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John Piper

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books, including Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist and most recently Foundations for Lifelong Learning: Education in Serious Joy.

How Would You Counsel Someone Who Is Angry At God for Creating Them?

John Piper suggests three ways to help sufferers trust in God.

A Crucial Word from Machen's Mother

J. Gresham Machen, one of the great proclaimers and defenders of the Christian faith in the early 20th century, went through a season of fearful doubt on his way to solid confidence. Remarkably, it was his mother who spoke one…

How Does a Christian Do His Very Best In an Atmosphere Where One Person's Success Means Another's Failure?

John Piper says that different spheres of life call for different guiding principles.

Is God's Love Unconditional?

There is such a thing as unconditional love in God, but it’s not what most people mean by it It’s not a saving love that he has for everybody. Else everybody would be saved, since they would not have to…

The Opportunity of a Lifetime

This is the opportunity of a lifetime. I mean that. Don Carson, one of the most respected, faithful, competent, compelling, and understandable biblical scholars in the world will do what he has never done before and will probably never…

Knowing the Nature of Your Evil

It is important that we know the nature of the evil in our hearts Do you think the essence of your evil is disobeying commandments? That’s a good start. But it’s not the essence of our evil. Commands simply name…

Did the Old Testament Jews Believe In a Triune God?

John Piper says that our understanding of God's plurality has become clearer over time.

Would Jesus Spank a Child?

Would Jesus Spank a Child?

John Piper explains why he believes it's God-like and healthy to spank.

The Wickedness of Bribery and the Hope of the Gospel

Last Thursday two judges pleaded guilty in Philadelphia to accepting more than $2.6 million from a private youth detention center in return for giving hundreds of youths and teenagers long sentences Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan admitted that for…

A Love Poem of Hope

A Love Poem of Hope in Seven Languages for my wife Noël Valentines Day, 2009 My love, come listen as I seek With seven tongues, and hope, on your Sweet soul to let our Sovereign speak: Je suis avec vous…

Valentines from Jonathan Edwards and Martyn Lloyd-Jones

My favorite love letter (besides the ones I write for Noël and she for me) is from the 19-year-old Jonathan Edwards to the girl he was falling in love with in the summer of 1723. On the front page of…

How Should God's Willingness to Divorce In Jeremiah 3:8 Affect Our View of Divorce?

John Piper says that God talks in terms of divorce only so that he can take it back.

Admiring and Disillusioned, I Turn from Lincoln to Jesus

This is a word of thanks for Abraham Lincoln in spite and because of his imperfections on his 200th birthday Two years before Lincoln became our 16th President he debated Stephen Douglas in pursuit of the Illinois U. S. Senate…

How Is a Church Bookstore Different Than the Tables Jesus Turned in the Temple?

John Piper says that the exploitation of worshipers, not simply selling to them, is what made Jesus mad.

Thank You, Yale, For This Gift

Today, 280 years ago, Solomon Stoddard, Jonathan Edwards’ grandfather, died. He had been pastor of the church in Northampton, MA for 60 years Jonathan had been his assistant for two years. Now he was the sole pastor. From this position…

How Can I Know If My Repentance Is Genuine?

John Piper talks about where true assurance of salvation comes from.

Your Father Knows What You Need

Jesus wants his followers to be free from worry. In Matthew 6:25-34 he gives at least seven arguments designed to take away our anxiety One of them lists food and drink and clothing, and then says, “Your heavenly Father knows…

Is It Biblical to Think That Physical Attraction Must Be a Component of a Godly Marriage?

John Piper says spouses should focus mainly on cultivating attractive spirits, not attractive bodies.

7 Potential Writing Projects

John Piper talks about what he might work on during his current writing leave.

Dwight L. Moody Turns 172

Today is Dwight L. Moody’s birthday, the man who (according to Christian History) without higher education, founded three schools; without theological training, reshaped Victorian Christianity; without radio or television reached 100 million people. In honor of the Christ who…

What Is the Vision for Short-Term Missions At Your Church?

John Piper mentions three desires behind doing short-term missions.

Panel Discussion

Commending Christ, Q & A

Desiring God 2009 Conference for Pastors

Commending Christ in personal evangelism is something that does not depend on a perfect strategy but rather on the content of our message and the faith to believe in the greatness of God and the goodness of the age to come.

John Piper Interviews Matt Chandler, Part 1

Autobiography, Part 1

Through a circuitous series of events, Matt Chandler became a Christian, Bible study teacher, and preacher.

John Piper Interviews Matt Chandler, Part 2

Autobiography, Part 2

After his conversion, Matt Chandler struggled with the gospel-less church environment that pervaded his area, and finally was called to be a pastor of Highland Village Baptist.

John Piper Interviews Matt Chandler, Part 3

Calvinism and Sexual Complementarity

Matt Chandler became a Calvinist through his wrestling with Reformed theology, and finally was comforted by its truths and taught them unashamedly to his growing church.

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