‘Uncle John’ Stott helped to build a worldwide evangelical movement

From The Globe and Mail-

“An evangelical,” said John Stott in a 2006 interview, “is a plain, ordinary Christian” – someone devoted to the person of Jesus, guided by biblical authority, and committed to the well-being of the world God loves. By being just such a “plain, ordinary Christian” in every area of his life and work, Stott helped both individuals and the global evangelical movement grow into something far more than they otherwise would have been.

Eschewing the hucksterism often associated with the religious right, the Church of England pastor, evangelist and author combined faith and reason in the best British tradition of churchmanship. To this he added profound personal devotion, a global vision and winsome communication abilities, transforming the evangelical movement from an often shallow and insular theological backwater into a mature and world-transforming mainstream movement.

Born to an agnostic father and a devout mother in London, England, on April 27, 1921, Stott grew up a conventionally observant Anglican. Challenged by a visiting evangelist at Rugby School to grapple with Pontius Pilate’s question – “What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called the Christ? – the 17-year-old invited Jesus into his life. It was not in a bout of emotion, but as a choice whose implications slowly grew on him, through weekly mentoring letters from the evangelist. Stott would later implement this pattern of coaching, modelled on Jesus’ practice, in his own pastoral and international ministries.

More here-

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/uncle-john-stott-helped-to-build-a-worldwide-evangelical-movement/article2116697/