Update on John Piper’s Transition

Please see the link regarding John Piper’s transition from pastoral ministry.

John Piper

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Book Review: Think by John Piper

The topic of this book is the relationship of thinking and the Christian life. As the beginning of the book admits, there have been other Christian works on the topic of the relationship of the intellect and the faith, with each having it’s different emphasis (such as the cultural aspect, role of faith and science, etc). This work emphasized more of thinking in terms of reading, and is more driven by biblical exposition and not a defense higher institution learning per se. I enjoyed the fact that the author is a preacher of the Bible first, who also began his career orignally in academic ministry. The author John Piper devotes two semi-biographical chapters to explain his own intellectual Christian life, including a discussion about the influence of Jonathan Edward’s Trinitarian approach to the relationship of the intellect and action. This gives the readers an honest picture of where Piper is coming from. The book is not a textbook on logic but comes across as a book giving a summarized Christian theology of the relationship of the mind to the faith and I would even say with enough devotional flavor. Piper covers the relationship of the mind to coming Christ and also in sanctification, and presents a balanced approach of both/and when it comes to the life of the mind and living faith. Piper underscores the need for the faculty of the mind to be used to treasure Christ, and that just thinking about the things of God is not loving God with all our minds if we don’t end us savoring him. To use an analogy in the book, the intellect provides the wood to stir our passion in loving Jesus. This works also refutes relativism and also dealt with the issue of anti-intellectualism and autonomous intellectualism, with the call to submit all reasoning in the service towards Christ and helping others and ourselves love Jesus more. Good work–readers might find it a treat to read Mark Noll’s preface, and the fact that Piper and Noll were both roomates at one time during the college days in Wheaton. Of course, Noll’s view on things are not views I would totally agree with (especially in terms of his stance on evolution).

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Free John Piper’s “Think” Audio Book, only on October 2011!

Christian Audio is a neat place to purchase Christian audio books.  Each month they give out one free copy of a book.

This month it’s a book by John Piper titled, “Think.”

Here’s a trailer for the book:

Here’s the description from the Christian audio website:

John Piper’s newest book will help Christians think about thinking. Focusing on the life of the mind helps us to know God better, love him more, and care for the world. Along with an emphasis on emotions and the experience of God, we also need to practice careful thinking about God. Piper contends that “thinking is indispensable on the path to passion for God.” So how are we to maintain a healthy balance of mind and heart, thinking and feeling?

Piper urges us to think for the glory of God. He demonstrates from Scripture that glorifying God with our minds and hearts is not either-or, but both-and. Thinking carefully about God fuels passion and affections for God. Likewise, Christ-exalting emotion leads to disciplined thinking.

Readers will be reminded that “the mind serves to know the truth that fuels the fires of the heart.”

Here’s the link to the book HERE.

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Rick Warren: For the Ecumenical Common Good?

Rick Warren said to Piper that he is a Calvinist believer of the Gospel…

And if clothes tells us anything, what he wears on his head show’s his favor of Apostate Judiasm

And what he says shows his Ecumenicalism

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1.) Rick Warren: “I think we have to work together, I think it pleases God we work together…you can work hand with hand without seeing eye to eye” (9:33-9:47)

RESPONSE: “Do not be bound together with ^(AJ)unbelievers; for what ^(AK)partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?Or what ^(AL)harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a ^(AM)believer in common with an ^(AN)unbeliever?” (2nd Corinthians 6:14-15)

2.) Rick Warren: “And I don’t demonize you.  Not all differences have to be demonized.” (10:26-30)

RESPONSE: Note Apostle John’s “demonizing” of Apostate Judiasm: “⁹‘Behold, I will cause those of ^(A)the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie–I will make them ^(B)come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that ^(C)I have loved you” (Revelation 3:9)

3.) Rick Warren: “Every religion, whether it’s Islam, Judaism, Christianity, has been caricaturized many, many, many times falsely.  And I like, I like to start a society for the..ending of stereotyping….that’s all I got to say “(10:32-11:00)

RESPONSE: “Do not be bound together with ^(AJ)unbelievers; for what ^(AK)partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?Or what ^(AL)harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a ^(AM)believer in common with an ^(AN)unbeliever?” (2nd Corinthians 6:14-15)

*********************

See what else you can spot

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Persecution Not Too Far Off

I believe the legalization of homosexual marriage and future laws pushing the homosexual agenda will be the tell-tale signs. Hate speech criteria and freedom of speech restrictions will mark just the beginning.

I thought I’d bookmark what certainly won’t be last hostile attack against the Christian faith:
“Burning Man suspect held in Grace Cathedral arson attempt“
“Another Church Under Attack In San Francisco“

Some good sermons to listen to:

• By John MacArthur
  • “A Nation Abandoned by God” Part 1 Part 2
  • “God’s Word to An Ungodly Society”
    • “Isaiah: A Godly Man in a Nation of Crisis” Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
    • “Warning to An Apostate Nation” Part 1 Part 2
• By John Piper
  • “Discerning the Will of God” Part 1 Part 2 – Concerning Homosexuality and Marriage
• Al Mohler
  • Homosexual “Marriage”: A Tragic Oxymoron–Biblical and Cultural Reflections

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RESOLVED CONFERENCE: NOTES IN PICTURE FORM

THere’s an interesting website with a Brother in the Lord who took notes from this year’s Resolved Conference by illustrating (stick figures!) it here:

http://oscarchu.com/biblenotes/albums.php?albumfolder=./resolved2007

I thought this was a good Gospel presentation (its six pages long):

http://oscarchu.com/biblenotes/albums.php?albumfolder=./resolved2007/01-Pierced%20Hands

Example of the notes can be seen by clicking here:

http://oscarchu.com/biblenotes/resolved2007/01-Pierced%20Hands/image005.jpg

When I preach, I want this guy to take notes!

Quite amusing yet edifying!

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Conference for Children Ministry

Children Desiring God and Bethlem Baptist Church are hosting a conference for leaders of Children’s minstries:

“We have planned a number of seminars designed to provide practical help and encouragement that we trust will benefit parents, teachers, leaders, and all who are invested in ministry to children.”

For full details, check out their website, which includes a PDF brochure and mp3/video by John Piper.

April 26th to 28th, 2007 – Children Desiring God 2007 Conference
Topic: Standing on the Truth: How Great a Salvation
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Speakers: John Piper, Wayne Grudem, C.J. Mahaney, David Michael, and “a number of gifted seminar leaders”

Seminars on date of posting:

• Vision-Driven Children’s Ministry Leadership
• Recruiting & Retaining Volunteers
• Partnering with Parents
• Nursery Ministry & Teaching Toddlers
• Preparing & Teaching Preschool Lessons
• Introduction to CDG Curriculum & Sequence
• Lesson Preparation & Presentation
• Preparing & Leading Application Time
• Leading Children in Worship
• Teaching Youth: Watch Out for Your Method
• Presenting the Gospel to Children
• Theology of Salvation Q&A
• Preparing Children to Hear the Gospel

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Teaching Imputation to Children

Yesterday, DesiringGod.org had an article by John Piper titled, “Teaching Doctrine to a Six-Year-Old.” The article was about teaching the meaning of imputation to Piper’s daughter, Talitha, using a story.

What I really like about John Piper is that he desires to teach the deep and important doctrines of the bible to children, which I noticed listening to some of his sermons on Romans.

This is reflected in Children Desiring God’s, “Philosophy and Distinctives“:

“Depth

We believe that children can handle deep truth at a young age. We want to fill them with solid Bible truth that will give them a foundation to fall back on when they go through deep waters. For this reason, the curriculum continually refers children to the Word of God; Bibles are an essential tool for children studying Children Desiring God curriculum. We believe that the Bible must be taught in depth, yet in a child-friendly, interesting manner. For this reason, much attention has been devoted to the development of creative presentation of essential Bible truths.”

Children Desiring God’s website is mainly a portal to purchase the resources developed and used at Bethelem Baptist Church.

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2007 Desiring God Conferences

On Thursday, I listened to DesiringGod.org’s podcast for January 1st to 3rd. They announced the upcoming conferences for 2007:

February 5th to 7th, 2007 – Annual Pastor’s Conference
Topic: Holiness of God
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Speakers: R. C. Sproul, Thabiti Anyabwile, William Mackenzie, John Piper

April 21st, 2007 – Regional Conference
Topic: Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ
Location: Portland, Orgeon @ Good Sheperd Community Church
Speaker: John Piper

Septemeber 28th to 30th, 2007 – Desiring God National Conference
Topic: Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Speakers: John MacArthur, Jerry Bridges, Randy Alcorn, Helen Roseveare, and John Piper

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John Piper Mp3 (Pastor’s Conference)

These sermons (Men of Whom The World Was Not Worthy) by John Piper are dangerous. Do not listen if you want to live comfortably in your current spiritual condition.

 

Jonathan Edwards

Charles Simeon

David Brainerd

Martyn Lloyd-Jones

William Cowper

J. Gresham Machen

John Owen

Charles Spurgeon

Martin Luther

John Calvin (Do not listen if you don’t want to labor for Christ)

St. Augustine

John Bunyan

John G. Paton (Do not listen if you don’t want to be eaten by cannibals)

William Wilberforce

Adoniram Judson (Do not listen if you don’t want to be a missionary)

John Newton

George Mueller (Do not listen if you don’t want to pray)

Athanasius

 

[you can download the same sermons on desiringgod.org with the sermon notes]

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John Piper challenges young people

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