Reflections on John Stott by Amy Orr-Ewing

I first met John Stott as a 19 year old university student. I was in my first year at Oxford studying theology in a faculty that regarded my evangelical faith as naïve and amusing. Stott came to preach at St Aldates and afterwards he came across the road and did an open Q and A with our Rector David MacInnes at our student lunch inviting us to ask any question we wanted to. Stott was already in his 70s but it struck me how beautifully he connected with our questions and concerns and how humble he was – the great preacher, evangelist and leader – staying on after the sermon at a large church to really engage with us over a baked potato. I particularly remember the grace with which he answered the question about his position on Hell (annihilationism). There was no ego in his body language, tone or words, and yet the content was utterly brilliant. This was the first time I had experienced a preacher opening themselves up to live Q and A in this way and I have never forgotten it.  

In my subsequent work in the field of Christian Apologetics I went on to co-found Reboot a Youth Apologetics initiative with the hashtag #noquestionofflimits. This was in part inspired by what I experienced when Stott came to St Aldates when I was still a teenager. It has been a privilege to see 1000s of young people have the opportunity to ask their questions about faith publicly and openly through Reboot as well as in the many university missions and evangelistic events I have witnessed and been a part of over the years since that day in 1995. Stott’s humility to be open to scrutiny, and his confidence in the gospel meant that he invited us to question and to push back on what he was saying. He modelled something that I hadn’t seen before. Stott inspired me and I’m sure countless others that evangelism and discipleship can be done thoughtfully and respectfully, and that evangelicals do not need to fear questions because questions can lead us towards truth. 

As I have grown up, I have subsequently devoured Stott’s books. I have found that they model that same thoughtfulness, humility and accessibility that characterised him in person. In Issues Facing Christians Today he blazed a trail encouraging evangelicals to think deeply about ethics and culture. In his Bible Speaks Today commentaries he shaped a generation of preachers to delve into the text of the scripture and preach the word of God with integrity and clarity. In The Cross of Christ he patiently and clearly leads the reader into a deep and beautiful grasp of the depth and magnitude of Christ’s work on the cross. His timeless words have been quoted in quite a few evangelistic messages over the years: “I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. The only God I believe in is the One Nietzsche ridiculed as 'God on the cross.' In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?...” And then he wrote The Incomparable Christ. The title says it all. Stott pointed a generation to Christ. I have come to know and love the Christ Stott followed and preached, more profoundly because of his work. I only met him once – but in a sense that sums up his legacy. He pointed people to Jesus not to himself and his writings are as relevant and powerful today as ever.  #JohnStott100