(The following is from Justin Taylor's blog; he honors Chip Stam.) Last night Mike Cosper tweeted, "Chip taught me nearly everything I know about worship."
He was referring to Carl ("Chip") Stam, who saw Jesus face to face for the first time last night (May 1, 2011).
Stam had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in the Spring of 2007.
He was professor of church music and worship at Southern Seminary, the founding director of Southern's Institute for Christian Worship, and Minister of Music and Worship at Clifton Baptist Church in Louisville. (You can hear Stam talk about worship and music with Harold Best and Mike Cosper here.)
A couple of months ago he wrote in one of his Worship Quotes of the Week:
I am preparing to die (again, whether that's near or far) and crying tears of great joy and satisfaction. If you aren't trusting in Jesus alone for hope in this life and the next, you cannot possibly understand the peace that passes understanding. Come to Jesus.
Southern Seminary has posted his life and death, with quotes from Dr. Mohler and Dr. Stinson.
And at The Gospel Coalition, Stam's friends and colleagues Tom Schreiner and Bruce Ware offer a joint tribute to a man who lived his life well, in union with Christ, filled with the Spirit, before the face of God.
Here is an excerpt:
To the end of his life, one characteristic stood out above all others, and this was his unflinching confidence in the God who, in His great love, had sent His Son to die in his place and pay the penalty for his sin. For all of us who have been with Chip over these past four years of his battle with cancer, Chip has displayed to us how to die well as the fruit of trusting God well. Chip lived the reality of the gospel and exhibited a peace that passes human understanding as his heart was filled with joy over the greatness and grace of God's gift of salvation. We visited Chip many times during his ordeal with cancer, and on every occasion we came back encouraged and strengthened in our faith. Chip wanted to live to an old age, but he gave his life to God, trusting him for his life and death. Therefore, visits with him and Doris and the family were never gloomy affairs. The joy of knowing Jesus was refracted through his sufferings.
May this be said of each of us.
Thank you God, for a life well lived.
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2011/05/02/carl-chip-stam-1953-2011/
