John Stott on Birdwatching and Preaching

John Stott on Birdwatching and Preaching

What do Bird Watching and Preaching have in Common?

A prominent journalist was interviewing John Stott several years ago and thought it was unusual that the second most known preacher in the world (Billy Graham being most known) was an avid bird watcher. He asked Stott, “What does bird watching have in common with preaching?” Stott‟s answer is instructive for us all. LH

I think it t has this in common, that the God we believe in, the God of the Biblical Revelation, is the God both of nature and of Scripture. It was I think Sir Francis Bacon, one the early scientists, Christian scientists, who first said God has written two books, not just the book of Scripture, but the book of nature. Since He has written these books He wants us to read them, and to think His thoughts after Him, and therefore nature study and Bible study go hand in hand. I believe that many of us evangelical Christians have a good doctrine of redemption, but a bad doctrine of creation. We need to develop our doctrine of creation and take an interest in some branch of natural history. For me it’s birds, for others it could be butterflies, or insects, or botany, plants, flowers, or the stars, or anything–but something of the creation ought to occupy our

attention and He means us to think His thoughts after Him as we study both the natural world in science and the Biblical world. (Source: Bill Turpie).

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