John Dunlop - Finishing Well to the Glory of God: Strategies from a Christian Physician

Drawing from his years of experience as a physician who has shepherded countless patients through the valley of the shadow of death, John Dunlop provides pastoral wisdom and sound strategies. Finishing Well to the Glory of God is filled with examples from his own life and practice, laced with rich Scriptures, and punctuated with thoughtful prayers. Dr. Dunlop gently addresses spiritual, emotional, psychological, financial,and physical needs.This book helps us plan our final decades, months, weeks, and hours with a God-centered attitude toward death and dying.

Paige Cunningham, Executive Director,

The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity

Anyone who thinks the Bible is archaic will be quickly dissuaded after reading Dr. Dunlops scriptural insights. To these insights he adds his professional observations, personal stories, and very practical advice. The strategies he offers are clearly the result of years of experience in caring, deeply caring, for persons in their twilight years. This book will be helpful for patients and families both before death and afterward.

Robert Orr, MD, Distinguished Fellow,

The Center for Christian Bioethics and Human Dignity

This volume by John Dunlop is a brilliant combination of biblical reflection, medical expertise, and godly, warm-hearted wisdom. This book will be of great help to those who are approaching the end of their lives as well as all who want to prepare now to finish well in the future. Friends, family members, and other caregivers will benefit from Dunlops wisdom. I was especially moved by his discussion of completing the agenda of our lives and of the decision-making process of changing gears from cure to comfort. May God give this book a wide hearing!

Steve Roy, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology,

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Dont face your death or that of a loved one unprepared. Finishing Well is the most comprehensive, deeply Christian, and readable resource I know of its kind, and it will prepare you and your loved ones to die well.

David Stevens, MD, CEO, Christian Medical and Dental Association

Here is a practical guide, brimming with the fresh wisdom of medical experience, a pervasive God-centered vision, and a deft pastoral touch reminiscent of the Puritan divines. John Dunlop has done the church a great service in this book, probing very difficult questions that all people, not least Christians, must face as physical death approaches. Christians in the West can be doubly grateful since they, of all believers worldwide, are culturally least equipped on these matters. Just to consume the many stories, lessons learned, and anecdotes laid out in these pages, each one betraying years of keen observation, is a lavish meal and worth the price of the book. Dunlop offers a compelling guide for us all as we prepare to finish wellto dieto the glory of God. Sell your shirt and buy a copy for all your friends and family!

Hans Madueme, Assistant Professor of Theological Studies, Covenant College

Who would not want love, hope, and joy at the end of life? But how does one gain them? What Christian would not welcome letting go, growing through adversity, and resting in Jesus? But how does one experience them? Dr. John Dunlop provides extremely practical and well-tested answers to these and other equally vital questions. Anyone facing death or expecting to do so someday will be wonderfully blessed by this book.

John Kilner, Forman Chair of Christian Ethics and Theology,

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Dunlop is the doctor we all want: clever, wise, faithful, and motivated by clear Christian values. If you need to think about aging and death and we all doyou couldnt do better than this book.

Josh Moody, Senior Pastor, College Church, Wheaton, Illinois

Finishing Well to the Glory of God: Strategies from a Christian Physician

Copyright 2011 by John Dunlop

Published by Crossway

1300 Crescent Street

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Interior design and typesetting: Lakeside Design Plus

Cover design: Dual Identity

First printing 2011

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture references marked niv are from the HOLY BIBLE,NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973,1978,1984 Biblica.Used by permission of Zondervan.All rights reserved.The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Biblica.

Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-1347-3

PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-1348-0

Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-1349-7

ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-2413-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dunlop, John, 1947
Finishing well to the glory of God : strategies from a Christian physician / John Dunlop.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ).
ISBN 978-1-4335-1347-3 (tp)
ISBN 10: 1-58134-243-8
1. DeathReligious aspectsChristianity. I. Title.
BT825.D785 2011
248.8'6dc22 2010036246

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

J eb would have been considered a Christian statesman. Having realized Gods great love for him at an early age, he had learned that his greatest passion was allowing God to be glorified. He had been a leader in his church and founder of a major international Christian mission. But he had been a diabetic for many years, and over his last five years he developed severe heart disease. Jeb had bypass surgery twice, and decided not to go through it again. He knew that he had lived a full life, but that soon God would call him home. Jeb had begun to let go of his attachments to his life and was longing to see his Lord in heaven. One Sunday he was admitted to intensive care with a major heart attack. By Monday afternoon it was clear that he was dying. I went to see him that evening. Upon reviewing his status, I told him that his heart was failing rapidly and he would not likely live out the night. Thankfully, he was fully alert and coherent. His response was unforgettable. He took my hand and said, John, thank you for being so candid. I would like to ask for three things. First, the visiting policies of this hospital stink. My wife and daughters are in the waiting room, and I would like them to come back here with menow! Second, as you know, I have been a diabetic for many years and I have watched my diet, but could you get me a piece of chocolate cake with chocolate icing? Third, I have not been able to have a cup of real coffee for some time and wonder if you would let me have one. With tears in my eyes,I agreed to all of his requests. His family came right in. He fully enjoyed his cake and coffee, and shortly after finishing them he said goodbye to his wife and daughters, laid his head on his pillow, and died. There was no fight to the finish; he simply rested in Jesus. He had lived his life for Gods glory, and he came to the end of life to the glory of God.