Dick Lucas at 100: 'Transforming preaching'

This September will see Dick Lucas’ 100th birthday. As Director of The Proclamation Trust (PT), a ministry started by Dick in 1986, it is my privilege to write something to mark this milestone, though on behalf of countless others in the UK and around the world.

Humility

Dick eschews praise. He is a humble, godly man who has assiduously pointed away from himself to Jesus. A suggestion to call the new PT building at Elephant and Castle “Lucas House” was quickly voted down. Instead “Proclamation House” was chosen, reflecting the ministry, not the man.

Mark’s Gospel was a favourite of Dick’s. He taught Mark reflecting its two-fold purpose as a proclamation of the gospel for faith and discipleship, and a training manual for ministry. The first “model minister” in Mark is John the Baptist. Undoubtedly a powerful and persuasive preacher, John the Baptist’s self-assessment was striking. “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1v7-8) Dick’s ministry was expressive of exactly this, a conscious unworthiness and powerlessness that issued in deep convictions about the effectiveness of prayer and the ministry of the word. To these he dedicated his whole life, so that the person people encountered through Dick’s ministry was not him, but the living Lord Jesus. When John the Baptist preached, consciously pointing away from himself to Jesus, then Jesus came (Mark 1:9). Likewise, when Dick preached, Jesus came.