The Latimer Trust asks Ed Moll
1. How did you become a Christian?
After a particularly disappointing Confirmation preparation course I was invited to a Christian union meeting by a couple of friends, where for the first time I heard the gospel explained from the Bible. Over the following weeks I studied the Bible with others and learned more of God’s grace until I was ready to follow Jesus personally. I was in the last year of school.
2. Who is or has been an influential person in your Christian pilgrimage?
I have been blessed by a number of friends and teachers. The most enduring influences have come through the books of John Stott and Don Carson. I valued their careful expositions and patient exploration of controversial issues. I particularly remember how John Stott’s Bible Speaks Today exposition of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) showed me that reading passages in context unlocks their meaning for today.
3. What piece of advice would you give young ordinands going into ordained ministry today?
Don’t give up on your biblical languages! Most people leave college with not enough Greek or Hebrew to get past the ‘pain barrier’, the point beyond which you can read passages with some fluency. It cannot be done in one year or even two, but it can be done in five years. Imagine the impact in your teaching ministry when you are able to read the entire NT in Greek every year! Imagine that you can also read the entire OT, in Greek or Hebrew, over a slightly longer time. Keep working on your languages. There are plenty of good free resources out there: what isn’t usually free is time.
4. Which is the best book you have read recently?
We are working through the Creeds and I came across Matthew Y Emerson’s "He Descended to the Dead" – An Evangelical Theology of Holy Saturday (IVP Academic, 2019), which thoroughly helped me with theology in all sorts of connected areas: what it means to be human, how Christ’s incarnation comforts me in every aspect of being human, and what happened when he descended to the dead. Highly recommended.
5. What are your working on at the moment?
Day to day I am still seeking wisdom and joy in Christ as I lead a local church. Alongside that I currently have three short writing projects on the go, each at different stages: a commentary on Nahum (for Hodder) and studies on the Ascension and on Accountability for Latimer Trust.
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