A Communion of Love The Christ-Centered Spirituality of Robert Murray M'Cheyne (Stone)

About

Few figures in church history that died before the age of thirty have left such a lasting legacy as Robert Murray M’Cheyne (1813–43). His name is virtually synonymous with the pursuit of personal holiness. M’Cheyne was a living testimony to Scripture’s command to “let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim 4:12). His ardent praying, preaching, and progress in godliness continue to captivate countless Christians around the world. The model of piety found in M’Cheyne’s life and ministry provides needed encouragement for properly understanding biblical spirituality.

What was the main fuel of his spirituality? Love for Jesus Christ. In A Communion of Love, Jordan Stone argues that rightly understanding M’Cheyne’s spirituality must begin with the fundamental issue of why he pursued the means of grace as he did, before reckoning with how he used those means. Such a reorientation reveals that loving communion with Christ was the all-consuming, driving force for M’Cheyne’s vision of the Christian life.

Endorsements

“The life of the young nineteenth-century Scottish minister Robert Murray M‘Cheyne left a lasting impression not only on his contemporaries but on the entire evangelical tradition. Now, in A Communion of Love Jordan Stone has provided a new generation with an outstanding study of M‘Cheyne’s life. Thoroughly anchored in careful research yet written in a style that makes the story accessible to all, this is simply a great read!”

—Sinclair B Ferguson, Chancellor’s Professor, Reformed Theological Seminary

“Any attentive reader of Robert Murray M’Cheyne will consider him their elder in the Lord though he died very young. This is because the array of Christian graces was so profoundly balanced and proportioned, seemingly undiluted, and were nourished by a fitting use of all the biblically prescribed means for growth in grace. . . . Read the book, admire the grace of God in the man, and grow in Christlikeness.”

—Tom J. Nettles, Senior Professor of Historical Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Jordan Stone’s A Communion of Love sets a new standard for studies of M’Cheyne. I simply cannot commend it highly enough. It is simultaneously a perfect entry way into the life and ministry of M’Cheyne, and the best treatment yet of his context and influences, as well as his distinctive emphases and animating principle. . . . Working through this volume will not only introduce the reader to an important figure of the nineteenth-century Scottish spiritual awakening, but also provide a rich devotional and theological reflection on the Christian life, as well as a correction to the shallow moralism and antinominianism than one often encounters in preaching today.”

—Ligon Duncan, Chancellor/CEO Reformed Theological Seminary, John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology


“In A Communion of Love, Jordan Stone wonderfully points us to the unwavering theology, vibrant spirituality, and pastoral fervor of an example for each of us to follow. I was both challenged and encouraged by this great work. Let us pray for a generation of pastors who cherish our Savior the way that M’Cheyne models in his personal spiritual life.:

—Matt Boswell, Hymn writer, Pastor, The Trails Church

Author

Jordan Stone is the senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in McKinney, TX. He is married to Emily and the father of six children.