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church concerning Epaphroditus, having drawn attention to his tireless efforts for the sake of the gospel and the fact that ‘he nearly died for the work of Christ’ (Phil. 2:30). ‘Honor such men’ (Phil. 2:29), Paul instructed the church. Yes, it is possible to ‘honor’ men such as you without detracting from the centrality and supremacy of our Lord.” Our hope and prayer is that the reader’s gaze is turned to the Lord in this tribute to a man who has labored so faithfully for the fame of God’s name.
SAM STORMS is senior pastor of Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City. After more than twenty-five years of pastoral ministry and teaching, he established Enjoying God Ministries, which provides a wide range of biblical and theological resources to the body of Christ. JUSTIN TAYLOR is vice president of editorial at Crossway. He served as Piper’s assistant for several years and is a well-known blogger. He has coedited a number of books with Piper including Suffering and the Sovereignty of God and The Power of Words and the Wonder of God.
“This book is a tribute to one of the extraordinary pastors of our generation, who in many ways broke the mold. He has big thoughts about God in a time when God and his glory have been much diminished in the church. His has been a God-centered ministry. In this he has sometimes been unconventional, but the explanation is always that he has insisted on seeking to be true to the truth of God’s Word. Though highly imaginative and endowed with a poetic sensibility, he has never let his ideas run away with him but has worked hard to make every thought, and himself, captive to Christ. The result has been a full, rich, and extraordinary ministry that has been owned of God. Pastors like this do not come along very often, and when they do, we need to take note.”
John Piper has had a profound impact on countless men and women over his thirty years of pastoral ministry. From his online ministry with Desiring God to his preaching ministry at Bethlehem Baptist Church to his writing ministry in over thirty books, his faithful service has encouraged, challenged, and corrected many who are thirsty for God’s Word.
David F. Wells, Distinguished Research Professor,
Piper’s influence does not stem from his own abilities and accomplishments, but finds its source in his consistent and humble leading of others to Scripture, where the breathtaking sovereignty and glory of God are displayed in all their wonder. We rejoice and are changed as we encounter glorious truths about God in Piper’s ministry.
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“It would be strange if a book that honors a dynamic, intelligent, pious, God-centered, learned, kind, devoted, influential, far-traveled, widely published, and hyper-conscientious pastor like John Piper did not occasionally slip into hagiography. And this book does, but only occasionally. Far more, its authors offer the best sort of tribute by seriously engaging the Scriptures to which Piper is committed, earnestly expounding the classic Calvinistic doctrines into which Piper has breathed such life, and zealously promoting the glory of God to which Piper has devoted his ministry. Here is a volume full of thoughtful reflections on central scriptural themes, Jonathan Edwards, the life of prayer, Christ-honoring preaching, pastoral disciplines, pastoral privileges, Christian hedonism, and more. In the end, it is a tribute that, by stressing the themes John Piper has stressed, draws attention away from him to God.”
It is in this spirit that friends and colleagues of Piper honor him by presenting essays covering topics central to his ministry: prayer, suffering, the sovereignty of God, justification, Jonathan Edwards, Christian hedonism, and more.
Mark A. Noll, Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame
Storms & Taylor
The editors, in a letter to Piper, write: “We believe that the apostle Paul has given us a strong and biblical precedent for what this book is designed to accomplish. He wrote to the Philippian Continued on back flap...
Christian Theology