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Let the Nations Be Glad! 3rd ed.: The Supremacy of God in Missions
by
John Piper
This new edition of a bestselling textbook (over 185,000 copies sold) draws on key biblical texts to demonstrate that worship is the ultimate goal of the church and that proper worship fuels missionary outreach. John Piper offers a biblical defense of God's supremacy in all things, providing readers with a sound theological foundation for missions. He examines whether Jesu...more
Paperback, 3rd, 280 pages
Published
March 1st 2010
by Baker Publishing Group
(first published July 31st 1993)
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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...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...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...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 insultin...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 insultin...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
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"...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"...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, ...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 strug...more
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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 ...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 ...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 necess...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 necess...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...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...more
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 ...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'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.
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.
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.
I've been interesting in missions for about as long as I can remember, and I've had a desire to be a missionary myself for probably more than 10 years now. This book challenged my thinking about missions probably more than any other book I've ever read on the subject. Probably the majority of books on missions are largely biographical in content, which is fine. This one, though, is more of a theological treatise on why missions exist and what our job here on earth is. Since it is a John Pipe...more
Along with Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship," this is another one of those very important books that every Christian should read. These two books have helped formulate "vision" and "purpose" for my Christian life, as I'm sure it will do for others as well.
The book is a thesis on what is "Christian missions," and why believers should get involved with it. Piper explains the urgency of today in reaching the "unreached" and commun...more
The book is a thesis on what is "Christian missions," and why believers should get involved with it. Piper explains the urgency of today in reaching the "unreached" and commun...more
The best book I have read about the nature of missions! Packed with good theology, wonderfully biblical, and courageous enough to tackle the difficult issues. Top recommendation
The first half of this book is one of my favorite explanations of Christian missiology. The rest is a bit dry, and perhaps overstated. But the first half is great!
I read this book in preparation for a mission trip to Ecuador in fall 2004. This is a nice book explaining the importance and significance of missions work.
Great stuff greatly hampered by a reduction of the promises for all the nations to be discipled to only a few from all nations to be discipled.
Piper's book is one of the most helpful, biblical explanations of what missions is about and why it is necessary: because there are people who do not yet worship God and confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
The second edition has a very helpful appendix dealing with missions and worship styles, and the absence in the New Testament of specific commands for the style of how we worship. Christianity from the beginning was a culture crossing religion, one able to adapt culturally while holding ...more
The second edition has a very helpful appendix dealing with missions and worship styles, and the absence in the New Testament of specific commands for the style of how we worship. Christianity from the beginning was a culture crossing religion, one able to adapt culturally while holding ...more
A biblical picture of the God-centered motivations for the proclamation of the gospel, and what that labor will cost us.
I actually read the 3rd edition and feel quite confident that I will be thumbing its pages again very soon.
What a great book on God's heart for the mission of His Gospel to every soul on earth!
Piper and I have our theological differences, but his writings were a major influence on me and my community in the early days of discipleship. This book in particular was very influential for me, helping me to establish a framework for the eventual realization of a multi-ethnic kingdom that holds Jesus as King. Any desire I had to be involved with missions began with this book.
Though I've moved on theologically in some respects, I am grateful for the foundation that was laid in my th...more
Though I've moved on theologically in some respects, I am grateful for the foundation that was laid in my th...more
Extremely influential book. A must read for any Christian interested in missions. Changed my perspective quite a bit. God is certainly supreme.
very inspirational a good reading
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John Stephen Piper is a Calvinist and 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 T...more
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“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.”
—
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