The Radical Disciple - John Stott's final book

After visiting All Soul's Langham Place last year and realising the enormous debt I owe to the ministry of John Stott, I was moved to support the work of Langham Partnership International - the organisation charged with continuing the legacy of John Stott's ministry.

In response to my modest donation, I was sent a little package of information (leaflets, brochures and bookmarks) as well as a copy of John Stott's final book, The Radical Disciple.  What was really exciting was that John Stott had signed it!!  Well, at least a sticker placed inside - still very special though.

I will not provide an extensive review of the book - that would be somewhat arrogant and you can read a really good one here.

Suffice to say that it is a privilege to read what are the reflections on discipleship of arguably the most outstanding evangelical leader in the last 50 years.  'Uncle John's' eight characteristics of disciples are:

•  Non-conformity
•  Christlikeness
• Maturity
• Creation-care
• Simplicity
• Balance
• Dependence, and
• Death

I particularly enjoyed reading the final two characteristics.  Given that JS was 88 years old when he wrote these chapters, they are especially poignant.  Here are a couple quotes to whet your appetite:

p.100 "... life is a pilgrimage between two moments of nakedness ..."

p.112 "I sometimes hear old people including Christian people who should know better say 'I don't want to be a burden to anyone else.  I'm happy to carry on living so long as I can take care of myself, but as soon as I become a burden I would rather die.'  But this is wrong.  We are all designed to be a burden to others.  You are designed to be a burden to me and I am designed to be a burden to you.  And the life of the family, including the life of the local church family, should be one of 'mutual burdensomeness'.  'Carry each other's burdens, and this is the way you will fulfil the law of Christ' (Galations 6:2)

p133-134  "If life means Christ to us, then death will be gain.  Indeed the life to come will be 'far better' than life on earth.  For example:

• If worship with God's people on earth is profoundly satisfying (which it is), then worship with all in heaven will be more thrilling still.
• If our heart burns within us whenever the Scriptures are opened to us, all truth will be even more moving.
• If the glory of a sunset stirs us now, what will the beauty of the new heaven and earth be like?
• If cross-cultural fellowship moves us now, the great crowds from every nation and language will cause us to rejoice when we finally come together.
• If sometimes we have known what is is to 'rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory', we shall expect it more often where there will be neither sorrow nor tears.

 Do you get the sense of a man looking forward to heaven?  Praise God for the ministry of John Stott!