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The January issue of the Banner of Truth magazine carries a report of a conference exploring the life and legacy of Dr Lloyd-Jones. At much the same time as I read this I had also come across one of the very few letters that I myself had received from the Doctor. This set me thinking. The conference appears to have covered a number of the issues that you would expect, but the letter reminded me that there is usually a rather hidden area of the work of a gospel minister that can seldom be adequately explored in future days by historians. Any who went to see the Doctor after a Sunday service or on a Friday evening will know that the Church Parlour – I think I’m right in calling it that – was transformed into what looked very much like a doctor’s waiting room. There were twenty or more people waiting patiently to go in to see him in turn. Once in his vestry, while the Doctor sat, the ‘patient’ would stand and explain why he or she had come to see him. In many cases it was because of spiritual needs and often deep problems. The Doctor was expert in diagnosis and most helpful in prescribing the remedy.
However, even that must have been only a part of his hidden ministry. Members and regular attenders at the Chapel would have had other opportunities to speak with him; when he was away on preaching trips, by letter and telephone, others would seek his counsel and advice. Who really knows how much private ministry went on, or what the influence of that ministry has effected? When I was invited to go to assist David Fountain at Spring Road Evangelical Church I wrote to the Doctor for his advice. He urged me to go forward (as he had also encouraged David Fountain to invite me – as I found out from his reply to me). How many other ministers, I wonder, owed much to the advice and encouragement which he gave them? People came to Westminster Chapel from all over the world and people who had worshipped there also went all over the world. Only God knows the influence of the Doctor mediated through those whom had be helped in one way or another. The big issues explored – quite rightly – by theologians and historians, may be seen one day to have been not as big as they appeared.
However, even that must have been only a part of his hidden ministry. Members and regular attenders at the Chapel would have had other opportunities to speak with him; when he was away on preaching trips, by letter and telephone, others would seek his counsel and advice. Who really knows how much private ministry went on, or what the influence of that ministry has effected? When I was invited to go to assist David Fountain at Spring Road Evangelical Church I wrote to the Doctor for his advice. He urged me to go forward (as he had also encouraged David Fountain to invite me – as I found out from his reply to me). How many other ministers, I wonder, owed much to the advice and encouragement which he gave them? People came to Westminster Chapel from all over the world and people who had worshipped there also went all over the world. Only God knows the influence of the Doctor mediated through those whom had be helped in one way or another. The big issues explored – quite rightly – by theologians and historians, may be seen one day to have been not as big as they appeared.
