R. C. Lucas
Encyclopedia
Richard Charles "Dick" Lucas (born 1925) is an Anglican
evangelical
cleric, best known for his long ministry at St Helen's Bishopsgate
in London
, England. He is also known as a founder of the Proclamation Trust
and the Cornhill Training Course. He is the author of a number of evangelical books and commentaries. With John Stott
and others, Lucas was a key figure in shaping the conservative evangelical
movement in the United Kingdom during the 20th century.
Lucas was raised in Lewes
, Sussex
and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
and Ridley Hall. He was ordained in the Church of England
and served a first curacy
at St Nicholas' Church, Sevenoaks
.
Lucas was Rector of St Helen's Bishopsgate from 1961 to 1998. Under his leadership, St Helen's grew from a tiny congregation of a few individuals to a large thriving church with a ministry to city workers, families, students and young professionals. He developed a reputation for strong Bible teaching and preaching. He emerged as a widely respected evangelical speaker, particularly at the Keswick Convention
. He was outspoken among his generation of evangelical ministers in encouraging systematic expositional preaching. With this in mind, Lucas was among those who established a popular and widely-duplicated programme of training workshops for preachers.
In May 1986 he founded the Proclamation Trust, the aim of which is to encourage ministry that seeks to "expound the Bible as God's Word for today".
In 1991, in partnership with David Jackman
, Lucas helped form the Cornhill Training Course. The course originally met for training in St Peter upon Cornhill
, then moved to Borough
to meet in office space on Borough High Street. Lucas is no longer part of the leadership team there.
Now in his eighties, Lucas still has an active and influential ministry, preaching and speaking at conferences in the UK and further afield. He is still a Trustee of the Proclamation Trust and is Rector Emeritus of St Helen's, where he returns each summer to preach.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
cleric, best known for his long ministry at St Helen's Bishopsgate
St Helen's Bishopsgate
St Helen's Bishopsgate is a large conservative evangelical Anglican church, in Lime Street ward, in the City of London, close to the Lloyd's building and the 'Gherkin'.-History:...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England. He is also known as a founder of the Proclamation Trust
Proclamation Trust
The Proclamation Trust is a British evangelical Christian association founded in 1986 by Dick Lucas, led by Vaughan Roberts, based in Willcox House, London that is dedicated to training preachers in expository preaching...
and the Cornhill Training Course. He is the author of a number of evangelical books and commentaries. With John Stott
John Stott
John Robert Walmsley Stott CBE was an English Christian leader and Anglican cleric who was noted as a leader of the worldwide Evangelical movement. He was one of the principal authors of the Lausanne Covenant in 1974...
and others, Lucas was a key figure in shaping the conservative evangelical
Conservative Evangelicalism
Conservative Evangelicalism is a term used in Britain to describe a theological movement found within Evangelical Protestant Christianity, and is sometimes simply synonymous with Evangelical within the United Kingdom...
movement in the United Kingdom during the 20th century.
Lucas was raised in Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
and Ridley Hall. He was ordained in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and served a first curacy
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St Nicholas' Church, Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks is a commuter town situated on the London fringe of west Kent, England, some 20 miles south-east of Charing Cross, on one of the principal commuter rail lines from the capital...
.
Lucas was Rector of St Helen's Bishopsgate from 1961 to 1998. Under his leadership, St Helen's grew from a tiny congregation of a few individuals to a large thriving church with a ministry to city workers, families, students and young professionals. He developed a reputation for strong Bible teaching and preaching. He emerged as a widely respected evangelical speaker, particularly at the Keswick Convention
Keswick Convention
The Keswick Convention is an annual gathering of evangelical Christians in Keswick, in the English county of Cumbria.- History :The Keswick Convention began in 1875 as a catalyst and focal point for the emerging Higher Life movement in the United Kingdom. It was founded by an Anglican, Canon T. D....
. He was outspoken among his generation of evangelical ministers in encouraging systematic expositional preaching. With this in mind, Lucas was among those who established a popular and widely-duplicated programme of training workshops for preachers.
In May 1986 he founded the Proclamation Trust, the aim of which is to encourage ministry that seeks to "expound the Bible as God's Word for today".
In 1991, in partnership with David Jackman
David Jackman (minister)
David Jackman is a renowned British Evangelical Christian speaker, and former president of The Proclamation Trust. He founded the Cornhill Training Course in 1991 and was previously Minister of Above Bar Church, Southampton from 1976 - 1991.Jackman attended Downing College, Cambridge, and...
, Lucas helped form the Cornhill Training Course. The course originally met for training in St Peter upon Cornhill
St Peter upon Cornhill
St Peter upon Cornhill is an Anglican church in the City of London, located on the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street. It is currently a satellite church in the parish of St Helen's Bishopsgate, and is used for staff training, bible studies and a youth club.The church was used by the Tank...
, then moved to Borough
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
to meet in office space on Borough High Street. Lucas is no longer part of the leadership team there.
Now in his eighties, Lucas still has an active and influential ministry, preaching and speaking at conferences in the UK and further afield. He is still a Trustee of the Proclamation Trust and is Rector Emeritus of St Helen's, where he returns each summer to preach.