R.T. Kendall’s autobiography, In Pursuit of his Glory, focuses on his twenty-five years of service as the preacher/pastor of Westminster Chapel in London. The book chronicles Kendall’s ministerial journey – from pastor apprentice under the influence of Martin Lloyd Jones to his Word, Spirit, Power conferences in the United States and England in recent years.
I first came in contact with R.T. Kendall’s writings when I picked up his book The Christian and the Pharisee, in which Kendall corresponds with an Orthodox Jew. (See my review here.) In The Christian and the Pharisee, Kendall’s Calvinism and evangelistic fervor impressed me. I found his book God Meant it For Good, a book chronicling the life of Joseph, to be a helpful resource as I recently took my Sunday School class through Joseph’s life. I also knew Kendall as the primary scholar who argues that John Calvin did not actually subscribe to the doctrine of “Limited Atonement’ as now espoused by Calvinists. (Having analyzed the arguments of both sides of this debate, I am unsure whether or not Calvin believed the doctrine his followers so clearly articulated, though I do find Kendall’s argumentation compelling.) I eventually discovered that Kendall received his Masters of Divinity at Southern Seminary, where I am currently an MDiv student.
All these factors piqued my interest in Kendall as a minister, so I was happy to come across his autobiography. The story he unfolds in the book encouraged me and challenged me to more passionately pursue the glory of God in my life and ministry.
In Pursuit of His Glory begins with Kendall’s church background. Kendall came to faith in Christ while being raised in a devoted Nazarene family. He embraced the Arminianism of the Nazarene church until he claims Jesus met him in a spiritual vision and straightened out his theology! Kendall became a Calvinist (although not all five points) and began pastoring a Southern Baptist Church.
During his time at Oxford, Kendall was given the opportunity to preach at Westminster Chapel only a few years after Martin Lloyd Jones had stepped down from the pulpit. It is fascinating to read Kendall’s recollections of his early years at Westminster. He speaks highly of Jones and the mentoring he received.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Kendall began to more fully embrace the Charismatic movement that had always been nascent in his spiritual life since the 1950’s. During his tenure in London, Westminster moved in a decisively charismatic direction, even while retaining its Reformed heritage. Kendall tells of his experiences with Arthur Blessitt, Rodney Howard Browne, Paul Cain and John Wimber. He writes of his initial skepticism towards the “Toronto Blessing” even as he eventually came to see it as legitimate.
The most helpful parts of Kendall’s book for me spiritually were the closing chapters. Kendall’s story is tinged with regret. Kendall regrets the small number of people he led to the Lord (over 400 doesn’t seem small to me, though). He regrets the pain he sometimes put his family through. He regrets not seeing a true revival in the Chapel. The chapter “If I Could Turn the Clock Back” should be read by every pastor and minister.
Kendall believes strongly in expository preaching, and his passion for this method of preaching is evident throughout the book. He believes in the sovereignty of God and the inerrancy of Scripture. He advocates openness to different manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s power, reminding his readers of the strange expressions that fell upon New England during the time of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield.
At times, Kendall seems to be the legitimate successor of Martin Lloyd Jones. At other times, he leads the Chapel on a very different path from the previous pastors. As much as I admire Lloyd Jones, I was unsettled by the reference to Westminster Chapel as a “preaching station,” more than a “church.” I was also taken aback by the reticence to personal evangelism that Kendall encountered from a congregation that had sat under the teachings of the highly evangelistic Lloyd Jones.
Kendall’s exuberance, authenticity, and personal testimony make it difficult for me to critique his autobiography. Still, I feel that his full-fledged support of much of the Charismatic agenda is unhelpful. I appreciate his desire to see the Charismatic movement supported by a strong, Calvinistic theological foundation. But there is a major difference between seeing a Charismatic expression springing up out of a strong theological foundation (the Great Awakening, for example) and trying to bless Charismatic expression by giving it some strong theology. One springs forth out of clear doctrinal teaching. The other is a house built on sand. The first is legitimate. The second is misguided.
In Pursuit of His Glory is a good book for ministers and laypeople alike. Kendall is to be commended for writing such an honest, reflective autobiography, a book that proves its title to be true.
written by Trevin Wax © 2008 Kingdom People blog
Just a month after I moved to Romania in 2000, one of the school deans told me a disturbing story.
(2007, Brazos Press) - a book with contributions from a wide range of scholars. We were required to read only 150 pages of this book and were allowed to choose whatever chapters we desired. I couldn’t help myself and wound up reading the whole thing. It’s that good!
(His grave lies just a few feet in front of James P. Boyce’s family gravesite.)
When I think back to the example left by Boyce, I am encouraged by his devotion to the local church. He taught Bible classes at Broadway Baptist Church for many years. He was a firm believer in giving ministers of the gospel a sound theological education.
There is something at the center of our faith which reminds us of this… We celebrated the event a few Sundays ago - something that reminds us that Good Friday may occupy the throne for a day, but ultimately it must give way to the triumphant beat of the drums of Easter!
