Charles Spurgeon

In his work, The Forgotten Spurgeon, Iain Murray summarizes Charles Spurgeon’s approach to controversy in five helpful and reflective ways.

Here’s the five ways along with a quote from the book representing each.

1. Pastoral Concern
   “There is evident in all the major controversies in which he was involved a pastoral concern for the spiritual welfare of men and women” (p. 197).
   
2. Great Faith
   “Spurgeon engaged in controversy with great faith in God, and with a sense of his duty to do God’s will whatever the outcome” (p. 202).
   
3. Commitment to the Word of God
   “The various controversies of Spurgeon’s life are unified when we see them as parts of his total commitment to the Word of God” (p. 203).
   
4. Desire for Christian Unity
   “Along with the thoroughness of  Spurgeon’s adherence to Scripture in all matters of controversy went his desire for true union with all evangelical Christians” (p. 204).
   
5. Understanding of II Timothy 3:12
   “Spurgeon reminds us that piety and devotion to Christ is not a preferable alternative to controversy, but rather that it should—when circumstances demand it—lead to the second” (p. 205).

We’d do well to have a godly handle on each of these five things in our ministries.