Nichols shows Sproul to be a man who adored his wife, loved his family, and honored his friends. He shows him to be a man God raised up to be a gentle warrior, a man with a warm heart and resolute spirit, a man who would love a sinner but not suffer a fool. In other words, he shows him to be exactly the man in private that he appeared to be in public.
I used to say that no living theologian had impacted my faith more than R.C. Sproul. His books changed me, formed me, strengthened me. His sermons and conference talks never failed to grip my heart and thrill my soul. His teaching series fed my mind and taught me how to live out my faith. In so many ways he guided me into Christian infancy and toward Christian maturity. I was one of many believers around the world who grieved his death as a personal tragedy, a significant loss. Though he is no longer a living theologian, I often still recount how much I owe to him. I often still thank God for him.
It was inevitable that Sproul would be the subject of biographies and appropriate that Stephen Nichols should write the first. After all, Nichols served alongside Sproul for many years at both Ligonier Ministries and Reformation Bible College. He knew Sproul in many settings both personal and professional. He sat beside him in corporate board rooms and across from him in restaurant dining rooms. He chatted with him casually and interviewed him formally. Through it all he gained a deep understanding and deep appreciation of his subject. And it shows in the warm pages of this tremendous book.
