R. C. Sproul: A Life was a great biography. I learned quite a bit about his life and ministry. I've been a fan of the books I've read by Sproul and this makes me want to read even more of his books.

I read this mostly in audiobook format while following along with the ebook. I highly recommend the audiobook as it contains audio clips of Sproul (including the two sermons at the end).

All in all, this was a good read and I recommend it.


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Great memoir by Nichols on Sproul's life. This book opens the door to many private and important moments throughout one of the most influential theologians of our time. This will be the go-to book for a while on Sproul's lowest and greatest moments. Highly recommended.

What an amazing man R.C. Sproul was, and Stephen Nichols has comprised such a detailed biography; I feel like I more intimately know the man who has inspired countless numbers with his work. R.C. strove to keep theology simple enough for laymen to understand, yet deep enough to encourage a life-long thirst. His foundation for teaching was centered on the theory of “God is holy, we are not, we need a substitute”. R.C. was a great friend and mentor of Nichols, so he not only conveys the life story of R.C. but encapsulates much of his theology.

As a follower of Sproul’s work, I found this biography to be enlightening and was pleased to see that there were citations about some of his numerous publications as well as his final two sermons. This is a book I’ll be referencing again and again.

I received a copy of this book from Crossway Publishing through NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

RC Sproul: A Life takes readers on a journey through RC Sproul’s life from the very beginning until the end of his faithful ministry. I appreciate the great detail that Nichols went into about Sproul’s life. The little quirky details about him really help you understand why his impact was so profound.

Understanding his family life, love for his dear wife Vesta, his conversion and how he developed Ligonier, etc. makes you just appreciate who he was so much more if you were already a fan and provides so much insight for someone who may not have known anything about him.

Many consider RC Sproul like a grandfather in the faith. Reading this book will make you feel like you’re reminiscing on sweet memories.

It does moves kind of slow, and is on the lengthier side. That could be a downside for the average reader but I do appreciate that Nichols covered so much ground. There will probably be many biographies on Sproul after this one but I think this book really captures how #GodUsedRC. Stephen Nichols knew him so well so I think he was a very appropriate choice to compile this first one.

I highly anticipated this book. So much I cried at the Table of Contents when I first started reading it. It is still so sad to talk about RC Sproul in the past tense.

If you were impacted by his teachings or interested in understanding his impact, I would recommend this book.

Many of us are acquainted with R.C. Sproul primarily through his radio ministry, but he wore many hats: pastor, professor, author, and founder/president of Ligonier Ministries. In this first biography following the death of Sproul in 2017, Stephen J. Nichols has chronicled Sproul’s impact on Biblical studies, theology, world view and culture, and because his career spanned decades, the cast of characters in R. C. Sproul: A Life reads like a who’s who of evangelical personalities.

R.C. Sproul’s career-spanning focus on the holiness of God provided a defining thread to his life’s work, and, therefore, to his biography which rewards the reader with bracing theological content and a detailed historical review of many of the doctrinal controversies that shaped the church in the twentieth century. If you have ever heard any of R.C.’s well-worn quotations such as, “It’s best not to shout where God only whispers,” or “If there is one maverick molecule in all the universe, then God is not sovereign. And if God is not sovereign, He is not God,” then take a minute and remember the life and ministry of R.C. Sproul.

Many thanks to Crossway and NetGalley for providing access to these books to facilitate my reviews which are, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

First sentence from the prologue: R. C. Sproul paced and roared when he preached. But by the end of his life he needed to sit on a stool. He relied on his portable oxygen, which went with him everywhere. He struggled with the effects of COPD. He had long ago sacrificed his knees to the athletic field. The years, but especially the miles, had caught up with him. When he stepped into the pulpit, the athlete that he was burst forth. With passion his game face was on. The stool swiveled. He would clutch the edges of the pulpit, pull himself forward, and lean toward his congregation. He somehow managed still to pace while he preached.

Stephen J. Nichols has written a biography of R.C. Sproul, the founder of Ligonier Ministries. The book is without question a biography of a man (son, student, friend, husband, father, grandfather). But it is also an examination of Sproul as a theologian: preacher, teacher, author, mentor. Nichols examines Sproul's life through the lens of legacy, and perhaps letting his legacy speak for itself.

The book is framed with his final two sermons taken from Hebrews 1 and 2. The prologue places readers there in his last moments as a preacher in a pulpit, and one of the appendices is the text of his two final sermons. (There are plenty of appendices!)

The book will be of the most interest to those who are already familiar with R.C. Sproul--either through his radio broadcasts, monthly magazine Tabletalk, teaching series, preaching conferences, books, or his massive STUDY BIBLE, the Reformation Study Bible. Perhaps you're just a little familiar with his life and work, then this would be a real treat of an introduction.

I think it affirms what some already believe: that his work will continue to help, to minister, to challenge, to comfort, to guide for generations to come. Sproul can continue to be used by the Spirit to help bring souls to Christ and to help disciple new believers. His work lives on.

I loved every minute of this one! I did. I found it an enjoyable, compelling read. I loved learning more about Sproul. If you listen to enough Sproul sermons, you get a sense of his life story--his background, his childhood, his conversion, his romance and marriage, etc. But this book puts it all together as a whole and it's lovely to see it that way. Some facts felt like old friends; others were new-to-me. (Did you know he was converted by Ecclesiastes 11:3?)

There is a timeline of his life which includes his meeting the absolute love of his life when he was in first grade. (She was in second.) Also included lists of his BOOKS, teaching series, conference sermons, etc.

Through the years i have read and learn many of R.C. Sproul books, it has helped me to understand the foundation of my faith in Christ. Through the pages of this beautiful book Stephen Nicholes offers you with great detail the life of R.C Sproul, his family life, his convertion and the background of the foundation of the theological view that R.C teaches in his life and the impact that it has in the evangelical churches all around the world. I enjoy to get to know a part of R.C Sproul life i did not know before.

Such a wonderful book of the life of Dr. Sproul by one who knew him well. I've listened to Dr. Sproul and Stephen Nichols for the past 8 years. I know the close relationship they shared and it comes out in this book. There were many things about Dr. Sproul and his life that I didn't know. And there were stories that made me smile just as they did the first time I heard them. As someone who loves Dr. Sproul and considers him, as many others do, my grandpa in the faith, this book fully captures the beauty and wonder of how God transformed and used Dr. Sproul.

R.C. Sproul is a well-known theologian, and I heard his name a lot growing up. This biography chronicles his life in great detail, from his childhood to the end of his life. It tells of how he came to follow Jesus, how he became passionate about studying the Bible and the degrees he achieved as he deepened his study of Scripture, and the various ways that he was able to make Jesus known throughout the course of his life. In light of recent revelations of certain Christian leaders, it's encouraging to read about a leader who lived well and finished well (to the best of everyone's knowledge).

This is an in-depth, scholarly view on Sproul's life with extensive background information on many of his sermons and books. Even though Sproul's name was familiar to me, the only book of his that I have read in entirety is, "The Consequences of Ideas," so it was fascinating to hear more about his work and his thought process behind it. There were also interesting anecdotes scattered throughout the book.

My one caution is that Nichols digs deep in many sections and often goes off in rabbit trails. The trails eventually relate back to the aspect of Sproul's life that Nichols was attempting to explain, but it can take a while. This biography is not a quick read, and it may take some perseverance, but if you want a detailed account of Sproul's life, this is well-written biography by someone who knew Sproul and was involved in his ministries.

Thank you to Stephen J Nichols, Crossway, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book!

Stephen J. Nichols does a wonderful job writing about the life of R.C. Sproul. I was first introduced to Sproul's ministry a little over a year ago. I enjoyed learning new things about him. I am thankful for R.C. Sproul and men like him who devote their life to preaching The Gospel. Any fan of Sproul should give this a read.

Stephen J. Nichols goes beyond giving the basic facts of Sproul's life - birthdate, best-known sermons - to give readers a sense of what made him the man he was. The storytelling element is strong, turning the story into a compelling narrative rather than just a collection of facts.