Description
Author: Dennis Elliott, paper back, 175 pages. Published by the Christadelphian Study Service in 2009.
‘Ambassadors for Christ’ contains 56 spiritual articles for meditation and encouragement. Written over a period of some 40 years, the articles first appeared in the pages of The Christadelphian and The Testimony magazines.
Dennis Elliott was one of Christ’s men and the reader will feel the benefit of that as they read these spiritual articles. He was a member of the Pietermaritzburg Christadelphian Ecclesia in South Africa and latterly a member of the Adelaide Christadelphian ecclesia in South Australia. Dennis passed away before this book was printed, in September 2009 but in this book his work will go on, to another generation.
This is an ideal present for those (of all ages) who appreciate the need to live their life based on sound biblical principles.
A review of the book
‘The disciples of Christ today can become ambassadors for Jesus, their exalted and beloved Saviour, by heeding the heartfelt appeal by Paul in his Epistle to the Romans: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:1-2).’
These words conclude an article by the late Bro Dennis M Elliott entitled Ambassadors for Christ which was published in The Testimony in November 1987. At that time Bro Dennis had been contributing articles to various magazines within the brotherhood for over 20 years; he would continue to pen encouraging articles for another 20 years. These thoughts close an article which eloquently expresses Bro Dennis’ aspirations as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. The instructive and exhortational writings of our brother reveal his humble and diligent character and were greatly valued by readers from around the globe. Although not a speaker, through the written word Bro Dennis exhorted brothers and sisters in many lands.
In January 2009 the ready pen of Bro Dennis was stilled when he fell asleep. He was 88. He entered his rest as others were engaged in labour to publish a collection of many of the best of Bro Dennis’ articles. Sadly that volume, A Word for the Ambassadors for Christ, came off the press after his death. Published by the Christadelphian Scripture Study Service, the book is a fitting tribute to the service rendered to the brotherhood by our brother over more than four decades. 56 articles have been reproduced (with the kind permission of The Testimony and The Christadelphian): the earliest is from 1966, while the latest in the collection was published in 2007.
The articles are not reproduced chronologically but their order is not haphazard. Rather than being printed in the date order in which they were published they were selected and ordered by Bro Dennis personally. He also asked that the title for the volume be taken from the article from which an extract is reproduced above (the third in the collection). Bro Dennis was a fine Bible student and his well researched articles were based on sound exposition. He read widely and among his many interests was archaeology. He often wrote about developments in this field. Interesting though these articles are, none of them were selected by Bro Dennis for this collection because the focus of the volume was to be advice for those who aspire to be ambassadors for Christ.
A deliberate flow of thought is evident in the pieces selected for the collection: the first article is entitled Thou Shalt Love the Lord thy God, expressing the first pre-requisite for faithful service, while the final piece is entitled Enter Ye in at the Strait Gate, encouraging readers to fix their eyes on the prize of their high calling in Christ. In between are articles which will encourage and strengthen in their pilgrimage all who read them.
The epistles of Paul feature prominently in the articles selected. Bro Dennis’ love for those writings is evident from the way in which he deals with inspiring passages in letters such as Romans, Ephesians and Colossians. Among the articles which reflect this interest are Set Your Affection on Things Above and For We Are His Workmanship. The gospels also were a favourite theme of Bro Dennis. His meditations on many incidents and sayings in the ministry of our Lord repay thoughtful consideration. Come and See and Hast Thou not Known Me? are two such articles, but there are many others. Each reader will find their own favourite passages and articles.
A Word for the Ambassadors for Christ is a delightful volume for casual yet inspiring reading. It would make a lovely gift. The author’s expositional insights will appeal to students at all levels and his lucid, readable style will ensure that the book is accessible and enjoyed by readers of all backgrounds. The book, available from the Christadelphian Scripture Study Service, is heartily recommended.
Geoff Henstock
This review first appeared in the Testimony magazine in December 2009