Who Can We Trust? Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth! #7

Here we are back after a break last week leading up to Christmas. This is the fourth week of this blog entitled "Who Can We Trust? Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth!" We've been discussing who we can and can't trust in mainstream evangelism today. Today is on the positive and we'll be focusing on John Piper. In case you missed the first few weeks worth of entries I do suggest that you go back and read them as well when you're finished here.

            We can all agree that we live in a generation and culture(if you're in America) of easy believism where people have the ability to get their message out to millions with just the click of a mouse. With that said, there is a slew of theological information at our fingertips. One quick google search and you can get commentary and scripture interpretation from Billy Graham to Benny Hinn and everything in between. With so many choices and the deceitfulness of our own hearts we're apt to listen to whomever we "like" or whomever our friends listen to or whatever makes us feel good. In light of this reality let us be diligent in determining who we let speak into our life! Every heretic speaks some truth sometimes or no one would listen. My goal over the next few months is to do two blogs a week, both critiquing prominent evangelicals in our day, one on someone who is trustworthy, someone who rightly divides the Word, someone who doesn't twist the scriptures, and the other on someone who is untrustworthy, possibly deceived, and even possibly an apostate, who for filthy lucre, distorts the Gospel. Let me say up front that there may be some of these critiques that you absolutely agree with and some you may vehemently reject and at times you may think that I'm being judgmental, harsh, or you may even think I'm crazy but I challenge you to research the Word and the person and then decide. I will praise some of these men and I will reject others, it's not personal but as a Pastor with a Pastor's heart I feel compelled to protect the flock from wolves and to lead the flock to spiritual food that will equip them for this life and the next, that is the sole intent behind these blog entries! Lets get started!

This week's trustworthy Evangelical is Dr. John Piper.

John Piper is well known for what he calls "Christian Hedonism" which is essentially complete joy and adoration in and of Christ. He is now Pastor Emeritus at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnesota and director and founder of Desiring God. Many of his works and literature can be found at www.desiringgod.org along with his popular podcast "Ask Pastor John." Here is a little of his biographical history according to www.desiringgod.org.

       John Piper was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Bill and Ruth Piper January 11, 1946. When John and his older sister were still small, the family moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where John spent his growing-up years. His father was an itinerant evangelist, and his mother died in 1974 in a bus accident while visiting Israel.

In 1980, sensing an irresistible call of the Lord to preach, John became the senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he ministered for almost 33 years.

Desiring God began inauspiciously in 1994 when John handed off the church’s tape ministry to his assistant, Jon Bloom.

What started with tapes and John’s books, Desiring God has blossomed into an international web ministry with 12,000+ free resources and 3.5+million monthly users. Today, John serves as lead teacher for the ministry.

Piper is also chancellor of Bethlem college in Minneapolis. 

Some of his best know works are "Don't Waste Your Life," "Pierced By The Word," and my favorite, "Spectacular Sins." 

Piper's most famous quote is "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" and so that God's highest pursuit ("his glory") and man's deepest and most durable happiness come together in one pursuit—namely, the pursuit of joy in God.

There are a few things that I personally disagree with concerning Piper's doctrines but on foundational truths he is definitely someone in the Evangelical limelight that we can trust as he rightly divides the Word of Truth!

God bless!