The title of this post is the chapter heading from chapter 8 of John Piper’s A Godward Heart: Treasuring the God Who Loves You The book is similar to two previous books by Pastor John, The Godward Life: Book 1The Godward Life: Book 2. I recommend them all. This new third volume (2014) is composed … More Be Careful, Lest the Light in You Be Darkness
It’s the first sentence in John Piper’s short tribute to his father, William Solomon Hottle Piper. John calls it a mere “fragment” of the legacy his father left him in a life lived for the glory of God. His father was 88 when he died on March 6, 2007. The number one thing he learned … More A Father’s Legacy to a Son and More
The one thing we must do, make disciples, is the one thing that the church in America is failing at. Do you think that is too harsh a comment? Too pessimistic? I don’t think so. What I do think is that if we don’t take seriously Jesus’s command to make disciples and give real intention … More Discipleship–the one thing we must do
“If our churches don’t pray, and if people don’t have an appetite for God, what does it matter how many are attending the services? How would that impress God? Can you imagine the angels saying, ‘Oh, your pews! We can’t believe how beautiful they are! Up here in heaven, we’ve been talking about them for … More Sunday Afternoon Musings
Mark 3:13-15 13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. Withness: What is it? Withness … More “Withness”: What is it, why do we need it, how do we get it?
A vast literature has developed over the last four decades beginning and reaching its zenith in the 1970’s and 80’s. The “Church Growth” industry has slowed but the number of blogs peppering the internet with “how to do church better” has more than filled in the gap. Some of it can be helpful. My shelves … More Jesus Had a Plan for Church Growth
Tuesday Afternoon Musings When are we going to stop playing games? “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of the God, . . .” —2 Peter 3:11 This week … More What Sort of People are We?
The Reason We Aren’t Making Disciples is Simple Go back and read chapter 3 in the Gospel of Mark again because it is a critical chapter in the book. One of the reasons it is so critical is the clarity of what discipleship looked like for the disciples. The verses to examine are 13-15. 13 And he … More The “With-ness” Principle
“This is the great business of life–to ‘put our mouths out of taste for those pleasures with which the tempter baits his hooks.’ I know of no other way to triumph over sin long-term than to gain a distaste for it because of a superior satisfaction in God.” John Piper, Desiring God, p. 12. … More Fighting Sin with a Great Joy
Today’s Text: Matthew 13:44-46 This text has a context and the context is filled with parables of the kingdom. It starts out with: The Sower – the condition of the heart (soil) determines the fruitfulness of the life. The Weeds – the glory of the kingdom is revealed at the end of the age. The … More When the Kingdom of God Dominates Your Life
