}.
•
I found MANY things to be very interesting about MLJ, some of those being that he was NOT a cessationist, nor was he a Pentecostal. So what did he believe? 1st, he believed in the continuation of the sign gifts & the baptism of the Spirit as a post-conversion experience. 2nd, he believed that the “baptism” was something that God gave for a purpose, not as a status of life” [pg 39].
•
Although “The Doctor” was a Calvinist, he did not consider himself a “system Calvinist”, but rather, he referred to himself as a “Biblical Calvinist” [pg. 31]. What was meant by MLJ was that, he based his beliefs off of Scripture, and not simply a system, aka, creeds & confessions. Anyone who has read him understands that he greatly esteems the creeds and confessions, but he saw them as guide, and not as a lens in which one should interpret Scripture.
•
I am afraid to say too much, because this book NEEDS to be read, and I do not want to “spoil” it all. But lastly, Lloyd Jones preached the Bible, not because he wanted to be apart of a “Reformed” clique, not because he wanted to be “popular”, but rather because he wanted to be Biblical. We as preachers/teachers can have eloquent sermons, catchy titles, and alliterated outlines, but if our sermons are not Biblical they are useless. For Lloyd Jones would say of such preaching that “even a beautiful graveyard is lifeless {pg. 37}.
•
This book was graciously provided to me by @crosswaybooks for an honest review!😀
•
One of the most interesting things about this book is the author himself, who not only knew Dr. MLJ, but was also his grandson. Any time I read a scholastic biography, I assume that the author is trying to “befriend” tho one with whom he/she is writing about, but in this case, we get to read about MLJ but none other than his own grandson.
•
Martyn Lloyd Jones was born ok Dec. 20, 1899, and died on March 1, 1981. To say this the life of MLJ was simple would be a huge understatement. At the age of 21, he was the Chief Clinical Assistant to King George V. To understand his preaching, it is very important to understand his medical training. For just as a doctor sees a disease & prescribes the remedy, Lloyd-Jones realizes that every man had a disease (sin), which must be dealt with by the Great Physician.
•
After his conversion, he became known as a gifted speaker, which led to the prominent G. Campbell Morgan to ask him to become his “joint minister” at Westminster Chapel, which he did in 1938. By the 1950s, he was preaching 3 sermons per week {2 on Sunday & 1 on Friday}.
•
I found MANY things to be very interesting about MLJ, some of those being that he was NOT a cessationist, nor was he a Pentecostal. So what did he believe? 1st, he believed in the continuation of the sign gifts & the baptism of the Spirit as a post-conversion experience. 2nd, he believed that the “baptism” was something that God gave for a purpose, not as a status of life” [pg 39].
•
Although “The Doctor” was a Calvinist, he did not consider himself a “system Calvinist”, but rather, he referred to himself as a “Biblical Calvinist” [pg. 31]. What was meant by MLJ was that, he based his beliefs off of Scripture, and not simply a system, aka, creeds & confessions. Anyone who has read him understands that he greatly esteems the creeds and confessions, but he saw them as guide, and not as a lens in which one should interpret Scripture.
•
I am afraid to say too much, because this book NEEDS to be read, and I do not want to “spoil” it all. But lastly, Lloyd Jones preached the Bible, not because he wanted to be apart of a “Reformed” clique, not because he wanted to be “popular”, but rather because he wanted to be Biblical. We as preachers/teachers can have eloquent sermons, catchy titles, and alliterated outlines, but if our sermons are not Biblical they are useless. For Lloyd Jones would say of such preaching that “even a beautiful graveyard is lifeless {pg. 37}.
•
This book was graciously provided to me by @crosswaybooks for an honest review!😀
December 20, 2022
Great, Short Overview Of Martyn Lloyd-Jones
A great overview of the life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
This book provides a good introduction to the life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones in a thematic fashion. The author does a great job of presenting the facts and letting the reader draw their own conclusions.
A great overview of the life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
This book provides a good introduction to the life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones in a thematic fashion. The author does a great job of presenting the facts and letting the reader draw their own conclusions.
January 10, 2018
Excellent book! It was well written, to the point, and very informative.
January 11, 2017
This is a book suffering from an identity crisis. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: His Life and Relevance for the 21st Century (MLJ) is part-biographical introduction to the great British preacher, part-attempt at analysing some of the controversies of the Doctors' ministry, and part-opportunity to share the authors opinions on contemporary Evangelicalism in the UK and the USA. A book on any one of these topics would be highly welcome but such an amalgamation into a single slim volume fails.
Moreover, MLJ's difficulties are compounded by Catherwood's insistence that he can maintain objectivity when assessing the impact of the life of his Grandfather. For completely understandable and human reasons, he fails to do so.
Within the book you'll read:
• An exhortation to only use Biblical language rather than systems or labels. Which seems to run a cropper, when one discusses the Trinity!
• A discussion of Lloyd-Jones' views on the Holy Spirit that result in him being neither Pentecostal nor Conservative, nor really definable.
• Commenting on the 1960s liberalisation of society, Catherwood says, "In Britain the laws on issues such as divorce and homosexuality were altered in a humanistic direction." Leading one to believe that criminalising homosexuality, was a more godly mark of society!
• There are constant references to 9Marks/John MacArthur/The Gospel Coalition that feel artificially inserted to boost the sales of the book.
• And so forth.
There are encouraging sections in here, such as the details about Lloyd-Jones' involvement with IFES but sadly they are drowned out by the rest. If this had been a personal, family, memoir of the man then it would have been a much more forgivable book. Owing to the authors insistence that he can be objective about his much-loved grandfather, it must be held to a different standard.
There is a great need for a slim biography of the Doctor that draws lessons for today's society and church from his life. This is not that book.
Moreover, MLJ's difficulties are compounded by Catherwood's insistence that he can maintain objectivity when assessing the impact of the life of his Grandfather. For completely understandable and human reasons, he fails to do so.
Within the book you'll read:
• An exhortation to only use Biblical language rather than systems or labels. Which seems to run a cropper, when one discusses the Trinity!
• A discussion of Lloyd-Jones' views on the Holy Spirit that result in him being neither Pentecostal nor Conservative, nor really definable.
• Commenting on the 1960s liberalisation of society, Catherwood says, "In Britain the laws on issues such as divorce and homosexuality were altered in a humanistic direction." Leading one to believe that criminalising homosexuality, was a more godly mark of society!
• There are constant references to 9Marks/John MacArthur/The Gospel Coalition that feel artificially inserted to boost the sales of the book.
• And so forth.
There are encouraging sections in here, such as the details about Lloyd-Jones' involvement with IFES but sadly they are drowned out by the rest. If this had been a personal, family, memoir of the man then it would have been a much more forgivable book. Owing to the authors insistence that he can be objective about his much-loved grandfather, it must be held to a different standard.
There is a great need for a slim biography of the Doctor that draws lessons for today's society and church from his life. This is not that book.
April 11, 2023
As a whole, I think this book achieves two purposes (although they are admittedly esoteric throughout):
1. Encouraging readers to adopt the same principles (sola scriptura and semper reformanda) as MLJ
2. Defending the integrity of MLJ post-mortem on issues that became controversial surrounding his teaching
These points were valuable, although the writing was a bit jumbled and hard to follow from chapter to chapter. At some point, the exact same points and phrases were being reused and I couldn't gather whether I had actually read the page over again.
Despite these stylistic and perhaps organizational weaknesses, Catherwood holds a unique position to write about his Grandfather in a way many others can't. Although he tries to remain objective (which I think he accomplished for the most part), there is an obvious pull to defend the honor of his grandfather and family legacy.
One minor point of contention I would have with the author is the views on democrats and republicans. While I wholly agree that the pulpit should not be used to promote a political agenda, the extreme liberal state of our country has made it impossible to separate evil and heinous ideals (abortion, for one) from the party itself. So, if murder comes up in a verse being preached, it would not be wrong to call abortion evil and heinous, and then let the congregation and the Holy Spirit do the work of deciding if they can align themselves with this moral evil.
1. Encouraging readers to adopt the same principles (sola scriptura and semper reformanda) as MLJ
2. Defending the integrity of MLJ post-mortem on issues that became controversial surrounding his teaching
These points were valuable, although the writing was a bit jumbled and hard to follow from chapter to chapter. At some point, the exact same points and phrases were being reused and I couldn't gather whether I had actually read the page over again.
Despite these stylistic and perhaps organizational weaknesses, Catherwood holds a unique position to write about his Grandfather in a way many others can't. Although he tries to remain objective (which I think he accomplished for the most part), there is an obvious pull to defend the honor of his grandfather and family legacy.
One minor point of contention I would have with the author is the views on democrats and republicans. While I wholly agree that the pulpit should not be used to promote a political agenda, the extreme liberal state of our country has made it impossible to separate evil and heinous ideals (abortion, for one) from the party itself. So, if murder comes up in a verse being preached, it would not be wrong to call abortion evil and heinous, and then let the congregation and the Holy Spirit do the work of deciding if they can align themselves with this moral evil.
April 5, 2016
Exactly what I hoped for! This short "mini" biography of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was exactly what I hoped it would be. Not only was it fantastic that his grandson wrote this book, but it also highlighted the life, ministry, and preaching of the Doctor. I would highly recommend this book as a preliminary reading of the Doctor. This book was entertaining, educational, and encouraging! I recommend this book!
February 19, 2020
As an admirer of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones this was a good book for me to understand the context of his ministry and some of the major themes he stood for.
After reading Preaching for Preachers, one can get the opinion that DMLJ was a hyper-dogmatist, someone who insisted on his model and rather unique style over and against any alternatives. In those lectures he portrays himself as very opinionated on a gambit of topics, which makes for an entertaining read, but can give the wrong impression of the man himself. Catherwood’s look at his grandfather’s life and relevance shows a far more “ecumenical” (if I can use the word without the negative connotations) spirit in the man. Though he was fiercely doctrinal, and deeply entrenched in the reformed tradition, he welcomed Christians who differed from him if they agreed on the central tenants of the Christian faith—provided, of course, that their conclusions were Biblically reasoned. His work in IFES shows this spirit.
DMLJ strove to be Biblical. If he was to be a Calvinist, he would be a Biblical Calvinist, not a system Calvinist. Catherwood writes of a time in the Doctor’s ministry at Westminster Chapel where they had open ended debates on the doctrines of the faith. There was one rule however: “All responses had to be Bible-based. No human authority was allowed. The Westminster Confession might say it, the Heidelberg Catechism might be quite clear on it, and the Doctor himself might have preached on the issue only a week before, but however powerful or historic the source, it had to be backed by clear reference to Scripture.” This emphasis of sola scriptura not just in theoretical concept but in actual praxis is something DMLJ exhibited throughout his life and ministry.
Much can be discussed about his refusal to discuss politics from the pulpit (refusal even to condemn communism!), his eradication of the church choir at Westminster, his continuationist theology, his controversy with John Stott and other evangelical Anglicans—but DMLJ’s unique combination of the “logic of Calvin” and the “fire of the Methodist Revival” is something I believe the modern Evangelical church must recapture in our own moment. It is this distinctive blend of "spirit" and "truth" that continually draws me to his sermons.
Catherwood’s book is a brief look at some of the unique attributes of and moments in the ministry of his grandfather. It is not a biographical retelling or a deep analysis of his thought, but it is a good book for someone looking to understand DMLJ’s relevance for our modern times.
After reading Preaching for Preachers, one can get the opinion that DMLJ was a hyper-dogmatist, someone who insisted on his model and rather unique style over and against any alternatives. In those lectures he portrays himself as very opinionated on a gambit of topics, which makes for an entertaining read, but can give the wrong impression of the man himself. Catherwood’s look at his grandfather’s life and relevance shows a far more “ecumenical” (if I can use the word without the negative connotations) spirit in the man. Though he was fiercely doctrinal, and deeply entrenched in the reformed tradition, he welcomed Christians who differed from him if they agreed on the central tenants of the Christian faith—provided, of course, that their conclusions were Biblically reasoned. His work in IFES shows this spirit.
DMLJ strove to be Biblical. If he was to be a Calvinist, he would be a Biblical Calvinist, not a system Calvinist. Catherwood writes of a time in the Doctor’s ministry at Westminster Chapel where they had open ended debates on the doctrines of the faith. There was one rule however: “All responses had to be Bible-based. No human authority was allowed. The Westminster Confession might say it, the Heidelberg Catechism might be quite clear on it, and the Doctor himself might have preached on the issue only a week before, but however powerful or historic the source, it had to be backed by clear reference to Scripture.” This emphasis of sola scriptura not just in theoretical concept but in actual praxis is something DMLJ exhibited throughout his life and ministry.
Much can be discussed about his refusal to discuss politics from the pulpit (refusal even to condemn communism!), his eradication of the church choir at Westminster, his continuationist theology, his controversy with John Stott and other evangelical Anglicans—but DMLJ’s unique combination of the “logic of Calvin” and the “fire of the Methodist Revival” is something I believe the modern Evangelical church must recapture in our own moment. It is this distinctive blend of "spirit" and "truth" that continually draws me to his sermons.
Catherwood’s book is a brief look at some of the unique attributes of and moments in the ministry of his grandfather. It is not a biographical retelling or a deep analysis of his thought, but it is a good book for someone looking to understand DMLJ’s relevance for our modern times.
August 23, 2020
This serves as a useful short introduction to Lloyd-Jones, his views, and his preaching. However, there's too little biography, and some of the discussions on opposing viewpoints and the like may make the reader's eyes glaze over.
Catherwood is the subject's grandson, and his fondness for 'the Doctor' shines through. He's also the author of a number of books on historical subjects, including a biography of Winston Churchill, which makes it all the more strange that the writing in this book is surprisingly repetitive, and sometimes slap dash, such as this example:
When the Doctor retired because of ill health in 1968, the congregation never again saw the kind of numbers that were present in his time. The Chapel, under the leadership of neither of his first two successors, had nothing like the numbers that the Doctor was familiar with seeing Sunday after Sunday during his tenure, especially post-1945.
The best thing about the book is that it makes you want to read more of Lloyd-Jones himself: many of his sermons are now available in book form, as well as some other lectures he gave.
Catherwood is the subject's grandson, and his fondness for 'the Doctor' shines through. He's also the author of a number of books on historical subjects, including a biography of Winston Churchill, which makes it all the more strange that the writing in this book is surprisingly repetitive, and sometimes slap dash, such as this example:
When the Doctor retired because of ill health in 1968, the congregation never again saw the kind of numbers that were present in his time. The Chapel, under the leadership of neither of his first two successors, had nothing like the numbers that the Doctor was familiar with seeing Sunday after Sunday during his tenure, especially post-1945.
The best thing about the book is that it makes you want to read more of Lloyd-Jones himself: many of his sermons are now available in book form, as well as some other lectures he gave.
August 15, 2024
I am grateful to God for the life and legacy of the Doctor, and this book is a fair introduction to his life and beliefs. However, it seemed as though the author felt the compulsive need to always qualify that although the Doctor did this thing or that or believed this or that, it’s okay if other evangelicals think or do otherwise. While I agree (to a degree), that qualification seemed to be present in almost every section and really detracted from the book. This was, I believe, a poor reflection of the Doctor’s characteristic boldness in the proclamation of the Word - regardless of whether such and such an evangelical would love him or hate him for it.
If you’re looking for a good biography of the Doctor, there are other options. However, if you are looking for a brief overview and analysis of his key beliefs and actions, then this book might be for you.
If you’re looking for a good biography of the Doctor, there are other options. However, if you are looking for a brief overview and analysis of his key beliefs and actions, then this book might be for you.
February 22, 2024
Lofty examination of how the sermons, theology, and thinking of this great British preacher are still applicable in the 21st century. I struggled at times to follow the author (Lloyd-Jones' grandson) and his writing, but in other places I really enjoyed it and thought "Yes! That's exactly how I think!" This is a good book, and not too long, for anyone who wants to know more about Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
May 6, 2018
I'm a huge fan of Lloyd-Jones and thought this was an enjoyable read. Partially a biography and partially touching on his theology. If I were to give a critique, I felt that some of his less understood theological convictions could have been more clearly explained. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about Lloyd-Jones.
July 15, 2025
What a wonderful overview of the life of one of the great preachers on the Continent in the 20th Century. This biography was especially poignant because it was written by Marty ‘s grandson.
This great man needs to be rediscovered by a new generation of the Church, and one will greatly enjoy getting to know this careful expositor. Happy reading!
This great man needs to be rediscovered by a new generation of the Church, and one will greatly enjoy getting to know this careful expositor. Happy reading!
August 24, 2021
This book is a discussion and more of a clarification on certain aspects of MLJ's life. Christopher strives to present a balanced view of MLJ while calling Christians to have the evangelical unity that MLJ strove for.
April 6, 2019
Factual, but not much profit
I didn’t make it through the book. The book had all the facts about his life, but not much of what he actually said.
I didn’t make it through the book. The book had all the facts about his life, but not much of what he actually said.
January 13, 2024
A little bit of everything in this book! Great if you're very into learning about Martyn Lloyd Jones!
January 27, 2016
John Piper once said of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: "He has been a constant reminder: you don't have to be cool, hip, or clever to be powerful. In fact, the sacred anointing is simply in another world from those communication techniques. His is the world I want to live in when I step into the pulpit."
Christopher Catherwood, grandson of Lloyd-Jones and author of Martyn Lloyd-Jones: His Life and Relevance for the 21st Century, begins his book by sharing this quote. He then goes on to say,
"Is that the world you would want to live in? If so, this book is for you as it describes not just the life but also the thought of a man whose regular preaching profoundly affected his hearers. As John Piper and others attest, becoming familiar with Dr. Lloyd-Jones could transform your life."
That is an awfully bold claim. But in this new biography, Catherwood is on to something. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was special - and he was special because he was stringently and spectacularly devoted to the Bible. And so getting to know "the Doctor," as he was affectionately called, through Catherwood's biography is less about discovering what Lloyd-Jones' favorite jam was and more about finding how his passion for Scripture is relevant to us today in all spheres of life.
Not that Catherwood doesn't provide us with details about the Doctor as a man but his "aim, however, is to show how profoundly relevant his life and thinking are to us as evangelicals in the twenty-first century. As the saying goes, if one is biblical, one is always relevant. Of few people is that more true than with Dr. Lloyd-Jones."
Catherwood's biography walks us through ten chapters of the Doctor and his theology. The first and last chapter stand as bookends that emphasize the relevance of this biblical British preacher who died in 1981. Then Catherwood traces Lloyd-Jones' life and global influence through two chapters before getting into individual chapters on his theology and how it applies to us today.
There is a chapter on the centrality of Scripture, a chapter on preaching, a chapter on life in the Spirit, and a chapter on community. There are also chapters on two of Lloyd-Jones more controversial views and issues.
I thought Catherwood did an excellent job achieving his aim. Because he focused more on Lloyd-Jones' theology, there was less of an obvious bias (not that Catherwood ever tried to hide that - he was pretty open about the fact that the Doctor was his grandfather). He tried to provide balance to some of Lloyd-Jones' controversy and always tried to draw the Doctor's beliefs back to Scripture. Even some of his odder beliefs were always based on his interpretation of the Bible, Catherwood faithfully argued. And I greatly admired that.
If you want to dig into the beliefs of this man who wrote such seminal Christian classics as Spiritual Depression and preached to millions of people in his life, check out Catherwood's biography.
And then do just what Catherwood would want you to do - go read some Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
*I received this book through Crossway's Beyond the Page review system. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Christopher Catherwood, grandson of Lloyd-Jones and author of Martyn Lloyd-Jones: His Life and Relevance for the 21st Century, begins his book by sharing this quote. He then goes on to say,
"Is that the world you would want to live in? If so, this book is for you as it describes not just the life but also the thought of a man whose regular preaching profoundly affected his hearers. As John Piper and others attest, becoming familiar with Dr. Lloyd-Jones could transform your life."
That is an awfully bold claim. But in this new biography, Catherwood is on to something. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was special - and he was special because he was stringently and spectacularly devoted to the Bible. And so getting to know "the Doctor," as he was affectionately called, through Catherwood's biography is less about discovering what Lloyd-Jones' favorite jam was and more about finding how his passion for Scripture is relevant to us today in all spheres of life.
Not that Catherwood doesn't provide us with details about the Doctor as a man but his "aim, however, is to show how profoundly relevant his life and thinking are to us as evangelicals in the twenty-first century. As the saying goes, if one is biblical, one is always relevant. Of few people is that more true than with Dr. Lloyd-Jones."
Catherwood's biography walks us through ten chapters of the Doctor and his theology. The first and last chapter stand as bookends that emphasize the relevance of this biblical British preacher who died in 1981. Then Catherwood traces Lloyd-Jones' life and global influence through two chapters before getting into individual chapters on his theology and how it applies to us today.
There is a chapter on the centrality of Scripture, a chapter on preaching, a chapter on life in the Spirit, and a chapter on community. There are also chapters on two of Lloyd-Jones more controversial views and issues.
I thought Catherwood did an excellent job achieving his aim. Because he focused more on Lloyd-Jones' theology, there was less of an obvious bias (not that Catherwood ever tried to hide that - he was pretty open about the fact that the Doctor was his grandfather). He tried to provide balance to some of Lloyd-Jones' controversy and always tried to draw the Doctor's beliefs back to Scripture. Even some of his odder beliefs were always based on his interpretation of the Bible, Catherwood faithfully argued. And I greatly admired that.
If you want to dig into the beliefs of this man who wrote such seminal Christian classics as Spiritual Depression and preached to millions of people in his life, check out Catherwood's biography.
And then do just what Catherwood would want you to do - go read some Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
*I received this book through Crossway's Beyond the Page review system. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
November 28, 2015
This biography of Martyn Lloyd-Jones was written by his grandson, Christopher Catherwood. Why should Christians still read Martyn Lloyd-Jones today? That is the question Catherwood sets out to answer in his biography. He hopes to prove that Lloyd-Jones legacy is solid and strong. He is worth reading today. He has not lost relevance. His message is still very much needed by the church.
First, the book presents a brief biographical sketch of Martyn Lloyd-Jones' life. Then the book mainly focuses on his ministry--his preaching, his writing, his friendships--and his books. I appreciate that the book not only provides quick summaries of his books, of his beliefs, but also provides context for understanding and appreciating them.
The book is not as in-depth as titles in Crossway's Theologians on the Christian Life series. (I would love to see him included in this series in the future!) The book is definitely more casual and less organized. (Not that it is un-organized, mind you, just that the Theologians on the Christian Life series seems to be super-organized and very purposefully laid out.) The book also seems to be more argumentative and a ready-defense. That is, the author anticipates arguments and seeks to clarify and reconcile when possible. One strength the book has is the personal nature of it. The focus isn't exclusively on his sermons, on his church, on his ministry. The book shares to a certain extent what he was like in private with the family.
It was an enjoyable read that held my interest. I have read at least four or five books by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, so I was curious to learn more about his life. I am glad I got the opportunity to review this one.
Have you read any Martyn Lloyd-Jones? Do you have a favorite?
If you haven't read him yet, I'd definitely recommend starting with Walking With God Day by Day: A 365 Day Devotional. What I love about that devotional book is that each month of the year has a theme. And most entries from any given month come from one book. So that by the end of the year, you've had a good overview of some of his best works. AND also you've covered some essential doctrines of the Christian faith.
May 9, 2016
This is a good book, but if give it 3.5 if possible. The first half is better, where the life and emphasis of MLJ is described and commented on. In the second half the author talks a bit about what MLJ thought in various topics and then seeks to show how this applies to the 21st century. I felt the author missed the mark in doing this and instead gave his own opinion on why things were the way they were. Or, what MLJ would think on a certain issue in evangelicalism today. It just wasn't as satisfactory as hearing MLJ himself speak, or at least hear him in his own words. I agree with the author that he is highly relevant for today. But I would suggest using more of his words to show that. In other words, read MLJ and not about MLJ. Haha.
September 2, 2016
This is a great place to start for anyone interested in the life and ministry of "the Doctor," who for a long time has been one of my theological and preaching heroes. This book (written by MLJ's grandson) does a good job of showing how relevant MLJ is to contemporary concerns. The man was not only an extraordinarily gifted orator, but way ahead of his time. Those with a deeper interest in MLJ should commit themselves to the long but entirely worthwhile endeavor of tackling Ian Murray's two-volume massive bio, which is still the definitive account.
November 30, 2015
A basic and brief introduction to the driving forces behind Lloyd-Jones' approach to ministry and Scripture. Proper, but lacking punch.
June 9, 2024
A helpful introduction to the doctor-turned-preacher, highlighting "his life and relevance for the 21st century."
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April 6, 2017I have read Catherwood's works on Winston Churchill and his book Christians, Muslims, and Islamic Rage. This is one of his shortest works. and gives you insight into his Grandfather's ministry. He does not deliver very much historical context for Lloyd-Jones' preaching. You would not think he lived through WWI (as a medical student) or that Lloyd-Jones saw the Cold War and Space Age begin. Catherwood is a historian, but this seems more like a proud Grandson signing his Grandpa's praises.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews