John R. W. Stott is known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist and communicator of Scripture. For many years he served as rector of All Souls Church in London, where he carried out an effective urban pastoral ministry. A leader among evangelicals in Britain, the United States and around the world, Stott was a principal framer of the landmark Lausanne Covenant (1974). His many books, including Why I Am a Christian and The Cross of Christ, have sold millions of copies around the world and in dozens of languages. Whether in the West or in the Two-Thirds World, a hallmark of Stott's ministry has been expository preaching that addresses the hearts and minds of contemporary men and women. Stott was honored by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."

Recipient of a Christianity Today 1994 Critics Choice Award! Recipient of the 1993 Christian Booksellers Association/Europe Book of the Year Award! People today reject Christianity not because they think it is false but because they believe it is irrelevant. John Stott knows otherwise. In this book he challenges all of us to move with the times while standing firmly on the truth of God's Word. "To be 'contemporary' is to live in the present," Stott writes. "To be a 'contemporary Christian,' however, is to ensure that our present is enriched both by our knowledge of the past and by our expectation of the future." The challenge, then, is to be both conservative and radical--conservative in guarding God's revelation and radical in applying that revelation to the realities of the contemporary world: space travel, homelessness, genetic engineering, pollution, war, health care, gang violence, education and more. Opening our eyes to the Word and the world, Stott shows how Christianity can speak effectively and relevantly to the contemporary world. He includes chapters on the human paradox, authentic freedom, mind and emotions, evangelism and social action, the pastoral ideal and dimensions of renewal. For those familiar with Stott, The Contemporary Christian is a "must-read" book. For those who have not yet benefited from his insight and passion, The Contemporary Christian affords the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with one of the most widely read and respected Christian thinkers at work today.