10 of those

This fine collection of essays marking more than fifty years of faithful ministry by Robert Oliver draws together contributions from North America (Joel R Beeke, Michael A G Haykin, Tom J Nettles and S Blair Waddell) and Europe (Guy A Davies, Philip H Eveson, Dinu Moga, Iain H Murray, Paul Oliver, Robert Strivens, Geoff Thomas and Jeremy Walker).

Robert Oliver's ministry is marked by faithfulness and humility . . . It has always been his desire to be known as merely a servant of the Lord. In his ministerial career he was both a pastor and elder for over fifty years. And in addition to this, he devoted the final 26 years of his life's work to the training and the teaching of shepherds in the service of the Lord's work. These men would be used of God in stations all over the world.

While he taught Church History at the London Theological Seminary, he has always remained a student of the subject. It should come as no surprise that in Robert's magnum opus, History of the English Calvinistic Baptists, 1771-1892, each historical figure studied is a pastor. He has always looked for examples of godly pastors that preceded him.

Now after a lifetime of faithful service in teaching and ministry this book is meant to be a tribute to his career. From the Introduction by the editors, Robert has shown that the right use of church history is also of real importance in understanding our duty in the present day. He has encouraged another generation to 'Walk about Zion … Mark ye well her bulwarks … that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death' (Psalm 48:14).