‘Taking the truth of God’s word into God’s world’ – new book of Mike Ovey’s writings launched
“Moore College Principal, Dr Mark Thompson, reflects on his close friend, the late Mike Ovey, in this video encouragement filmed for and played at the January book launch in the UK of The Goldilocks Zone: Collected Writings of Michael J. Ovey.”
– News and video from Moore College.
The book was launched in London last week.
Here’s a list of sellers, in Australian dollars. Also available here.
Collected writings of Mike Ovey to be launched 18 January
The Goldilocks Zone, collected writings of dearly missed Mike Ovey, will be launched at Oak Hill College in London on Thursday 18th January 2018.
Once it’s available, we’ll add a link for ordering.
Oak Hill Commentary — special tribute to Mike Ovey
Recently, Oak Hill College published a special edition of their Commentary magazine, “in thanksgiving for the life and ministry of Mike Ovey”.
It includes contributions from Don Carson, Mark Thompson, David Peterson and William Taylor.
If you haven’t seen it, you can read the issue online, or download the 4MB PDF file (direct link). Most honouring to the Lord Jesus.
Thanksgiving service for Mike Ovey — video
St. Helen’s Bishopsgate has uploaded a video recording of the thanksgiving service for the life and ministry of Dr. Mike Ovey, held at All Souls Church, Langham Place in London, on Monday 13th March 2017.
The full video recording runs for a little over 2 hours.
And from Oak Hill:
A packed church of about 800 people joined Mike’s family, together with friends, colleagues, Oak Hill students and alumni, to pay tribute to Mike’s exceptional gifts, which he offered in the service of the people of God, and to thank God for his life as a teacher, educator, and leader.
The service included four appreciations of Mike’s life and work, and the address was given by Peter Jensen, former Archbishop of Sydney, Australia. The individual appreciations and the address are at the following points in the video:
10:35 – Efrem Buckle, Pastor of ecclesia, Lewisham
17:32 – Andrea Williams, Chief Executive, Christian Concern
31:16 – Nick Tucker, Vicar of St Bartholomew, Edgbaston
39:33 – Dan Strange, Acting Principal of Oak Hill College
57:42 – Peter Jensen, former Archbishop of Sydney.
Call to continue gospel vision at Thanksgiving Service for Mike Ovey
“All Souls, Langham Place was packed on Monday 13th March as hundreds of men and women, young and old, gathered to worship God and give thanks for the life and ministry of Mike Ovey, the dearly loved former Principal of Oak Hill College, who died on 7th January aged 58.
Hugh Palmer led the service, featuring hymns with All Souls’ trademark uplifting music. Current students at Oak Hill read the opening biblical sentences; there were four outstanding tributes to Mike and a sermon based on Philippians 1:21, ‘for me, to live is Christ, to die is gain’.
All the speakers emphasised how Mike Ovey combined robust love for truth with compassion for people.”
– Anglican Mainstream’s Andrew Symes reflects on the Thanksgiving Service for Mike Ovey.
Mike Ovey thanksgiving service — screening at St Thomas’ North Sydney tonight
Moore College Principal Mark Thompson shares:
“The memorial service is being held in London on Monday 13 March at 2:30pm GMT [i.e. early Tuesday morning, Australian time]. We are going to show it at St Thomas’ North Sydney on Tuesday 14 March at 7:30pm. …
those who would like to gather with Ana Ovey at St Thomas’ and participate in the service in this delayed fashion (sing the hymns, pray the prayers, and listen to the sermon by Peter Jensen) would be more than welcome.
There will be a light supper provided (though we have little idea of how many people will be able to come, we will try to provide enough). We would like to send a photograph to Heather Ovey of those gathered if all are willing. Parking is available at St Thomas’.”
Audio of the Thanksgiving Service for Mike Ovey
Audio of the Thanksgiving Service for Mike Ovey (held yesterday, 23rd January 2017) has now been posted to the website of the Enfield Evangelical Free Church.
It runs for 86 minutes and includes hymns, readings, appreciations, the sermon, and prayers.
(Photo courtesy Oak Hill College.)
Update: Oak Hill College shares more about the service.
Dr Mike Ovey Obituary by Chris Green
At Ministry Nuts and Bolts, Chris Green, former Vice Principal of Oak Hill College, shares his obituary of Mike Ovey written for Church Times.
“In 1995, after a happy curacy with Andrew Cornes, the young family moved to Moore College, Sydney, with Mike as a junior lecturer in doctrine, and working on his MTh: Truth in John’s Gospel. This was seminal, both in experiencing doctrinally deep theological education, and coming under the influence of his life-long mentor…”
Funeral of Mike Ovey set for Monday 23 January
“The funeral of Mike Ovey will be held at Enfield Evangelical Free Church on Monday 23 January 2017 at 1.00pm. This will be a chance for Mike’s family, close friends, colleagues and local community to celebrate his life.
We are aware that a much larger group, including former students and the wider church network, will want to give thanks for Mike’s life and work. A wider thanksgiving service will take place at a larger venue in the coming months. Details to follow.”
– Read the full notice from Oak Hill College.
Oak Hill College and church leaders pay tribute to Mike Ovey
“The Oak Hill College community has been in shock and mourning since the news broke on Sunday morning that our greatly-loved Principal, Mike Ovey, had unexpectedly collapsed and died at home on Saturday night. …
Several evangelical leaders have paid tribute to Mike in the days since he died. …”
– From Oak Hill College.
Image: Screenshot from a sermon by Mike Ovey on Acts 20:17-38 at an Ordination service at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, March 2015.
Tribute to Dr Mike Ovey by Archbishop Glenn Davies
Here’s a Public Statement released by Archbishop Glenn Davies on the death of Dr Mike Ovey, Principal of Oak Hill College:
“Dr Mike Ovey was a gifted student of God’s word whose ability to convey the truths of Holy Scripture and their contemporary application was outstanding.
Mike’s scholarly analysis of current trends in philosophy and theology was astute and penetrating, always with a view to strengthening the Christian’s understanding of the nature of God’s kingdom and his sovereign rule over our lives. A gracious and godly leader, Mike’s presence and counsel will be sorely missed not only at Oak Hill College, where he served as Principal for a decade, but throughout England and the world.
We in Sydney have lost a true friend whose frequent trips to our city will be sadly missed.”
via SydneyAnglicans.net.
The Grace of God – or the World of the West? – Dr Mike Ovey
At the CMS NSW Summer School today, Rector of St. Helen’s Bishopsgate, William Taylor, paid tribute to Dr. Mike Ovey as “one of the great generals of the Christian faith”.
Take the time to thoughtfully watch this challenging and Christ-honouring address, given by Dr. Ovey, at GAFCON II in Nairobi in October 2013, to see why. Watch it here, courtesy of Anglican TV.
“My first really significant encounter with worldwide Anglicanism came at theological college.
It was 1990 and an east African priest was on secondment with us. He preached in the college chapel. He posed a question. Which gospel, he asked, which gospel do you westerners want us to believe? The one you came with or the one you preach now? Which gospel? I was horrified, not because what he said was not true. I was horrified because it was true.
My east African brother’s question has nagged away at me ever since. But how has it come about that we have a different gospel now from the one we first preached. What is this difference between what we westerners say now and what we said then? …”
Full text PDF from GAFCON.
Moore College tribute to Rev Dr Mike Ovey
“Moore College gives thanks to God for the life and ministry of Dr Mike Ovey, Principal of Oak Hill College, who died suddenly on 7 January at the age of 58.
Dr Ovey taught at Moore for three years (1995-98) before returning to the UK to join the Oak Hill faculty. He was appointed Principal in 2007.
Dr Ovey has been author or contributor to numerous books, has contributed regularly to the journal Themelios, as well as producing many scholarly and popular articles for other journals. He has been the clearest and strongest voice in contemporary English evangelical theology.…”
– Read it all at the Moore College website.
And Lee Gatiss, Director of Church Society, has written this longer tribute.
Mike Ovey
We are very saddened to hear of the death, after a heart attack, of Dr Mike Ovey, Principal of Oak Hill College in London, this morning Australian time.
A graduate of Moore College, and then a member of the faculty, Mike returned to the UK to teach at Oak Hill.
Mike was also a key member of the GAFCON theological team. He was due to return to Sydney to speak at the NEXUS Conference in April.
He will be sorely missed, and his death is a blow for English Evangelicalism.
Please uphold Mike’s family in prayer at this time – as well as the communities at Oak Hill and Moore College, and Mike’s many friends around the world – pray that they may cling to Christ, and receive the comfort and hope only he can give.
From Oak Hill:
‘Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants’ (Psalm 116:15).
It is with profound shock and sadness that we announce the sudden and unexpected death of our Principal, the Revd Dr Mike Ovey, at the age of 58.
As the Oak Hill community comes to terms with the loss of our dear brother and leader, we cling on to the promise that ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life’. It reminds us that for Mike, death is not an end but a glorious beginning.
Please hold in your thoughts and prayers Mike’s wife Heather and their three children Charlie, Harry, and Ana. More details about Mike’s funeral and thanksgiving will follow in the coming days.
See also:
Moore College tribute to Rev Dr Mike Ovey.
The Grace of God – or the World of the West? – Dr Mike Ovey.
Mike Ovey on Faithful Teachers in an Age of Confusion
Mike Ovey spoke at this year’s Church Society Conference on the major threats to the gospel in the Church of England.
Sober, challenging, rebuking, and very helpful.
The talk and Q&A (34MB mp3), is linked from this page.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…