Erskine Seminary Alumni
Spotlight: An Interview with Rev. David Lauten
You wrote your doctoral dissertation on the Rev. Samuel Davies. Who was he? Samuel Davies (1723–1761) was an American Presbyterian minister, an evangelist during the Great Awakening, and president of what eventually became Princeton University. He was a contemporary of great revivalist - ley. Most of his ministry was in the colony of Virginia, where he led seven churches, helped to found a presbytery, composed hymns, and was even sent as a missionary to enslaved persons. While his life was cut short, he accomplished much for God’s glory in just thirty-seven years.
Why did you choose to study him? In the 20th century, there were two separate conferences where speak- ers had both mentioned Samuel Davies. One conference, which I attended, included Iain Murray, the author of Revival and Revivalism, and the other, which I have only read about, was a preaching conference with Martin Lloyd-Jones. Each of these gentlemen, an Englishman and a Welshman re- spectively, publicly lamented to an American audience that very little at- tention had been given to the life and legacy of Samuel Davies. I spoke with Rev. Murray after his lecture and told him that I was intrigued by his study of Davies’ life and work. Similarly, Dr. Lloyd-Jones found it a shame that most American Presbyterians had never heard of Samuel Davies, some- one he considered to be one of the best American preachers. So, with those promptings, I decided to explore primary documents and learn more about Rev. Davies, particularly through his sermons.
What have you learned? When you read through the literature, it becomes quite clear that Davies
had a profound sense of living and ministering Coram Deo, that he and his congregations believed that they were truly in the presence of God when they met for worship. The more I studied him, the more this outlook began to leap off every page of his sermons. God’s presence, His powerful and readily available help to both the preacher and the congregation, instilled ministry. As a result, I have found additional strength and a renewed bold- ness to preach God’s Word. Davies taught me to see the minister primarily as God’s ambassador of the Good News we have in Jesus Christ. What also stood out to me was how Davies combined a strong focus on the Gospel call to conversion with an equally solid commitment to the
Reformed doctrines of grace. The free offer of the Gospel is just as evident in his preaching as is his Calvinism. This balance is necessary for preach- ers today if we want to proclaim the whole truth of God’s Word.
How can pastors and churches ben-
First, imitating Davies’ sense of God’s personal presence in his ministry, particularly in his preach- minister. Collections of his sermons are available online, and I encour- age pastors to read them and be strengthened in their own work by them. Also, as mentioned ear- lier, Davies’ intentional combina- tion of evangelical preaching with Reformed distinctives should be followed today. An emphasis on right doctrine is a good thing, but it should always be aimed at both the head and the heart to be most effec- tive. Congregations can also learn from Davies the importance of not simply hearing but receiving God’s Word in worship. Davies’ continual awareness of God’s presence with His gathered people should encour- age us all that this Word is indeed “living and active” among us, and that the Gospel message, when ap- plied to our hearts by the Holy Spir- can ask or imagine.”
The Rev. David Lauten (D.Min., 2024) is Senior Associate Minister of Pastoral Care at First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C. He previously served churches in Conway and Lancaster, S.C, and with InterVarsity Fellowship in Columbia, S.C. David and his wife Anne live in Columbia and have two adult children.
January/February 2025
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