Alistair Begg
| Pastor Alistair Begg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
1952 (age 63–64) Glasgow, Scotland |
| Residence | Ohio, U.S.A. |
| Citizenship | U.S.A. |
| Education | The London School of Theology |
| Occupation | Pastor, author, actor |
| Years active | 1975 - present |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Begg |
| Children | 3 |
| Honours | Honorary Doctorate, conferred May 28, 2009, by Westminster Theological Seminary |
| Website | https://www.truthforlife.org/about/about-alistair-begg/ |
Alistair Begg (born 1952) is the Senior Pastor of Cleveland's Parkside Church (located in Bainbridge, Geauga County, Ohio), a position he has had since 1983. He is the voice behind the Truth for Life Christian radio preaching and teaching ministry that broadcasts his sermons daily to stations across the United States. He is also the author of several books and has played one small role as a film actor.
Begg is a strong advocate of historic Protestant Evangelical theology. He emphasizes his belief in the importance of believing the Bible to be the completely authoritative Word of God, and the importance of using the mind to know the Bible and knowing God through repentance and faith in Jesus.
Biography
Begg was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1952[1] and still carries a distinctive Scottish accent after nearly 30 years of ministry in the United States. On November 2, 1972, his mother died. Regarding the incident, Begg wrote that "more spiritual progress is made through failure and tears than success and laughter."[2] Begg graduated from the London School of Theology in 1975 and then served eight years in Scotland at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh and Hamilton Baptist Church in Lanarkshire. Begg is a Council member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. He was educated at Trent University and Westminster Seminary. Among his influences are Martyn Lloyd-Jones, John Stott, Derek Prime, Eric Alexander, Sinclair Ferguson, Dick Lucas, Eric Liddell, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Jim Elliot, and Hudson Taylor.
Begg's wife, Susan, is American by birth and Begg himself became a U.S. citizen in 2004. He and his wife have been married over 30 years and have three grown children. In 2004, he played Stewart Maiden in the film Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius. He is a supporter of Scottish football side Celtic F.C.
Theological views
Begg believes in the inerrancy and supremacy of Scripture, and in the saving power of Christ alone. He has said that the core belief of Parkside Church is "that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has died as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, and that to know Him is to know life, both now and forever [...] Jesus Christ is the only Savior, because Jesus is the only one who is qualified to save."[3] Fellow theologian and author R.C. Sproul wrote that "Alistair Begg incarnates this Neo-Puritan movement, a humble champion who has been galvanized by a magnificent obsession with the God-centered life. [...] Begg is an anachronism. He breaks the mold of contemporary evangelicalism, the mold that has been marred by narcissism and sullied by a preoccupation with a man-centered focus on method, technique, and a virulent form of self-esteem."[4] He is especially known for advocating prophetic, passionate preaching, which aims for biblical faithfulness and does not pander to the whims of culture.[5] His work has been praised by such people as John MacArthur, Max Lucado, and Joseph M. Stowell. Begg is critical of Hyper-Calvinism[6] and he also removed himself as one of the speakers at the "REiMAGINE" conference because of some of its other speakers, such as Leonard Sweet who has been criticized for his alleged New Age teachings.[7]
Bibliography
- What Angels Wish They Knew: The Basics of True Christianity, Moody Publishers (1999) ISBN 0-8024-1709-4
- Preaching for God's Glory (2000) ISBN 1-58134-123-7
- Pathway to Freedom: How God's Laws Guide Our Lives, Crossway Books (2000) ISBN 1-58134-123-7
- The Hand of God: Finding His Care in All Circumstances, Moody Publishers (2001) ISBN 0-8024-1704-3
- On Being a Pastor: Understanding Our Calling and Work, (with Derek Prime) Moody Publishers (2004) ISBN 0-8024-3120-8
- Made for His Pleasure: Ten Benchmarks of a Vital Faith, Moody Publishers (2005) ISBN 0-8024-7137-4
References
- ↑ "Honorary Doctorate, Alumnus Alistair Begg". Westminster Theological Seminary. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
- ↑ Made for His Pleasure (p106)
- ↑ NewsNet 5 Interview
- ↑ Foreword: Made for His Pleasure
- ↑ Sermon: "A Man Sent from God"
- ↑ Begg on Hyper-Calvinism
- ↑ Alistair Begg Withdraws From Reimagine Conference with Leonard Sweet