In honour of John Stott, a life to emulate.

Possibly the most admired and influential voice of a compassionate evangelicalism in the 20th century into the present day was that of Rev. John Stott. John Stott passed on into eternity this past week at age 90 having written fifty books and influenced the thinking of of evangelical Christendom more than any other of his generation. Time magazine named him one of the globe's most influential people. He taught and preached a Gospel of compassion and encouraged all people to live lives after the likeness of Jesus. Stott's writings like The Cross of Christ and Life In Christ are wonderful guides to Christian life as more than mere religious advice, rules, regulations, rituals and traditions. His writings bring clarity to the grand idea that Christian faith is grounded in a Gospel of Good News for all humanity. His thoughtful reflections underscore the reality that faith and intellectual pursuit are not incompatible, but rather mutually in the service of each other. Throughout his life he especially championed the cause of those in need of justice, dignity, relief from oppression, poverty, and exploitation, and those deserving opportunity.

Personally, the writings of John Stott have been an enormous blessing and none more so than his brilliant commentary on the book of Acts. Herein, he states that Luke's writing of Acts is the sequel to the Gospel of Luke and actually is not so much the "Acts of the Apostles", but more accurately as expressed in the subtitle of his commentary, it is "the continuing work of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit through the church to the world." I love his characterization of the book of Acts. It resonates with my view of the church universal and of Christian higher education. We are called to a privileged participation in a grand divine initiative that began with the birth, life, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension of Christ, and continued through the book of Acts to the present day. Therefore, when the essence of Christian university education remains Jesus Christ the ministry and mission of the university is "the continuing work of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit through the university to the world." This is dynamically lived out through every encounter of students with faculty, staff, and with each other. As importantly, this is lived out through the thousands of graduates as transformed alumni who continue daily to live their lives "in Christ" in ways that are pleasing to God and in ways that glorify God.

Often over the past 37 years, as I have been blessed by an immersion in the work of higher education, I have encouraged faculty to write so that the wisdom and insight that God gives them may be found in the written word by succeeding generations. Thereby their scholarship and writings are less perishable to the benefit of posterity. Their writings are gifts that will far outlast their life times. This is the case with the marvelous writings of John Stott. As his life was a blessing to many, so will his writings for generations to come. He led a humble, yet glorious life to the glory of God. His was a life to emulate.