Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott

by Roger Steer

Did you know. . . . . . John Stott's father stood strongly against his desire to be ordained in the Church of England and his pacifist leanings during World War II? . . . John Stott once got lost following birds in the Amazon rainforest? . . . John Stott once dressed up as a street urchin, fashioned a "strong Cockney accent" and lived under a bridge near the Thames in London in order to see how others lived--and whether or not the good Christians of the city reached out to them? (They did not.) . . . John Stott and the late D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones had a major breach in their relationship over Stott's refusal to leave the Church of England? In the engaging story of this remarkable life, Roger Steer takes you from John Stott's lifelong association with the parish church of All Souls in London to every continent on the planet. The account of Stott's ministry strikingly parallels the record of the rise of evangelical Christianity during the same years. You'll see the early influences on his life unfold into Stott's profound impact on the Church of England and the church worldwide. His associations with the British Inter-Varsity, Billy Graham, the Keswick Convention and the Urbana Conventions are woven together with the story of the landmark books he wrote-- Basic Christianity, The Cross of Christ and more. Included is the dramatic confrontation with Martyn Lloyd-Jones over the place of evangelicals in the Church of England. You'll witness the critical role Stott's leadership played in the framing of the Lausanne Covenant and how his plea for a new understanding of the balance between evangelism and social action shaped the decades to come. This completely new biography tells the full tale of why he was, as Time magazine noted in 2005, one of the hundred most influential people in the world.

Genres: Biography

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 12, 2010

Reviews

[Kevin Vanhoozer · Rating 3 out of 5]

"If this extreme type of fundamentalism was of God, it would have brought revival long ago. Instead, it has brought dissension, division, strife" (103).

Stott spent Christmas 1956 with Billy Graham's family. He was given a gift. "'DEO,' John read on the label. 'Deo,' for God. Then 'DORANT' – did this mean 'gift of God'? The Grahams had to explain what it was. Toiletries for men has barely begin to cross the Atlantic in the 1950s" (108).

"We evangelical people have not always taken seriously the hermeneutical task... there is no point in having a supreme authority if you can't interpret it accurately" (120).

"My endeavor is to bring out of Scripture what is there, and not to thrust in what I think might be there" (145).

"If the first hallmark of the evangelical is biblical supremacy, the second is the centrality of the gospel" (184).

"It seems to me correct to call oneself an Anglican evangelical (in which evangelical is the noun and Anglican the descriptive adjective) rather than an evangelical Anglican" (191).

NYT columnist David Brooks: "If evangelicals chose a pope, they would likely select John Stott" (267).

Tim Stafford of Christianity Today asked Stott how we would evaluate the growth of global Christianity during his lifetime: "growth without depth" Stott replied (267).

"The English love the gospel because it gives them something to talk about, the Welsh love it because it gives them something to sing about, the Irish because it gives them something to fight about, and the Scots love it because it's free" (275).

[Elliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Stott had gradually slipped off the world stage over the last few years. But when he died at the age of 90 this past July, suddenly he became an object of conversation. He was without peer as an evangelical Christian leader in Britain and the world. It is a testament to his talents as a bridge-builder that tributes to him came from all over the world and all over the spectrum of political and religious belief. There was even a tribute from Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times. Reading it, I was reminded that David Brooks had said in the same newspaper in 2004 that “if evangelicals could elect a pope, Stott is the person they would likely choose.”

This biography by Roger Steer was written in 2009, and was based in part on conversations with Stott and several of his friends. It traces Stott’s life from his early days as the son of a prominent physician, to his days at Cambridge and his decision to become a pastor, to his time as curate and rector of All Souls in London and his rise to international prominence. It gives details about his many travels, his contributions to the evangelical Christian movement and his friendships with other well-known people.

In it, Stott comes across as a man with a gift for friendship, a sharp mind, a sense of humor and a deep commitment to Jesus as Lord of all of life. The book is not afraid to present Stott “warts and all,” but there really aren’t many warts. Despite his gift for friendship, Stott could be reserved. With his great intelligence and disciplined lifestyle, he could sometimes be impatient with those who were more sloppy in their thinking or less disciplined in their living than he was. However, he was a man who was conscious of his faults and humble enough to admit them.

Stott has long been a hero of mine, and this book did nothing to change that. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Stott’s life, especially those who might be intimidated by Timothy Dudley-Smith’s larger two-volume biography.

[John Wolfe]

A must read for anyone interested in the individuals who gave shape to the Evangelical movement in the 20th Century.

[Jim Locke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Few preachers and writers have shaped my spiritual life and theological thinking more than John Stott, someone I had the privilege of meeting in 1994 while a student in seminary. As someone who's admired Stott and profited from reading many of his books, I found Roger Steer's brief biography a wonderful tool to complete my understanding of "Uncle John's" life and ministry. Indeed, aside from Billy Graham, no 20th century evangelical was more influential-or more impactful-than John Stott. Though the author's writing was a bit pedestrian at times, he weaves together a great story that leaves one with a balanced and fairly full impression of what the man was like, both positively and negatively.

Considered at one point to be "the greatest preacher of the English language," Dr. Stott was a pastor-preacher at heart. Educated at Cambridge and possessing the intellect of a scholar, he considered his decision to turn from the academy to the church to be among the most significant of his life. On multiple occasions, and often with a conflicted spirit, he turned down opportunities to advance as a bishop in order to extend his ministry as the rector at All Soul's Church in London and his world-wide influence as a preacher and writer. Committed to the full inspiration of the Bible, his preaching represented a paragon of textual exposition which still serves as a model for serious preachers today. His commitment to the poor and marginalized-as well as his emphasis on evangelism-revealed his commitment to obey the total message of Scripture, and demonstrated a balanced approach to preaching and ministry still relevant to pastors and church leaders in our own generation.

One comes away from this book convinced of Stott's world-wide influence, through his preaching, writing, lecture tours, and leadership in cross-denominational efforts toward world evangelization such as the Lausanne Congress. The book is a relatively brief overview of his life which sometimes leaves the reader wanting to know more. Toward that end, the more eager student of Stott would need to turn to Timothy Dudley-Smith's massive two volume biography, which, for most, may simply require too much effort. That said, Speer's book is a great introduction to the life and work of John Stott, one which I found both enjoyable and profitable.

[Tim Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a stud!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though the biographical writing style here is sometimes a tad clumsy, I read this cover to cover because of a personal history with All Souls and with John Stott, whose preaching at All Souls -- along with Michael Baughen's -- was instrumental in bringing me back to faith in the early '80s.

This book is a wonderful look at both the career and personal life of "Uncle John," but also a great overview of the rise of 20th century evangelicalism. Stott was a key player in the Lausanne conferences along with Billy Graham and other notables, and the inside stories of the concerns there as well as in the C of E in the 60s-80s I found really fascinating (and Stott's stance and role in those discussions admirable).

[E.M. Welcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basic Christian is a eye opening look into the life of a Protestant Pastor who gave up a great deal (including having a wife) to serve the world in the best tradition of Pastor/scholar/theologian. A fun read full of crusty english anecdotes.

[Amy Young]

Read about on Scot McKnight's blog

[Tyler Hartford]

Have always appreciated this man - and really appreciate what this book did to reveal more about him.

[Colin Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading if one wants to understand a person who has made an indelible impact on 20th (and 21st) century evangelicalism.

[Rose Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the second. It seemed to drag on after a while.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring read about a life well lived to the glory of God.