Stott and Lloyd-Jones on preaching

Chairman Mostyn Roberts and speaker Tim Ward

It must have been busy last week as I have been meaning to write up my trip to the Westminster Fellowship last Monday. Tim Ward from the Proc Trust was the speaker and he spoke on Stott and Lloyd-Jones and their understanding of preaching. He felt a little like Daniel entering the lions' den I think as he is really living his life in a John Stott world and the Westminster Fellowship was founded by Dr Lloyd-Jones. In truth Lloyd-Jones died 30 years ago and his influence is not what it once was. I'm sure I would not be the only one there who would say that while sympathetic to Lloyd-Jones I don't really want to go all the way with him quite.

Anyway, there was a good number present (around 30) which was gratifying and good papers from Tim. There could have been more discussion perhaps. What he did was to show the many ways in which Stott and Lloyd-Jones are in agreement and then where they differed. He astutely highlighted the title of their main books on the subject of preaching and suggested they are worth pondering. Stott's book is simply called I believe in preaching whereas Lloyd-Jones's tome is called Preaching and preachers and that may subtly hint at Lloyd-Jones teaching on anointing of the man and so on.

It was very good to think through this matter and I have bought Ralph Cunnington's book Preaching with spiritual power mentioned en passant in order to further explore. I do wonder if Lloyd-Jones were both simply reacting in different ways to the Charismatic Movement, in its heyday in the sixties and seventies. Good to be there.