Questions and Answers about Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Thanksgiving Service

What was the purpose of the Thanksgiving Service for Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

The Thanksgiving Service was held to give thanks to God for the life and ministry of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who was described as "his gifted and honored servant." The service focused on expressing gratitude for his influence and contributions to the evangelical world, while challenging those present to be inspired by his life and ministry. As stated in the opening prayer, the purpose was: "We pray that this man, who always inspired us to want to be better people, will, through the tributes given tonight, once again challenge us to be better men, better women, and grant indeed that we shall be inspired to be better equipped for thy service."

How did Dr. Lloyd-Jones' medical background influence his ministry?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones' medical background greatly influenced his ministry in several ways. Dr. Gaius Davis explained that Dr. Lloyd-Jones brought from medicine "a method" of diagnosing and discussing management which he applied to Christian issues. He also brought "the microscope from the laboratory to the study and to the pulpit," using his analytical skills to dissect scripture. His scientific knowledge enabled him to effectively critique Freudian psychoanalysis, oppose misuses of the "ministry of healing," and prevent the gospel from being turned into "cheap psychology." Additionally, his medical training helped him as a counselor, giving him the ability to "disentangle the strands of physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects" of people's problems.

What impact did Dr. Lloyd-Jones have on students and the academic world?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones had a profound impact on students through his speaking engagements, his writings, and his role as an office bearer in student organizations. Dr. Robin Wells noted that Lloyd-Jones was president of the IVF (Inter-Varsity Fellowship) multiple times and was instrumental in establishing the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students in 1947. His addresses to students were "seminal" and "critical," setting "the direction of evangelical thought." Thousands of students benefited from his ministry at Westminster Chapel, with many being converted and many more being influenced in their theology. He encouraged clarity of thought, academic humility, and fearlessness in presenting truth, helping students stand firm in hostile intellectual environments.

How did Dr. Lloyd-Jones view the importance of preaching?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones considered preaching to be of supreme importance. Omri Jenkins noted that Dr. Lloyd-Jones "believed in the foolishness of preaching" based on 1 Corinthians 1, "that it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believed." He rejected the notion that other methods like music, drama, or dancing could replace preaching in saving souls. Jenkins emphasized that Lloyd-Jones was "preeminently a preacher" whose influence in medicine, among students, and through literature all stemmed from his preaching. Lloyd-Jones himself described preaching as "the greatest of all tasks," and his commitment to it was evident in how he established the London Theological Seminary specifically to train preachers.

What was Dr. Lloyd-Jones' contribution to Christian literature?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones made significant contributions to Christian literature, though as Ian Murray pointed out, he was slow to publish his own works, with his first major volume appearing when he was in his 60th year. This was because he prioritized "the preaching of the word of God with the living voice." However, after his pulpit ministry ended in 1968 due to illness, he began a new ministry through books which "became a flood and went round the world in more than 50 nations, in upwards of a million copies." His books were characterized by their spirituality—they "not only instruct the mind, but they speak to your heart, to your conscience"—and by their timelessness due to being saturated with Scripture. His books continue to have wide impact across different cultures and educational levels.

What was Dr. Lloyd-Jones' approach to Biblical exposition?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones had a distinctive approach to biblical exposition that Mr. Mickelwright described as "spiritual symphonies." He would state the theme and then repeat it "again and again with variations" until "the sermon culminated in an overwhelming conviction of the truth that he was exploring and expounding." His approach was influenced by his medical training, where he learned to dissect and analyze material thoroughly. He brought "the microscope from the laboratory to the study and to the pulpit," examining scripture in detail before declaring it. His expository style was described as placing great importance on the text while avoiding "hobby horses" or tangents. Wherever his sermon began, he would eventually "pitch his tent on Calvary's hill within full view of that blessed cross of the Lord Jesus Christ."

How did Dr. Lloyd-Jones' ministry impact the evangelical movement in Britain?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones' ministry had a transformative impact on the evangelical movement in Britain. Omri Jenkins stated that when he began ministry in 1946, "you could have counted the out and out evangelical preachers of the gospel on two hands," but "the situation in Wales today is vastly different, and it is vastly different in Britain, too." He attributed this change "in the main under God to Dr. Lloyd Jones, whose sermons turned back the tides of liberalism and ecumenism and the pseudo evangelicalism." Professor Collins noted that Lloyd-Jones was "greatly loved throughout the length and breadth of Scotland" and that "you will find his converts in congregations all over the country, to the remotest islands." His influence extended beyond his own preaching through his books, his work with students, and the establishment of the London Theological Seminary.

What was the London Theological Seminary and how was it related to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

The London Theological Seminary was established with Dr. Lloyd-Jones as its first chairman. According to Omri Jenkins, it was "the outcome of Dr. Lloyd Jones as a preacher and of his preaching throughout the past 50 or more years." The purpose of the seminary was specifically "to produce preachers" in response to "the decline of preaching in our land and the devaluing of it." Dr. Lloyd-Jones insisted that it should not be "a mere academy of learning" or "a place for mere intellectual cultivation" or focused on pursuing university degrees. Instead, it would only accept students who showed "credible evidence of having been called of God to preach the gospel" and would teach them "how to think for themselves" so they could handle the word of God independently and continue in ministry long-term.

What personal qualities made Dr. Lloyd-Jones' ministry so effective?

Several personal qualities made Dr. Lloyd-Jones' ministry particularly effective. He was described as having an "invincible call" to preach the gospel and a genuine concern for people's spiritual and physical well-being. He had a high view of the gospel that "superintended and controlled him at all times." He was characterized by his fearlessness in presenting truth, his clarity of thought, and his ability to "discern the pivotal point in a discussion or in a problem." He had no "hobby horses," "tangents," or "confusion" in his ministry, maintaining focus on essential truths. Dr. Davis described him as "a terrible judge in regard to ideas, but full of charity towards persons." He was also noted for his humility, choosing to maintain his earned medical credentials rather than accepting honorary degrees, and his dedication, giving extensive time to counseling those who sought his help.

How did Dr. Lloyd-Jones view the relationship between faith and eternity?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones had a strong focus on eternity in his ministry. In the closing address of the service, Peter Lewis contrasted two approaches to death - the hopeless view represented by Shakespeare's Macbeth and the hopeful Christian view represented by Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Dr. Lloyd-Jones clearly embraced and proclaimed the Christian view of eternity, where death is not the end but a transition to glory. His own passing was described in Bunyan's terms as having "passed over" with "all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side." Lloyd-Jones preached Christ as the one who said, "I died. And behold, I am alive. I am alive forever. Forevermore. And I have the keys. I have the keys of death and hades." The service concluded with the affirmation that "Martin Lloyd Jones is not dead, because Martin Lloyd Jones's God is not dead. Martin Lloyd Jones's Christ is not dead. The Christ who said, because I live, therefore you shall live also."