Book Spotlight: Spurgeon | A Life by Alex DiPrima

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Benjamin Kreps:

Hey everyone, and welcome to the Mark Prater podcast where our aim is to connect our global family of Sovereign Grace churches with our executive director.

Mark, as you well know, and many who are checking out the podcast know, there are a number of fine biographies on Charles Spurgeon and it appears, I think the author of Ecclesiastes said, of the writing of Spurgeon biographies "There is no End". But nevertheless, all that to say, there is another Spurgeon biography that you've been reading recently and enjoying, and you wanted to talk about what you've been enjoying, what you found helpful in this Spurgeon biography. But just to start the conversation, why another Spurgeon biography? I mean, can we not leave this man alone?

Mark Prater:

That's right, exactly. It's a great question. He's been written about a lot and he continues to be. Actually, for this particular episode of the podcast, I was telling you, Ben, before we recorded, I was going to mention a couple different resources I'm reading right now and just prayed about it, like the Lord focused me on this Spurgeon biography. And then as I thought about it more and prayed about it more, focused on one chapter, which we'll talk about in just a moment that I pray serves those receiving criticism, but especially pastors receiving criticism.

So why another biography on Spurgeon? I think Michael Reeves who writes the, oh, by the way, here is the jacket cover that I don't have on the book presently; Spurgeon: A Life, a Biography of the Prince of Preachers by Alex DiPrima. And Michael Reeves, who's over at Union School of Theology, wrote the foreword for this. And I think he answers that question of why another biography by actually asking and answering another question. The question Reeves asked in his forward, why is Charles Spurgeon so endlessly fascinating? Many biography have been written about him, and so why? Another one he says, he says he indeed there was something supernatural in the combination of his qualities. On the one hand, he was nothing like the stereotypical Victorian of his day. He was lively and cheerful. His writings ripple with mirth. On the other hand, he was not frivolous, but joyfully earnest. He was also a big hearted man with deep affections. He was deeply kind, tender man. Yet at the same time, he was no pushover, a lion of conviction and courage while joyfully resolute. He was not a triumphalist. Indeed, he struggled acutely with much pain and depression, and yet he never comes across as gloomy. And perhaps this is what draws people they see in Spurgeon, a man who is so gloriously and unusually alive. And then he says this, he expressed his vivid humanness through his unique character. He had his own personality.

But the more you look at the man, the more obvious his vitality and greatness of soul were the fruit of a deep knowledge of a fascinating savior. That is why he is so captivating. He lucidly commends and reflects Jesus Christ. We are so drawn to him because he was so drawn to Christ, his great view of Christ humbled him and yet made him in his christlikeness. I think that's why another biography on Spurgeon makes sense. Yeah. Isn't that well said? You can't write that better. So thank you Michael Reeves for writing that it was Spurgeon's understanding of and view of and grasp of his fascinating savior that I think fascinates us about Spurgeon and why he's a joy to read.

Benjamin Kreps:

He certainly is. And I joke about there are not too many Spurgeon biographies. Those of us who are acquainted with those biographies have enjoyed and benefited from the breadth of stories about Spurgeon's life. And if anyone is, whoever is familiar with Spurgeon's life, you know that this man was a cheerful lion in the pulpit and a faithful pastor, but also a man who faced all kinds of criticism and opposition. It was a normal part of his ministry to face opposition and criticism. And we were talking before we started recording that there is a specific chapter in the book about just that.

Mark Prater:

Yeah, it's chapter five entitled Opposition and Criticism. And this book is really well researched like a lot of Spurgeon biographies, but I would really appreciate the research put into this one. And the DiPrima makes the observation that even from early on in his ministry there in London, Spurgeon received criticism. It was a constant den of criticism as the way to sort of capture or that Spurgeon said it in his autobiography. And what's fascinating is if you read this chapter, is the criticism in that day was written and printed in the biggest newspapers in London. So it wasn't online like it is today on X or Facebook or wherever in blog posts. But it was just as public, just not as immediate. It was just as public because these were the major newspapers in London.

And there's a whole section of this chapter where he just gives examples from papers at that time and the criticism that Spurgeon received, but he unpacks it really well. He talks a little bit about the nature of the criticism that Spurgeon received. And there were sort of three issues, or he calls them I think conviction or categories, sorry, categories of criticism that Spurgeon received the first category of criticism centered on doctrinal issues and particularly related to the centuries old debate of Calvinism and Arminianism. What's interesting about the critique, he not only received critique from Arminians because Spurgeon was a Calvinist, but he also received on the opposite end of the spectrum critique. Most pastors know this from the hyper-Calvinists of that day. So it was both camps and both extremes where he got critique.

A second public focus of censure or criticism was Spurgeon's manner of speech. And the way he presented himself in his preaching and the way he preached, many regarded him as irreverent and vulgar and even accused him, this is a quote, "of prostitution of the pulpit". In other words, he was not just the typical Victorian age preacher of the day. He was a little more lively than that and people called that irreverent.

And then a third category of criticism was related to Spurgeon's apparent pride and arrogance. That's what they accused him of. So that was sort of the nature of the criticism that he received. And then there were reasons for the criticism that the DiPrima gives. And if I remember right, there were three of those. So he asked the question, why was Spurgeon receiving an enormous tide of public hostility and criticism?

Well first, here's the first reason. Spurgeon was originalist preaching and show little regard for religious tradition or conventions. Again, he was not that typical Victorian preacher, so to speak. The premise says he hated dead formalism. He had little regard for tradition, for tradition's sake and felt no need to doff his hat for ceremony is the way that is written.

A second reason, a second and related contextual factor had to do with the state of preaching in London in the middle of the 19th century. It seems that few preachers in that day in London were marked by the same degree of earnestness and zeal in the pulpit that Spurgeon displayed in the pulpit. He had a zeal for Christ and an earnestness for Christ that a lot of preachers in that day didn't have. And so he received criticism.

And then there was a third one that he mentions. Many people were troubled by Spurgeon's ministry because of what they perceived as his willingness to innovate in order to reach the masses. So basically what they were criticizing him for, what that means is they were particularly critical of his readiness to rent large public secular venues for his services so that more could hear the preaching of Christ. And he received criticism for that. So that was kind of the nature of the criticism and the reasons for the criticism he faced in that particular day. And they were contextual and they were for that time. But if you study those reasons; preachers today, pastors today can receive criticism from very similar things

Benjamin Kreps:

For sure. For any young men who are aspiring to pastoral ministry, and we hope there are some checking out the podcast, it's important to understand, to be a pastor and a preacher, to be faithful in that role, is to be criticized. You are signing up for criticism. And so it's helpful to read of men like Spurgeon and all the way back into the apostles who were opposed and persecuted, because it's instructive for us, it's instructive so that we're not surprised, we are prepared. Our souls are prepared for the inevitable criticism that will come as we also seek to have a zeal for Christ, proclaim Christ, preach boldly, pastor faithfully. That's instructive, but also instructive as how godly men, godly pastors over the years respond to that criticism. That teaches us a lot as well. And Spurgeon certainly was one that we can model our response to criticism after. And Alex talks about that in the book as well.

Mark Prater:

Yeah, he does. And I think that's a good way to say it, Ben, that it's instructive to read how others that have went before us responded to criticism and even allowed it to shape them. And that's what you see in Spurgeon's life. And that's sort of the lessons we have to take in our day when we receive criticism as leaders and as pastors is there's lessons to learn how to respond in a biblical way, but also how God uses it in our lives to shape us as leaders and pastors.

So as you would imagine, Spurgeon responded to criticism in many ways. He was emboldened by it. He was ready to, he was that lion of conviction as the premise or as Michael Reeves says, and he stood for truth. And so he was emboldened in that sense. But at the same time, he could be discouraged at times like any of us would. We can be vulnerable to especially unjust critique that we can receive. And he gives this picture of his relationship with his wife Susannah. And I want to read that because it highlights the importance of a pastor's marriage in enduring criticism. And it highlights how vital pastor's wives are to ministry and how they can be helpful in times of criticism.

He says though Spurgeon was at times disheartened by his critics, he reflected unusual fortitude in bearing up under their attacks. He was able to withstand the hostility of his opponents and to maintain a faith-filled outlook on his trials because of his understanding of the purposes of God and suffering. So stop there first for a moment. He had a theological understanding of God's purposes and suffering that informed how he respond to his own suffering and criticism. In particular, he knew that if he endured opposition for Christ's sake, he would be blessed and sanctified as a result. So that's a good theological understanding of suffering.

But listen to this, Spurgeon was helped to maintain this perspective by a gift; his wife, Susannah. She helped to maintain this perspective, this theological perspective of suffering. She too had read the critics and the criticism in the papers, so she was keenly aware of it and she was aware, as she says, of those unjust and cruel words written of her husband. In the midst of a number of severe criticisms of Spurgeon in the press, Susannah had printed and framed for her husband, the text from Matthew 5:11 and 12. That's the Sermon on the Mount, the beatitudes in particular. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven, just as they persecuted the prophets before you. Susannah wrote, she had this text written out and printed and had it hung up in their bedroom, I think above their bed. It says the text was hung up in their own room and was read over by the dear preacher every morning fulfilling his purpose most blessedly for it and strengthening his heart and enabling him to not buckle under criticism, but to remain faithful in ministry. I thought that's just a sweet picture of a sweet marriage of how a pastor's wife serves her husband. In the midst of criticism she takes into scripture and has it framed and hung up in their room so he can read it each and every day. So a wonderful picture. Thank you pastors' wives, for helping your man endure what might be unjust criticism at times.

But DiPrima just then talks about how this suffering, how this criticism shaped him. And he gives three ways. It humbled him, it softened him, and it focused him. Obviously, Lord uses criticism in our lives to humble us. And that's what you see in Spurgeon's life. It helped, it was used, as the DiPrima says, to guard him from becoming too puffed up with pride. And he had a wonderful success in ministry. We all know that. And yet the Lord used criticism to keep him humble.

Second, criticism softened him. He points out that even though he is a very gifted man, he had some rough edges, especially early on in ministry. And it was criticism that rounded some of those rough edges off and made him more effective. But he also says this, also, Spurgeon needed to go through trials and testing of various kinds in order to become an effective and sympathetic pastor and preacher.

Benjamin Kreps:

That's good.

Mark Prater:

He was effective in his ability to encourage those who suffered in large measure because of the extraordinary suffering he experienced. If Spurgeon never encountered any opposition or trial in his ministry he would likely have been a rougher, more cavalier and more abrasive in his preaching. And so he just talks about how it softened him and affected his ability not only to preach about suffering theologically, but with the right sympathy and then to pastor people through it.

And then lastly, criticism was used in Spurgeon's life, this was an interesting observation; to focus him. It focused Spurgeon's attention to have this steely resolve to preach Christ freely and boldly to the needy people of London and not allow criticism to stop him. In doing that, he says criticism and opposition have a way of provoking reconsideration of our course and direction. They cause us to look inward and to reevaluate our motives and aims and our path. And for Spurgeon, what it did in his life is that it gave him more resolve to continue to preach Christ and Him crucified regardless of the criticism he received. And may that be the effect of criticism we receive in pastoral ministry. May it humble us, may it soften us, and may it focus us on what is most important.

Benjamin Kreps:

Sounds excellent. 'Looking forward to grabbing that book, checking out that chapter. If somebody's walking through criticism right now, it sounds like that's a chapter that could definitely serve them. The reality is, just like Spurgeon, we need to have a robust theology of suffering because criticism inevitably will come and we do well if we're not blindsided and unprepared to respond in a godly way that Spurgeon did. So it's the kind of chapter that can help us with that, even preparing for the inevitable criticism that will come our way at some point. So grateful for men like the Prince of Preachers and many others who model God glorifying responses and show us that we can actually grow and become more like Jesus if we steward the criticism that we receive in a way that honors God.

So thank you, Mark for the book recommendation. Thank you all for checking out the podcast, and we'll see you here next week. Lord willing. Bye for now.