Giving thanks for the life and ministry of John Stott

The Scripture Union family around the world is saddened by the loss of John Stott but grateful to God for the depth and consistency of his ministry and his impact on us as a movement.

Thousands of our volunteers and staff are indebted to him for his speaking and writing. One senior staff member in Australia writes that he ‘had a major impact on my development as a young follower of Christ, through my theological education and in his wide ranging contribution to my Biblical understanding… this impact on my generation and others following in Australia is far reaching.’

Many SU senior leaders benefitted from his quiet and less public ministry of mentoring and intercession. His remarkable ability to recall the names and personal details of people from all over the world when he met them demonstrated his genuine concern for individuals. As one retired SU staff worker said, John Stott ‘showed generous friendship’ to countless people around the world.

Rev Dr John Stott, who died on July 27 at the age of 90, came to Christ at the age of 16 whilst still at school, through the ministry of a Scripture Union worker Rev EJH Nash, known affectionately by many as ‘Bash’. John Stott wrote about how Bash wrote to him weekly for over five years to encourage him in his new-found faith, and remained a lifelong friend.

Known around the world for his Bible teaching, incisive thinking and leadership within the evangelical movement, John Stott had a strong commitment to the development of the next generation. His ministry to university students is well known, however children and teenagers were also close to his heart. Much of his early training in Christian ministry was in Scripture Union camps and missions alongside Bash.

In his early parish work at All Souls, each year he took local children camping, giving them a morning wake-up call on his piano accordion! His vision and concern for teenagers were demonstrated in the establishment in 1958 of the All Souls Clubhouse, a far-sighted experiment in youth and community work. Later he was the first Chairman of Frontier Youth Trust, a support network for Christians involved in youth clubs and the state youth service, which was for many years a part of Scripture Union.

His first published writing other than in the school magazine, was an article entitled ‘Child Conversion’ which was based on a talk he gave at an SU workers’ conference and appeared in the Scripture Union magazine in 1945. His concern to see others equipped to serve Christ was evident even then. Referring to the potential lifetime of service to God which lies before children, he wrote, ‘one’s heart burns with desire to see them rescued from the powers of darkness, and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God’s Love!’

Throughout his life John Stott was a good friend to Scripture Union. From 1965 to 1973 he was President of Scripture Union in the British Isles. Towards the end of that time he wrote ‘Understanding the Bible’, published by Scripture Union and still in print after almost 40 years. After 1970 when he took on a wider ministry, he visited SU movements in many parts of the world and spoke at a range of meetings and conferences. In the early 1970s he visited SU movements in West Africa. In 1972 he attended the SU International Council in Malaysia, giving Bible readings on the book of Acts. This material became part of his Bible Speaks Today volume on Acts and also had a significant impact on SU’s statement of Working Principles, adopted in 1985.

He once wrote, “Scripture Union has had a very formative influence in my life, and I owe it a debt which I can never repay. First, it was a Scripture Union staff worker who showed me the way to Christ. Second, it was Scripture Union, which taught me the discipline of daily Bible reading — a discipline which I still consider to be indispensable to Christian growth and freshness. No wonder that I thank God for Scripture Union!”

Scripture Union has gained so much from John Stott’s ministry. We thank God for him and pray he will raise up others who will follow that example of commitment to the gospel and faithfulness to Scripture, serving a world in need.

Janet Morgan

International Director