Every day I use this space to post a collection of interesting links in a feature I call “A La Carte.” Today I am going to change it up and link only to articles related to R.C. Sproul (who, as you know, went to be with the Lord yesterday). What follows is a collection of obituaries, articles, tributes, and tweets. I hope you find them as moving and meaningful as I did.
Dr. R.C. Sproul, Called Home to the Lord by Chris Larson (President & CEO of Ligonier Ministries). Chris Larson provided the official notification that R.C. Sproul had gone to be with the Lord. “It belongs to others in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead to assess the impact of R.C.’s ministry in the history of the church. In this moment, we feel loss—immense sadness and profound loss—the loss of a pastor, a teacher, a leader, a brother-in-Christ, a friend.”
Remembering R.C. Sproul, 1939–2017 by Stephen Nichols. Stephen Nichols provided a stirring obituary for Dr. Sproul. “R.C. taught us this: ‘God is holy, and we are not.’ In between is the God-man Jesus Christ and His perfect work of obedience and His atoning death on the cross. That was the message and the legacy of R.C. Sproul (1939–2017).”
A Letter from Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, Chairman of Ligonier Ministries by Robert Godfrey. Dr. Godfrey looked to the past, present, and future in this article. “Please pray for all of us in this difficult time, including and especially the Sproul family. Please also pray for the congregation that R.C. copastored, Saint Andrew’s Chapel, now pastored by Dr. Burk Parsons. Please pray for the board of Ligonier, the leadership and all the staff of Ligonier (especially those who worked closely with R.C. for many years), the Teaching Fellows, and the college. We need the comfort and strength of Christ.”
John MacArthur on R.C. Sproul by John MacArthur. This is a beautiful tribute from the pen of John MacArthur. “No nationally known Christian leader has been a better friend to me than R. C. Sproul. He has stood by my side for decades in every major theological controversy. There is no one else quite like him. We are all blessed for having known him and heard him teach. I rejoice in the knowledge that he is with the Lord whom he loved and served faithfully.”
A Bright and Burning Light: Robert Charles Sproul, February 13, 1939-December 14, 2017 by Albert Mohler. Dr. Mohler wrote my favorite of all the tributes. “He was, as the British would say, a man in full. He never made a half-argument, presented a half-correction, preached a half-sermon, or laughed a half-laugh. He was all in, all the time. His voice would fill the room, his preaching would shake the timbers, and his passion would spread like a virus. He showed up as everything he was and with everything he believed – every time.”
Died: R. C. Sproul, Reformed Theologian Who Founded Ligonier Ministries by Christianity Today. CT covered the news in their News & Reporting section. “Late PCA leader influenced generations of Christians by filling the gap ‘between Sunday school and seminary.’”
R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) by Justin Taylor. Justin Taylor wrote a long and detailed obituary for Dr. Sproul full of great photos. “Today, R.C. Sproul—a sinner saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ based on Scripture alone for the glory of God alone—is seeing his Savior face to face, and hearing the words we all long to hear: ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.’”
Next Time: A Tribute to R.C. Sproul by me. This was my attempt to provide just a brief tribute to a theologian who has shaped me more than any other. “I met Dr. Sproul on only a few occasions and we spent very little time together. Yet the final words he ever said to me are ones I will always remember with a sense of regret and anticipation.”
R.C. Sproul: The Great Children’s Book Author by Jen Oshman. Jen Oshman remembered him, rightly, as a great children’s author. “We have purchased them over the years for our kids and for children in our ministry. They are rich with spiritual depth and truth and also captivating for the young reader. The illustrations are also beautiful. If you’re looking for a meaningful Christmas gift for a child in your life, I heartily recommend the books below.”
Unashamed Allegiance: My Tribute to R.C. Sproul (1939-2017) by John Piper. “The impact of R.C. Sproul on my life and ministry is owing to an incomparable combination of his unashamed allegiance to the absolute sovereignty and centrality of God, his total devotion to the inerrancy and radical relevance of the Christian Scriptures, his serious and rigorous attention to the actual text of Scripture in shaping his views, and his jolting formulations of biblical truth in relation to contemporary reality.”
Lion in our Midst: A Eulogy for R. C. Sproul by Richard Phillips. “Because he took hard stands for gospel truth, there have been those who disliked R. C., just as Spurgeon had enemies and critics. But he was a lion in our midst and the call of his voice will resound in our hearts until we are rejoined to this captain and leader in the glories about which we have so joyfully sung here below.”
Some personal reflections on the ministry of R. C. Sproul (1939-2017) by Denny Burk. “I cannot overstate what his influence has been over two generations of evangelicals. I was not personal friends with Dr. Sproul and never had the pleasure even to meet him…. Nevertheless, his ministry has had an enormous influence on me personally, not least because I discovered his ministry right when I needed it most.”
R.C. Sproul – A Man of the Book by Kyle Borg. “It’s true, R.C. was the perfect combination of many things. But I tend to think the answer is ultimately found somewhere else. His effectiveness, I think, is rooted in the Bible. R.C.’s passion was to clearly and simply teach and preach the Bible as it has been given to us by God. He was a man of the Book.”
A Tribute to R.C. Sproul by David Steele. David Steele described the various ways in which he was impacted by R.C. Sproul. “Many tributes will be posted for several days and weeks to come which will celebrate Sproul’s life and legacy. My small contribution will be personal in nature as I recount the ways that my life was impacted by his ministry.”
My Tribute to R.C. Sproul by David Qaoud. David Qaoud recounted R.C.’s impact on him. “I’m sure he wouldn’t have wanted me to tear up, but I did momentarily. Not uncontrollably and certainly not without hope. But with a mix of emotions, with sadness and joy. I am particularly grateful for his ministry and how God has used him to shape me over the years.”
The People’s Theologian is now the Perfect Theologian by David Murray. David Murray captured it in a great line: “The people’s theologian is now the perfect theologian.”
