The Fight of Faith
Title: D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Fight of Faith, 1939-1981Author: Iain H. Murray
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Number of pages: 809
Purchased: May, 2005, $20 (BOT American headquarters)
Begun: 1-6-2009
Finished: 5-16-2009
Rating: ****
Review: The Fight of Faith is the second in a two-volume biography of Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I read the first volume, which was only half the length, last year . This one, to be sure, is truly a behemoth in size. However, I found the many hours I spent between its bindings (remember, I am a slow reader) to be not only profitable but genuinely enjoyable. The second volume picks up with ML-J’s pastorate in London (he had previously pastored in his native Wales). These were the war years and London felt the worst that the Hitler’s war birds could produce. (For 57 nights in succession, an average of 200 German bombers were over London every night.) ML-J originally came to Westminster Chapel as an assistant to G. Cambell Morgan. Morgan was not a Calvinist like his assistant, but in the words of ML-J at Morgan’s memorial service:
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Number of pages: 809
Purchased: May, 2005, $20 (BOT American headquarters)
Begun: 1-6-2009
Finished: 5-16-2009
Rating: ****
Review: The Fight of Faith is the second in a two-volume biography of Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I read the first volume, which was only half the length, last year . This one, to be sure, is truly a behemoth in size. However, I found the many hours I spent between its bindings (remember, I am a slow reader) to be not only profitable but genuinely enjoyable. The second volume picks up with ML-J’s pastorate in London (he had previously pastored in his native Wales). These were the war years and London felt the worst that the Hitler’s war birds could produce. (For 57 nights in succession, an average of 200 German bombers were over London every night.) ML-J originally came to Westminster Chapel as an assistant to G. Cambell Morgan. Morgan was not a Calvinist like his assistant, but in the words of ML-J at Morgan’s memorial service:
“We differed theologically, but we never discussed that; we believed in the same final authority of this Book. If one of us was a little bit Calvinistic in his preaching, the other was always Calvinistic in his praying! So we never quarreled at all, and we just said nothing more about it.”The book details ML-J’s efforts to transform Westminster from a “preaching station” into a church family--something that remained a continual challenge in such a large, transitory city. It also explains his great influence in Britain and the English-speaking world beyond. I found the discussion of Lloyd-Jones’ battle with the rising ecuminism of his day to be extremely helpful and relevant even to issues today. His concerns were doctrinal to the core , and he was willing to stand alone in his defense of truth. However, he never saw himself as the crusader of a certain “party” or group and longed for the unity of all true Gospel believers. I would highly recommend this book, especially to Gospel ministers.
Labels: Biographies, Book contest, book reviews, Tim, Tim reading
posted by TimBix | 2:27 PM
3 Comments:
Congrats on finishing the behemoth book! Good review, Tim.
wow! I am impressed Tim--with the length of the book, of course, but also with your review. You must have had a fabulous teacher somewhere along the line!
Short and sweet review. I vote for a paragraph for every 50 pages!
Seriously, thanks! It inspired me to tackle that work.
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