Barnabas Piper's Blog, page 36
July 30, 2021
New Happy Rant: Summer Camp, Coffee, Anxiety, and Ministry Ego
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted and Barnabas (sans Ronnie) wander to and fro through a variety of topics:
Ted at summer campFinding the original hipsterCoffee and anxietyDrisky thoughtsFighting ego in ministryMullets and mustachesSponsors
We’re excited to be partnering with Visual Theology. They offer resources for studying, teaching, and better understanding scripture that are of amazing design and quality while being deeply faithful to the Bible. Ranging from books to curriculum to posters to apparel, Visual Theology’s materials are a wonderful way to see realities of God’s Word in a new way. It’s so easy to miss so much of what the Bible says because we can’t envision it, but they offer resources to help you, your kids, your students, and your congregants to do just that. Visit Visual Theology today and be sure to use the code happyrant at checkout to get a 20% discount.
Be sure to check out Dwell Bible App. Dwell is a Bible listening app that we love! If you are looking for a convenient, fresh way of spending more time in God’s word Dwell is ideal. Go to https://dwellapp.io/happyrant to get 10% off your annual subscription or 33% off your lifetime subscription.
We’ve joined forces with Redbud Coffee, based out of Auburn IL, to bring you deliciously roasted and beautifully packaged coffee. Check out their variety of roasts and be sure to use the code HappyRant at checkout to get a 10% discount off your purchase.
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.Listen on Google PlayListen on StitcherListen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out thereLeave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).Listen using the player below.
Episode #356
July 22, 2021
New Happy Rant: Men of the Cloth
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ronnie and Barnabas (sans Ted) wander to and fro through a variety of topics, particularly about being men of the cloth:
Writing process vs. sermon preparationFinding your voice as a preacherUnexpected things in ministryHandling the lowliness of pastoring in all its counter-cultural uncoolnessPastors making and keeping (or not) friendsSponsorsWe’re excited to be partnering with Visual Theology. They offer resources for studying, teaching, and better understanding scripture that are of amazing design and quality while being deeply faithful to the Bible. Ranging from books to curriculum to posters to apparel, Visual Theology’s materials are a wonderful way to see realities of God’s Word in a new way. It’s so easy to miss so much of what the Bible says because we can’t envision it, but they offer resources to help you, your kids, your students, and your congregants to do just that. Visit Visual Theology today and be sure to use the code happyrant at checkout to get a 20% discount.
Be sure to check out Dwell Bible App. Dwell is a Bible listening app that we love! If you are looking for a convenient, fresh way of spending more time in God’s word Dwell is ideal. Go to https://dwellapp.io/happyrant to get 10% off your annual subscription or 33% off your lifetime subscription.
We’ve joined forces with Redbud Coffee, based out of Auburn IL, to bring you deliciously roasted and beautifully packaged coffee. Check out their variety of roasts and be sure to use the code HappyRant at checkout to get a 10% discount off your purchase.
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.Listen on Google PlayListen on StitcherListen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out thereLeave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).Listen using the player below.
Episode #355
July 19, 2021
He Reads Truth: Angelic Conflict
I have the privilege of contributing to He Reads Truth, a website of whose purpose is “To help men become who we were made to be, by doing what we were made to do, by the power and provision that God has given us to do it, for the glory of Jesus Christ.” They do this by providing scripture reading plans accompanied by reflections that can be accessed for free online or purchased as print books. This is one of the pieces I wrote for the plan on the book of Daniel.
Daniel 10:1-21, Daniel 11:1-4, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Ephesians 6:12
“He’s such a little angel,” a new mom proclaims about her infant. “Look at their angelic faces,” grandparents gush about their grandkids. “He’s my guardian angel,” a woman says about a man who protects her. These are the contexts in which we most often mention anything about angels, conjuring up images of cute, cherubic, innocent, and helpful beings.
But that isn’t at all how the Bible describes angels. Throughout Scripture we see people trembling with fear and falling on their faces before these messengers of God. Daniel 10 is no exception. Of seeing the heavenly being for himself, Daniel concedes, “No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless” (Daniel 10:7–9). Why? The description of the angel Daniel encounters surpasses our imaginations; he is glorious, beautiful, awe-inspiring, and terrifying. He is a warrior, but not like any earthly, sword-wielding hero. He brings with him heavenly glory and power.
The magnitude of angelic grandeur is so magnificent that it makes two aspects of this text stand out. First is the battle the angel is waging. He does not say he is there to protect Daniel, to sit on his shoulder and be his good conscience. The angel says he has been waging war against the prince of Persia and will continue to do so against him and the king of Greece. He is not dueling a demon; he is fighting a cosmic spiritual battle for the good nations. He is the workman of God striving for good and righteousness in the world. The spiritual struggle described in this text makes our World Wars look like brief playground spats, for the spiritual struggle is over continents, over eons, and for the destiny of the very world.
Which brings us to the second aspect of this text that stands out. After seeing the massive scale of spiritual conflict going on, it is easy to be overwhelmed. What is our place? What do we matter? The angel tells Daniel: “Don’t be afraid, you who are treasured by God. Peace to you; be very strong!” (Daniel 10:19).
Peace? How? Because all who are believers are greatly loved. We can be strong and of good courage because God fights for us.
Yes, the fight is too big for us. We should feel like Daniel did: weak, speechless, helpless. But the words the angel spoke to him are echoed throughout Scripture. The book of Ephesians tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against cosmic powers, and then it goes on to equip us with spiritual armor and weaponry for the fight (Ephesians 6:12–18). Our weapons in this fight are not of flesh but have divine power so that we can destroy arguments and lofty opinions raised against the knowledge of God (2Corinthians 10:2–5).
Texts like this should rattle us. They should wake us up to the reality of evil and the even bigger reality of God and His power. He is big enough to embrace us with love and assurance while fighting our battle for the good of the world. And it is a battle He will win—or rather, a battle He has won, in Christ.
July 15, 2021
New Happy Rant: Reformed on Reformed Violence and Woody Allen Films
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted and Ronnie, sans vacationing Barnabas, wander to and fro through a variety of topics:
Being the Annie F. Downs Enneagram podcastVisual Theology, our new partnerWhy reformed people love to attack reformed peopleWhat is our responsibility in pastoral blowups?How we feel about Woody Allen filmsGet Your CoffeeWe’ve joined forces with Redbud Coffee, based out of Auburn IL, to bring you deliciously roasted and beautifully packaged coffee. Check out their variety of roasts and be sure to use the code HappyRant at checkout to get a 10% discount off your purchase.
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.Listen on Google PlayListen on StitcherListen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out thereLeave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).Listen using the player below.
Episode #354
July 9, 2021
New Happy Rant: The Mark Driscoll Episode
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie and Barnabas wander to and fro through one topic: Mark Driscoll.
Our reaction to the new podcast “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill”Our early reactions and responses when Driscoll got bigWhat made Driscoll so captivating to so many and turned others offWhen we knew it was time to be out on DriscollLessons we may have learned from the Driscoll experienceSponsorBe sure to check out Dwell Bible App. Dwell is a Bible listening app that we love! If you are looking for a convenient, fresh way of spending more time in God’s word Dwell is ideal. Go to https://dwellapp.io/happyrant to get 10% off your annual subscription or 33% off your lifetime subscription.
We’ve joined forces with Redbud Coffee, based out of Auburn IL, to bring you deliciously roasted and beautifully packaged coffee. Check out their variety of roasts and be sure to use the code HappyRant at checkout to get a 10% discount off your purchase.
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.Listen on Google PlayListen on StitcherListen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out thereLeave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).Listen using the player below.
Episode #353
July 1, 2021
New Happy Rant: Book Slogs, CRT, and What We’re Enjoying
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas wander to and fro through a variety of topics:
Books that are slogs to readCarl Trueman the prophetThe new McCarthyismCritical race theory the bogeymanWhat we are reading and watchingSeminary killing the love of readingGet Your CoffeeWe’ve joined forces with Redbud Coffee, based out of Auburn IL, to bring you deliciously roasted and beautifully packaged coffee. Check out their variety of roasts and be sure to use the code HappyRant at checkout to get a 10% discount off your purchase.
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.Listen on Google PlayListen on StitcherListen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out thereLeave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).Listen using the player below.
Episode #352
June 24, 2021
New Happy Rant: Glossary of Terms
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas wander to and fro through a variety of topics, but this time it’s a little different. This time they go through a glossary of podcast terms and slang from their forthcoming Happy Rant book. Terms include:
@JaredWilsonBabyChristian SlumlordsDougie FreshDriskySO MANY MORESponsorBe sure to check out Dwell Bible App. Dwell is a Bible listening app that we love! If you are looking for a convenient, fresh way of spending more time in God’s word Dwell is ideal. Go to https://dwellapp.io/happyrant to get 10% off your annual subscription or 33% off your lifetime subscription.
We’ve joined forces with Redbud Coffee, based out of Auburn IL, to bring you deliciously roasted and beautifully packaged coffee. Check out their variety of roasts and be sure to use the code HappyRant at checkout to get a 10% discount off your purchase.
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.Listen on Google PlayListen on StitcherListen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out thereLeave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).Listen using the player below.
Episode #351
June 21, 2021
He Reads Truth: The Kingdom is Coming
I have the privilege of contributing to He Reads Truth, a website of whose purpose is “To help men become who we were made to be, by doing what we were made to do, by the power and provision that God has given us to do it, for the glory of Jesus Christ.” They do this by providing scripture reading plans accompanied by reflections that can be accessed for free online or purchased as print books. This is one of the pieces I wrote for the plan on The Kingdom of God.
Isaiah 11:1-10, Luke 21:25-36, Romans 8:18-25, 2 Timothy 2:8-13
Having been inaugurated through Christ, God’s already-active kingdom will be fully established when Jesus returns.
As a teenager, I began to read the Bible consistently using a reading plan. Eventually, I made my way to the prophetic books, but I found them quite confusing. Here and there, I saw obvious prophecies of Jesus coming as the Messiah, but beyond that, I didn’t know how to read these books. It wasn’t until various faithful Bible teachers began to show me the layered complexity of Old Testament prophecies that I began to see their richness.
Today’s reading from Isaiah 11 is such a passage, rich with imagery of the coming Messiah from the line of David. That much is fairly clear. But when it begins to speak of judgment, of equity for the poor and meek, of renewal and making peace, and of the nations seeking out this ruler, it seems clear something more is at hand than just the birth of Jesus. This is a promise of Jesus coming as man to save and coming back as King to purify and reign forever. God is telling us, through Isaiah, of His whole vision and plan to save sinners, judge evil, and establish the new heavens and the new earth.
Jesus echoed this prophetic depth throughout His ministry. In Luke 21, He spoke of wars and natural disasters as signs of coming judgment, and He was clear about His own return to fully establish His kingdom: “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). But Jesus also told His listeners that their redemption was “near” and that “this generation will certainly not pass away until all things take place” (Mark 13:29–30).
We know Jesus has not returned yet. The generation to whom He was speaking passed away centuries ago. So, what did He mean? He was speaking of multiple spiritual realities at once. First, that of His kingdom being established and His followers representing Him in it. Second, that of His return to fully establish His kingdom for eternity. Third, that God’s timing is not like ours, so “near” must be understood according to God’s perfect plan. There is even more to it than this, but those three realities frame how we understand Jesus’s words.
In Romans 8, the apostle Paul helps us understand what this means for us. He says that “we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies,” and “if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:23, 25). In 2 Timothy, Paul offers more encouragement on Christ’s return, saying, “For if we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:11–12).
We live between Jesus inaugurating His kingdom and finally establishing it in full. We live in the time of suffering, tragedy, and even persecution that Jesus told us about. But we do so with patience and hope because we are part of Christ’s kingdom that is spreading and being established. We are His kingdom representatives as we wait. We’re not merely biding our time. We live for Jesus, we look ahead eagerly to His return, and we must be patient in God’s timing.
June 17, 2021
New Happy Rant: Parenting Teens, Creativity, Southern Decor vs. Hipster Decor
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted and Barnabas wander to and fro through a variety of topics:
Ronnie the outdoor catWriting is a young or old man’s gameWriting as a parent of teensGlum vs. crankyOveruse of “brilliant” and “genius”The interior decorating wars: Southern vs. HipsterBuying vibes vs. creating themSponsorBe sure to check out Dwell Bible App. Dwell is a Bible listening app that we love! If you are looking for a convenient, fresh way of spending more time in God’s word Dwell is ideal. Go to https://dwellapp.io/happyrant to get 10% off your annual subscription or 33% off your lifetime subscription.
We’ve joined forces with Redbud Coffee, based out of Auburn IL, to bring you deliciously roasted and beautifully packaged coffee. Check out their variety of roasts and be sure to use the code HappyRant at checkout to get a 10% discount off your purchase.
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.Listen on Google PlayListen on StitcherListen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out thereLeave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).Listen using the player below.Episode #350
June 11, 2021
New Happy Rant: Constitutional Bibles and Security Details
In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas wander to and fro through a variety of topics:
Outrage over a United States Constitutional Study BibleWhat should be in study Bibles?What are we allowed to riff on?Drisky BusinessWhat would having a security detail be like?Get Your CoffeeWe’ve joined forces with Redbud Coffee, based out of Auburn IL, to bring you deliciously roasted and beautifully packaged coffee. Check out their variety of roasts and be sure to use the code HappyRant at checkout to get a 10% discount off your purchase.
To listen you can:
Subscribe in iTunes.Listen on Google PlayListen on StitcherListen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out thereLeave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).Listen using the player below.
Episode #349
