Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott [Paperback]

Roger Steer (Author), David Neff (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 12, 2010

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Roger Steer has paid close attention to many parts of John Stott's story. Basic Christian provides us windows into some of the reasons and ways Stott's life and ministry have had such global impact. I am moved again with deep gratitude for John Stott, and the faithfulness and wisdom, courage and humility with which he has lived and communicated the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Mark Labberton, Ogilvie Associate Professor of Preaching and director of the Ogilvie Institute of Preaching, Fuller Theological Seminary )

"I call you 'the wizard'--because I don't know how you did it!" (John Stott )

"A young boy perched on a church balcony, dropping paper pellets into the hats of the ladies beneath him, grows into the greatest Anglican of the last 100 years--with warmth, perception and sympathy, Roger Steer describes the lifelong journey of John Stott. Scrupulously researched, vividly written, this book lights up the character of the man with the longest shadow in the modern church." (Jeremy Vine, BBC )

"In this engaging, splendid and admirably readable biography, Roger Steer offers compelling details of Uncle John's life journey, the man of all continents, a unique humble and faithful servant of God with a phenomenal achievement. It is impossible to read it without learning a lot, being inspired, touched and renewed. Uncle John's biography displays a force and a resonance that will challenge and impact the younger generations who have to resist the pressure of the postmodern era." (Daniel Bourdanné, International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, General Secretary )

"As [a] former neighbor of John Stott's for twenty-two years, I am--with thousands of others--indebted to Roger Steer for his winsome account of the life and leadership of this, the unofficial holder of the Blue Riband in Bible ministry worldwide." (Richard Bewes, former rector, All Souls, London )

"This is a fascinating story told well of a man, described in the pages of this book, as one of the most influential Christians of the twentieth century. It documents a life well lived and worthy of imitation, but it also charts some landmark moments in the history of worldwide evangelicalism. This is a valuable record of both a man and a movement. Roger Steer paints a compelling portrait packed with lessons for any who would aspire to be servant leaders in Christ’s church." (Rev. Ian Coffey, Moorlands College, England )

"This account of John Stott's life and ministry not only helps us understand so much of recent evangelical history but also provides us with a wonderful model of humble Christ-centeredness. We should take every opportunity to learn from the example of this great man of God." (Vaughan Roberts, author of God's Big Picture )

"Continually engrossing, utterly fascinating, deeply inspiring and profoundly challenging. A highly accessible portrait of a modern hero, which will be certain to have an impact on any serious reader. For all his clarity, brilliance, intelligence and persuasiveness, what is most striking throughout the pages of this book is his love, his Christlike servant-heartedness." (Simon Virgo, New Life Church, Kent, England )

"Loved by the African poor and called to advise British royalty, living simply and listed amongst Time magazine's most influential people, here is the story of a remarkable man. This engaging biography provides some unexpected insights, whether coping with family opposition, caring for London's under-privileged, or experiencing the pain of criticism and disagreement. It demonstrates why a world-famous writer and Bible teacher is known for the Christlike quality of humility, and not only introduces us to one of the great Christian leaders of our time but points us to the Lord whom he has served so faithfully." (Jonathan Lamb, director of Langham Preaching, Langham Partnership International )

"Informal and readable but informative and insightful." (John Wyatt, University College, London )

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (February 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830838465
• ISBN-13: 978-0830838462
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #657,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anglican. Evangelical. Missional Leader., March 18, 2010

By 

George P. Wood (Springfield, MO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott (Paperback)

In 2005, Time magazine named John Stott one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The profile of him was penned by none other than Billy Graham, arguably the most influential American Christian leader of the 20th Century. Graham wrote: "I can't think of anyone who has been more effective in introducing so many people to a biblical world view. 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."

My guess is that most of Time's readers scratched their heads at the editors' choice of Stott, not to mention Graham's usage of the phrase, "biblical world view." But to anyone cognizant of the growth and influence of international evangelicalism, the choice made perfect sense. Stott is indeed one of the most prolific writers and influential organizers of contemporary evangelical Christianity.

Stott was born on April 27, 1921, in the London parish of All Soul's Church. He would be associated with this congregation of the Church of England his entire life, first as parishioner, then as curate, rector, and rector emeritus. At this church, he developed his expository style of preaching, characterized by the act of "double listening," to the Word of God and to the contemporary world. And out of this church, he organized the Langham Partnership, which provides graduate scholarships and academic resources to Christian leaders in the developing world.

On the international scene, his greatest influence has been felt through his organizational influence on and intellectual leadership of the Lausanne movement, which was founded by none other than Billy Graham. (Their association extends across six decades.) This movement has for 40 years helped international evangelicalism clarify its theological understanding and practice of Christian mission, defined as evangelism and social concern.

Anglican. Evangelical. Missional leader. Those are three excellent descriptors of Stott, and they come across clearly in Roger Steer's very readable biography. The title of the biography, Basic Christian, riffs off the title of one of Stott's best-known books, Basic Christianity. It is subtitled, The Inside Story of John Stott, and it focuses on Stott's personal life and associates.

Here we see Stott's relationship with his parents, which was very conflictual during World War II because Stott considered himself a pacifist while his father rose to the position of major general in the Army's medical corp. Indeed, his father didn't want him to become a priest at all, but rather a diplomat, given Stott's facility with languages. Here we see Stott's conflict with other British evangelicals, such as D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who thought an Anglican evangelical was a contradiction in terms. Here we see Stott's interaction with charismatic evangelicals, whose emotional excesses concerned him greatly, even though he maintained a generally open attitude toward them. And here we see especially Stott's relationship with his staff, including longtime assistant Frances Whitehead, and his numerous (and often American) study assistants.

Steer also gives us insight into what Stott calls his "three renunciations": of an academic career at Cambridge, where he did quite well; of marriage; and of ecclesiastical promotion. Stott chose the ministry of preaching and writing, didn't marry, and didn't seek an Anglican bishopric. These renunciations show both Stott's character and his commitment to what he felt God had called him to do. Interestingly, he wasn't necessarily joyful about the single state, being very mindful of its downsides. And he sometimes second-guessed his renunciation of ecclesiastical promotion, since a bishop had power to influence the church through appointments and whatnot.

But Stott has been influential nonetheless, through his writings, leadership, and organizational ability. Many leaders are great from a distance, but less attractive up close. The testimony of Stott's closest associates--Whitehead, his study assistants, and countless evangelical leaders--is that Stott improves upon inspection. Perhaps his renunciations for the cause of Christ helped him become more Christlike in character.

Basic Christian reminds us that the Christlike life is possible in the lives of ordinary people who open their lives to the Lord's use.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly refreshing!, April 7, 2010

By 

Marvin D. Webster (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott (Paperback)

Having read Timothy Dudley-Smith's two volume biography of John Stott some eight years ago, I thought this book of 288 pages might be somewhat boring, but instead I found it highly interesting and more personable. I learned more about Frances Whitehead, Stott's longtime secretary, and his various study assistants over the years.

One of the book's advantages is it contains information of Stott's recent years, through 2008, including his illnesses and living in a residential community near Lingfield, Surrey.

The full "Contents and Timeline" in the front of the book highlights the contents of each chapter by date and event, making it unnecessary to have an index at the back of the book. One feature I particularly liked in the bibliography was the listing of John Stott's published works by year. Several of the most recent ones were unknown to me, and I already have ordered one of them.

If you like John Stott, you will like this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Looking for a Good Book?, May 19, 2010

By 

Kathleen A. Gilbert "Administrator for Back t... (Santa Ana, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott (Paperback)

When my pastor, Pastor Brian Brodersen, recommends a book on his Back to Basics Radio blog I pay attention. After reading the review I immediately ordered my own copy from Amazon. Here is what he said:

One of the things I really enjoy doing is reading biographies of men and women of faith. One of my favorite biographers is Roger Steer, whose biography on J. Hudson Taylor was superb. When I heard a few weeks ago that Roger Steer had recently written a biography on John Stott, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! So having secured a copy I sat down over the past few days and read through it. What a blessing! I've been reading books by John Stott ever since I began training for the ministry 30 years ago and have always enjoyed his writings.

I remember the first time I taught through Paul's epistle to the Galatians, Stott's commentary on Galatians was so helpful. To this day I think it's the best commentary on Galatians I've read. His commentaries on the Acts of the Apostles and the Sermon on the Mount are brilliant as well. His book, Between Two Worlds: The Art of Preaching in the Twentieth Century, is a classic and a must-read for preachers. I don't think there's anything John Stott has written that I wouldn't recommend, especially to those who preach and teach the Word. But I must say that reading Roger Steer's, Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott, gave me a whole new appreciation for this great man of God. From his early life as the son of a prominent physician; to his conversion as a teenager; to his call into the ministry and the disapproval of his father; to his being appointed by the king as rector of All Souls, London, at the ripe old age of 29; to his rise to worldwide notoriety as a Bible expositor and Christian statesman; to his love and concern for the poor and underprivileged and his unceasing efforts to do all he could to help in the training of preachers and teachers of the Word of God, especially in Africa, Asia, and South America, it is an inspiring story and one that I would recommend to every minister of the gospel. Basic Christian is probably more of a book for pastors and preachers, but there are many other books by Stott that will be a blessing to anyone and everyone: Basic Christianity and The Cross of Christ being at the top of the list.