2011 has been a tough year for losing my heroes in the faith. On April 27, 2011, Pastor David Wilkerson died in a tragic accident. And, on July 27, 2011, John Stott, the evangelical pope went to be with the Lord.

To be sure, John Stott is one of the most influential evangelical figures of the last century. Declining the invitation to become Anglican Bishop, Stott chose to pour his life into young evangelical leaders becoming affectionately known as Uncle John. Stott wrote more than fifty books including his classics Basic Christianity, The Cross of Christ and Christian Mission in the Modern World. Stott was a master at emphasizing both the need for the ministry of the Word and the ministry of deed.

In 1982 I was the youth pastor at the College Church in Wheaton Illinois. One benefit of serving at the College Church was evangelical giants regularly passing through the pulpit. It was not unusual to have JI Packer, James Boice, RC Sproul, Ralph Winter and John Stott preach in the same calendar year.

One weekend John Stott was the guest preacher. He taught with a clarity I have heard very few times in my life. On Monday morning, Stott had a speaking engagement at Trinity Seminary – about 2½ hours from Wheaton in Chicago rush hour traffic. Kent Hughes, then the senior pastor of College Church invited me to tag along and join him, Stott, Larry Fullerton (College Church assoc. pastor) and Jerry Root (a beloved Wheaton College professor) on the trip to Trinity. I gladly agreed.

I will never forget those hours in the car with Stott. Kent, Larry and Jerry were pumping him with questions about everything from theology to church growth. Stott’s answers were both articulate and elegant (he spoke with a crisp British accent). I sat in the back seat taking notes on 4x6 cards – wanting to capture every pearl which fell from Stott’s lips.

As we neared Trinity, Kent Hughes turned to me and said, “Well Jimmy, you haven’t said a word this entire trip. Is there a question you would like to ask Dr. Stott?”

Here it was. My big chance. My one question to personally ask the pope! After a brief hesitation, I said, “Dr. Stott, do you ever feel like just giving up on the Christian life? Do you ever want to just chuck the whole thing and find something else to give your life to?”

Shock and awe would best describe the faces of the pastors in the car. Clearly unspoken was, “Are you out of your mind? How could you ask such a question!”

John Stott’s answer literally changed my life. I have never forgotten the exact words he spoke to me that day. His response…

“Yes Jimmy, I often feel like giving up on the Christian life. But when I feel this way, I always do the same thing. One, I catch up on my sleep. I find that when I catch up on my sleep, those feels almost always dissipate. Two, I will do something fun to get away from the daily routine. After I rest and relax, I am ready to enter into another busy period of ministry.”

How’s that for a deep theological answer! Get your sleep and have fun! Is that great or what?? Those words have burned in my heart for thirty years.

John Stott has entered into his heavenly reward. I am guessing that he is worshipping and having a whole lotta fun!

Thanks John for a life well lived.