Person of Faith

R.C. Sproul

Philosopher, theologian, and pastor, with a wide smile, warm personality, and unmoving commitment to the truth of the Bible.

R.C. Sproul
Meet
R.C. Sproul

Had you met R.C. Sproul as a kid, you might have expected him to become a professional baseball player. R.C. grew up in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, under those who served in World War II ("The Greatest Generation”). R.C. possessed charm, good character, a fine work ethic, and was full of competitive spirit on the sports field.

God had far more in store for R.C. than anyone might have imagined. During college, some football players opened the Bible with R.C., and afterwards, R.C. gave his life to Jesus. Little did he know that he would be the one to open the Bible for thousands, helping many people understand the truth of God’s Word. In fact, in his lifetime R.C. received three honorary doctorates.

R.C. and his elementary school sweetheart, Vesta, began God's work for them together right after college. In his lifetime, R.C. founded a school, as well as a teaching center. He also laid the foundation for many people to understand what we call “Reformed Theology.” That’s a fancy way of summarizing the truths that Scripture is our only ultimate authority, and salvation is by grace alone, by faith alone, through Christ alone, to the glory of God alone.

We want you to meet R.C. Sproul because we believe that his work will help you see the truth of the Bible clearly. His jovial, kind, and courageous spirit is a wonderful reflection of the character of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Of any author we introduce you to, R.C. has had the biggest impact on our team here at Bibles.net.

The Life of R.C. Sproul

Birth
R.C. Sproul was born in Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania.
Love Story Begins
R.C. Sproul meets the love of his life, Vesta Ann Voorhis, while he was in first grade, and she in second. They got married fifteen years later on June 11 in 1960.
R.C. Trusts in Jesus
During his freshman year at Westminster College in New Wilmington Pennsylvania, R.C. Sproul put his faith in Jesus.
Founds Ligonier Ministries
R.C. opened the Ligonier Valley Study Center in Stahlstown, PN. Now, Ligonier Ministries is a wonderful online resource that hosts all of R.C. Sproul's content.
Writes the Chicago Statement
R.C. helps write the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. This statement took a stand for the complete truthfulness of the Bible. He served as the president of International Council on Biblical Inerrancy.
Book Publishing
R.C. publishes two of his most famous works: The Holiness of God and Chosen by God.
Debate Over Faith
R.C. Sproul and a few good friends have a serious debate over their partnership with those in the catholic faith. He argues against “Evangelicals and Catholics Together,” based on fundamental disagreement about the work of Jesus.
Founds Bible College
R.C. founds Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Florida, and serves there as president until 2014.
Death
R.C. Sproul went home to be with Jesus in glory.
February 13, 1939
1945
September 1957
August 1, 1971
1978
1985-1986
1994
2011
December 14, 2017

Content taken from R. C. Sproul: A Life by Stephen Nichols, ©2021. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Testimony
Article: 10 Min

How R.C. Sproul
Became a Christian

by Stephen J. Nichols at Bibles.net
Quote

R.C. Sproul’s Love Story

“For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16 ESV).

The verse above from the book of Ruth was inscribed on the inside of R.C. Sproul and his wife Vesta’s wedding rings. They committed to each other to do all things together. R.C.’s friends remember that Vesta never missed one of R.C.’s speaking events. She was always there to support him. They remembered that R.C. did nothing without his Vesta.

In R.C.’s biography by Stephen Nichols, we read, “R.C. was in the first grade at Pleasant Hills Elementary School. Vesta Vooris was in the second grade. R.C. vividly remembers seeing her for the first time, and when he did, with clarity, he knew he would marry her... If you were to look on most trees lining old Clairton Toad and McCellan Drive, you’d see four initials carved: “R.C. + V.V.” After that first encounter, a few more years passed before R.C. and Vesta became on-again, off-again boyfriend and girlfriend. Ultimately, the story of R.C. would be that of R.C. and Vesta.”

by Stephen J. Nichols | Source
Verse
Ecclesiastes 11:3 ESV

If the clouds are full of rain,
they empty themselves on the earth,
and if a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.

Article: 15 Min

The Life of R.C. Sproul: 1939-2017

by Justin Taylor at The Gospel Coalition

Quote

R.C.’s Beloved Personality

[R.C. Sproul] was the epitome of the whole-souled Christian. He took even his laughter seriously, and he excelled in it. Indeed, one memorable night when several of us were having dinner together, there was such joyful humor and side-splitting laughter that we had to call Steve Lawson’s brother Mark, a physician, to come over to the restaurant to make sure that R.C. had not seriously injured himself laughing.

by Sinclair B. Ferguson | Source
Quote

The idea is to live
all of our lives
in the presence of God,
under the authority
of God, and for
the honor and
glory of God.
That is what the Christian
life is all about.

R.C. Sproul
Work: Philosophy, Theology, Literature
Article: 10 Min

Have You Heard of R.C. Sproul?

by Ligon Duncan at TableTalk Magazine

Article: 6 Min

10 Things You Should Know about R.C. Sproul

Here are 10 super fun and interesting facts—some light, some deep, and all meaningful—about the beloved Bible teacher, R.C. Sproul.

by Stephen J. Nichols at Crossway

Quote

The more
I learn about God,
the more aware
I become of what
I don’t know about him.

R.C. Sproul
Article: 4 Min

Get a Basic Overview of the Bible

by R.C. Sproul at Ligonier Ministries

Quote

No Christian can
avoid theology.
Every Christian is a theologian.
The issue for Christians
is not whether we
are going to be
theologians but
whether we are
goi
ng to be
good theologians or bad ones.

R.C. Sproul
Quote

R.C.’s Love for Philosophy

I never believed that you could argue somebody into the kingdom of God, but at the same time I believed that we have a deep responsibility to give a rational defense for the truth claims of Christianity… We don’t ask people to take a leap into the dark. We ask them to come out of the dark and to give a playing field where Christianity at least has intellectual respectability in the marketplace. Shoring up the Christian in his experience, instead of being paralyzed, that they can then become articulate, and knowledgeable, and able to give the reason for the hope that is in them—that was always a part of my concern from day one, and certainly my background in philosophy fueled that.

by R.C. Sproul | Source
Quote

Often when one
person stands up,
other people join them.
And R.C. often was

the first one to stand up.
He was able to gather
people together for
the truth of the gospel.

Vesta Sproul
Quote

Speak truth.
We are not called to be deceivers or liars.
God is a God of truth,
and his people are called to have an
enormously high standard of truth.

R.C. Sproul
Quote

Who Was R.C. Sproul?

Here was a scholar-preacher, or preacher-scholar, touched with a gift for communication that exceeded the ordinary. More importantly, here was someone who understood what was central to the Scriptures and who desired to communicate it with passion.

by Derek W.H. Thomas | Source
Quote

R.C.’s tombstone reads,
“He was a kind man
redeemed by
a kinder Savior.”

Article: 7 Min

John MacArthur on R.C. Sproul

by John MacArthur at Grace to You

Article: 5 Min

Next Time: A Tribute to R.C. Sproul

by Tim Challies at his blog

Challenges
Article: 9 Min

Train Wreck

R.C. Sproul recounts his experience of being in a historic train wreck in 1993 in detail, and reminds us that according to the providence of God, there are no "accidents."

by R.C. Sproul at Ligonier Ministries

Article: 4 Min

What Makes It Possible for the Christian to Rejoice in the Midst of Pain and Anxiety?

In 1993, R.C. Sproul and his wife were involved in a historical train wreck. Here's their story, and what they learned from this experience.

by R.C. Sproul at Ligonier Ministries

Messages
Messages: 28 Min

A Great Salvation

by R.C. Sproul

Messages: 52 Min

How to Study the Bible

by R.C. Sproul

Books
Article: 19 Min

Books by R.C. Sproul

by Stephen J. Nichols at Bibles.net

Books