Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
163rd out of 1,940 books
—
1,874 voters
Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions
John Piper's Let the Nations Be Glad! has provided thousands of missionaries, pastors, and church leaders with a biblical basis for missions. Piper now offers a revised and expanded tenth anniversary edition of this sound, readable, and passionate defense of God's supremacy in all things.Drawing on biblical texts, Piper demonstrates that worship is the ultimate goal of the...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
February 1st 2003
by Baker Academic
(first published July 31st 1993)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
Probably shouldn't give it just four stars... I don't know. I'm extremely familiar with this book because I had to teach through it. I think my reasoning for not giving it 5 stars is that it seemed to lack unity at certain parts. Some of his key themes and proposals just needed to be stated more times throughout the book.
It seemed, from a redaction perspective, as if he was just piecing together various texts he's already written on Christian hedonism, exclusivism vs inclusivism, universalism, a...more
It seemed, from a redaction perspective, as if he was just piecing together various texts he's already written on Christian hedonism, exclusivism vs inclusivism, universalism, a...more
Chapter 3: The Supremacy of God in Missions through Suffering
Matt 13:14--'the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure in a field, which a man found and covered up; then IN HIS JOY he goes and sells ALL THAT HE HAS and buys that field.' Piper notes the extent of the sacrifice and the depth of the joy.
'I am crucified with Christ'
Taking up our cross involves a spiritual transaction by which our old nature or the flesh dies with Christ and a 'new creature' comes into being. See Gal 5:24; 2:20; Rom 6:6;...more
Matt 13:14--'the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure in a field, which a man found and covered up; then IN HIS JOY he goes and sells ALL THAT HE HAS and buys that field.' Piper notes the extent of the sacrifice and the depth of the joy.
'I am crucified with Christ'
Taking up our cross involves a spiritual transaction by which our old nature or the flesh dies with Christ and a 'new creature' comes into being. See Gal 5:24; 2:20; Rom 6:6;...more
The is a book on the supremacy of God in missions. Piper offers three ways in which God is made supreme. First, God is made supreme in missions by worship. Worship is the fuel of missions, which will last into eternity. Piper also states that as more people are converted, so also more people are brought into the worship of God. Second, God is supreme in missions through prayer. When people pray, they are recognizing that only God can ultimately save the heathen. Third, God is made supreme in mis...more
It's hard for me to rate this book. On the one hand, it's a great entry level book on missions. I would gladly hand it to someone who had no theological background and tell them to read it and learn about the importance of worship and missions.
On the other hand, it's far from "the best book on missions I've ever read." I'm actually astonished to see that blurb from Dr. Ortlund on the back of this book. This is very basic stuff. To call this book "dense" is insulting to theologians who really wr...more
On the other hand, it's far from "the best book on missions I've ever read." I'm actually astonished to see that blurb from Dr. Ortlund on the back of this book. This is very basic stuff. To call this book "dense" is insulting to theologians who really wr...more
Admitedly, I haven't read a plethora of books on missions, but this is my favorite (so far). I see two special emphasis from Piper that I didn't hear growing up in my fundamentalist, Baptist, you-should-be-a-missionary-in-Africa-with-a-slide-show church.
First, the reason for missions is worship. We evangelize so that men might be saved. True. But that is not the end goal. We want men to be saved so that God will be recognized in His glory.
Second, missions "proper" involves preaching Christ amo...more
First, the reason for missions is worship. We evangelize so that men might be saved. True. But that is not the end goal. We want men to be saved so that God will be recognized in His glory.
Second, missions "proper" involves preaching Christ amo...more
I don't always agree with John Piper, but when I do...
While I learned a lot from this book on missions (much of it not even relating to "missions" at all, per say), I also had problems with a few areas. For one, Piper seems to write the way he speaks, making it hard to follow some trains of thought in this book. It's fine if I heard him speak, but on paper, it is difficult. Two, Piper writes from a very Presbyterian perspective, which often made me uncomfortable. I spent more time separating wha...more
While I learned a lot from this book on missions (much of it not even relating to "missions" at all, per say), I also had problems with a few areas. For one, Piper seems to write the way he speaks, making it hard to follow some trains of thought in this book. It's fine if I heard him speak, but on paper, it is difficult. Two, Piper writes from a very Presbyterian perspective, which often made me uncomfortable. I spent more time separating wha...more
My favorite book on Missions! I have always had a desire to go somewhere that the Gospel has never been proclaimed.
This is a truly excellent book if you are considering Mission. Missions is not primarily about people (though it is a byproduct) but rather, that Christ is glorified in the faithful proclamation of His Gospel. May we be faithful to our Faithful God. And may He get all the glory in this age and the age to come.
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good ne...more
This is a truly excellent book if you are considering Mission. Missions is not primarily about people (though it is a byproduct) but rather, that Christ is glorified in the faithful proclamation of His Gospel. May we be faithful to our Faithful God. And may He get all the glory in this age and the age to come.
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good ne...more
As a missionary's son who'd first encountered theology of missions as a teenanger, I didn't think this book would add much to my Biblical thinking about missions. Boy, was I wrong! It's doctrinally meaty, but thoroughly seasoned with vivid language and stories told with Piper's characteristic "I'll set myself ablaze and let 'em watch me burn" passion. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the work of Jesus in the world, and particularly for those struggling with those asking, "Do you need...more
Al Mohler says, "'Let the Nations Be Glad!' is the most important book on missions for this generation, and I hope it will be the most influential as well." My thoughts on this book would echo Dr. Mohler's opinion. This book is certainly vintage Piper. Every chapter is God-centered, Scripture-saturated, and Christ-exalting. Unlike most modern books on missions, it is more theological treatise than missiological strategy. Don't let that scare you away, however. While I have had my struggles muddl...more
1 like · like · see review
view 2 comments
Reading this book really helped me define what my purpose was in ministry. Why exactly is it important to "make disciples of all nations"? Why does God command it and why does it matter to me? Once in the thick of being a missionary, what I learned from Let the Nations Be Glad sustained me in many a difficult season. I remembered that the point was not for me to have an adventure or to feel useful - those things are not enough to keep a missionary on the field long term. The point of my ministry...more
It was through this book that my life was turned upside down. It was through this book that I was catapulted into a passion to see Jesus worshiped where He is not. And it was through this book that the Lord cultivated a theology of suffering in my life.
Needless to say -- read this book!
Piper rightly realigns what contemporary Christianity has muddied and turned into a man-centered, feel-good task. Piper begins this book with the following statement:
"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Chur...more
Needless to say -- read this book!
Piper rightly realigns what contemporary Christianity has muddied and turned into a man-centered, feel-good task. Piper begins this book with the following statement:
"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Chur...more
This book admirably accomplishes both goals of being informative and devotional at the same time. Part 1 is filled with devotional Scripture and powerful exposition that warms the heart regarding missions. Part 2 deals with two issues: (1) the fate of the unevangelized/conscious eternal torment in hell, and (2) the concern to preach to different people groups and seek diversity in evangelism. The first is an excellent and quite helpful discussion. The second has real weaknesses - Piper fails to...more
This was a very challenging book about missions. I had always heard great things about this book, and now I know why. I love how Piper builds a case for the purpose of missions being to bring glory to God. I love his explanation of worship and how missions must exist because so many have chosen not to worship God in spirit and in truth. He looks at so many different and challenging angles. Not only was I challenged in how I look at missions, but also my understanding of prayer and suffering. Pip...more
Let the Nations be Glad! was a terrifically profitable read and a terrifically arduous read.
I think I will always have difficulties with Piper's writing style. I still cannot quite grasp what it is about his writing which makes it so laborious for me to read. Perhaps it is because he stuffs so much truth into so few pages or maybe it is because he makes numerous qualifications to make sure his readers do not misinterpret his meanings or maybe it is because he relies heavily on the Bible and ther...more
I think I will always have difficulties with Piper's writing style. I still cannot quite grasp what it is about his writing which makes it so laborious for me to read. Perhaps it is because he stuffs so much truth into so few pages or maybe it is because he makes numerous qualifications to make sure his readers do not misinterpret his meanings or maybe it is because he relies heavily on the Bible and ther...more
He was insightful and encouraging as usual.
Poignant Quotes:
I would rather lose anything and anyone on earth, than lose Christ.
Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship,...more
Poignant Quotes:
I would rather lose anything and anyone on earth, than lose Christ.
Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship,...more
John Piper offers a Biblically saturated theology of missions in the third edition of this seminal work. Piper argues that the fundamental purpose of missions isn't to win lost people for Christ, as important as that is. The fundamental purpose is to glorify God. He also argues that missionary work isn't about winning people, it's about winning peoples. Winning individuals is the work of evangelists; missionaries are sent to people groups.
Using the Apostle Paul as his model for missionaries, Pi...more
Using the Apostle Paul as his model for missionaries, Pi...more
So uh, basically... I think almost every Christian should try to read this book. I've written about this book on my blog so I'll just copy and paste a section from it:
I'll do an overview/sample of each chapter and begin each overview by stating a type of audience that will specially benefit from that chapter. There will be no doubt that you will fall into at least one of these categories or know of others that do and hopefully that will pique your interest and cause you to go out and read this b...more
I'll do an overview/sample of each chapter and begin each overview by stating a type of audience that will specially benefit from that chapter. There will be no doubt that you will fall into at least one of these categories or know of others that do and hopefully that will pique your interest and cause you to go out and read this b...more
As a pastor who is commissioned to not only be involved in missions but lead others to be as well- this book is invaluable. If your motivation for taking the gospel to the world is social justice, notches on your evangelism belt, liking to travel, or simply "because He told us to" you will quickly find your reason competing with other interests. But if your fuel for missions is that "God is worth it"- You will find Him to be inexhaustible.
Wonderful! Every Christian should read this, especially those in leadership roles. Every Reformed Christian, in particular, should read this. We need to spend more time on evangelism, and less time on deciding who is, and who is not, really "Reformed." While we sit and argue about points of doctrine, people are going to hell (and Piper presents the Biblical evidence for actually believing in hell). I don't want that burden on judgment day!
"Missions exists because worship doesn't," writes Piper. All believers have a responsibility to fulfill Christ's Great Commission in reaching all people groups on the planet (Mt 28:19-20). Will I go across a culture or ocean with the gospel? Or, will I support others in some way who are taking the gospel to the unreached? Or will I disobey God? This book will stir your heart for reaching the peoples of the world with the gospel, but it will do much more than that. This book will help you underst...more
The chapter entitled "Is Conscious Faith in Christ the Only Hope for All the Nations?" is the best in the book. I recommend it for that chapter alone. Unfortunately the book suffers not from awful theology, but disengaging writing that makes it tough to wade through. I would have liked it better if a more skilled author had taken a swing at the topic with the same perspective as Piper.
Most of what Piper talks about in Let the Nations Be Glad is really good. However, he repeats himself constantly. I know that this is a normal Piper thing to do, but I really feel like his repetition is even more thorough in this book than in Desiring God. I feel like this book could have been about 100 pages shorter.
Also, just to warn you, this book pretty much just restates the ideas in Desiring God in the context of missions. Here is my one-sentace summary of Let the Nations Be Glad : God is...more
Also, just to warn you, this book pretty much just restates the ideas in Desiring God in the context of missions. Here is my one-sentace summary of Let the Nations Be Glad : God is...more
I recommend this book to anyone who plans on going to missions or supporting a missionary. Piper helps explain why missions exists and seeing the supremacy of God in every part of the mission.
"Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man…"
"Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man…"
Piper is always amazing, but this particular book changed my view of missions forever! I find myself quoting it, referring to it, and recommending it often. A must read for the Christian who has any concern whatsoever about reaching the world with the gospel.
Piper's main points are excellent. The book is dauntingly thorough and dense, though, for a reader who didn't need much convincing. The section about the nature of hell and the necessity of Jesus for salvation, though, is spectacular - compassionate, well-supported, clear, relatively concise.
Centers the theology of missions on God, who deserves the worship of all the nations. I listened to the audiobook version, but probably will end up buying the text version to better follow the arguments.
Why do missions? Our motivation should be more than statistics.
Why do missions? Our motivation should be more than statistics.
This book changed my life. It gave me a greater appreciation and understanding of missions and challenged me to be willing to go to hard places to share the gospel. The 4th and 5th chapter are a bit hard to get through though.... good content though.
Anyone wanting clear teaching on what Scripture says about missions needs to read this book. From the very first line of the book Piper sets out to focus our attention to God as the ultimate purpose for missions, not just attaining large numbers of converts.
I like John Piper a lot as a preacher and pastor. 3 stars because his books are pretty much all the same...God is glorified in us when we are satisfied in him etc.
Got a little bored reading this one. Maybe it was a bad day
The best book on missions that I've read. It is a great defence of missions from the reformed perspective. It refutes the idea that reformed folks do not tend tp do missions because God's call is enough and they aren't necessary. True, God's call is enough but the the purpose of missions is so much bigger. I loved and felt like missions was even more important than before.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
John Stephen Piper is a Baptist theologian, preacher, and author, currently serving as Pastor for Preaching and Vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is the author of numerous books, including ECPA Christian Book Award winners What Jesus Demands from the World, Pierced by the Word, and God's Passion for His Glory, and bestsellers Don't Waste Your Life and The Passion of...more
More about John Piper...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“The charge of blasphemy is loaded. The point is to pack a wallop behind the charge that in our worship services God simply doesn't come through for who he is. He is unwittingly belittled. For those who are stunned by the indescribable magnitude of what God has made, not to mention the infinite greatness of the One who made it, the steady diet on Sunday morning of practical how-to's and psychological soothing and relational therapy and tactical planning seem dramatically out of touch with Reality - the God of overwhelming greatness.”
—
4 people liked it
“Humility is the flip side of giving God all the glory. Humility means reveling in his grace, not our goodness.”
—
2 people liked it
More quotes…
