The eminent UK evangelical, Rev. Dr. John Stott, has met with East Asian church leaders at a special thanksgiving gathering in Hong Kong, calling them to radical discipleship in the midst of secularism.
Rev. Dr. John Stott addressed the leaders Friday evening during the "Rev. John Stott 60th Anniversary of Ordination Thanksgiving Evening" held at Wing Kwong Pentecostal Holiness Church in Kowloon.The event was co-organised by the Langham Foundation East Asia, the Hong Kong Federation of Evangelical Students and others.
The gathered leaders, who represented churches, world mission organisations, education ministries and theological seminaries in East Asia, were inspired to rise against growing secularism with biblical truth as Stott delivered his keynote speech, "A Call to Radical Leadership".
"In face of religious pluralism, Christians must preach the uniqueness of the salvation of Jesus Christ," exhorted Stott.
"In face of materialism, Christians should not be confined by materials; in face of the declining moral values brought by ethical relativism, Christians must become a righteous and holy body."In face of religious pluralism, Christians must preach the uniqueness of the salvation of Jesus Christ.
Rev. John Stott, leading UK evangelical
Following Stott’s encouraging speech, seven Christian leaders paid tribute to the contribution of Stott to the world’s evangelical movement, including the Anglican Bishop of Hong Kong Peter Kwong and president Rev. Dr. Wilson Chow and Rev.
More praise came from Chan Hay Him from the China Graduate School of Theology (CGST); OMF International General Director Rev. Dr. Patrick Fung; Associate Professor from the Department of Religion and Philosophy, the Hong Kong Baptist University, Dr. Kwan Kai Man; Dr. Hoong Chee Pang from Singapore and others.
"The greatest contribution of Rev. Dr. John Stott is that he lives as a real Christian in all his life, always trying his best to live according to the teaching of the Bible.
"In addition, all the books that he has written are guiding the lives of many Christians," said Bishop Kwong.
The leaders also expressed gratitude and respect to Stott’s support for the development of churches in Hong Kong and China.As a token of appreciation for Stott's work, the Langham Foundation East Asia presented the leading evangelical with a piece of Chinese calligraphy, which reads the Bible verses from Philippians 2: 9-11.
Stott had just concluded a 10-day visit to churches in mainland China prior to his arrival in Hong Kong, according to the presider of the celebration evening Dr. Choi Yuen-wan, honorary chairman of Breakthrough Hong Kong.
Stott said that the greatest problem of the church in China is that it is growing in number but not in depth, a challenge faced by the church in most of the developing countries as well.
In light of this, Stott urged the three major ministries of the Langham Foundation East Asia- Langham Scholarship, Langham Literature and Langham Preaching to help raise leaders for the development of churches in the East Asia region.
Stott recently celebrated the 60th Anniversary of his ordination on 21 December.
The leading UK evangelical remains a committed churchman in the Church of England since he was ordained into the ministry in 1945.
He continues to serve the All Souls Church at Langham Place in Central London. Stott has also been a Chaplain to the Queen Elizabeth II since 1959.
Following his illustrious career serving God, Stott has just been rewarded a CBE in the Queen's New Year Honors List 2006 "for services to Christian scholarship and the Christian world."
Stott said at the Thanksgiving Evening on Friday that he would he gave all the thanks and glory to God for making him who he is today by his grace.
[Editor's Note: Emily Wong contributed reporting from Hong Kong for this article.]
