John Stott passed away today in London. According to a post released by Christianity Today , he died “after complications related to old age.” His influence was (and remains) enormous, well beyond detailed description in this blog post. For example, just consider his numerous publications.
Since this blog is about global missions, I wish to take this time to direct your attention to Sott’s influence on global evangelization. Check out this memorial video by Langham Partnership. It provides a brief biographical sketch and glimpse into his heart for making disciples of all nations.
Next, you should listen to the following audio recording. Last year, Stott provided this greeting in preparation for Cape Town 2010 (also known as Lausanne III).
Finally, I want to draw your attention to the documents that were developed from the Lausanne Movement which Stott helped launch with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The first document linked below is known as the Lausanne Covenant. It was developed in 1974, setting the pace for the Movement. Describing the origins and influence of this document, The Lausanne Movement’s web site notes:
John Stott chaired the drafting committee and is best described as its chief architect. This was to be a Covenant with God, publicly declared, and a Covenant with one another; it has proved to be one of most widely-used documents in modern church history. The Covenant has helped to define evangelical theology and practice, and has set the stage for many new partnerships and alliances.
Here are three documents from the Lausanne Movement that bear his finger prints and carry on his legacy and global influence:
Stott’s legacy reminds us of the importance of theologians being missiologists and missiologists being theologians.