Barnabas Piper's Blog, page 43

How Gospel Culture Helped Me Find Happiness

I dedicated my latest book, “Hoping for Happiness,” to my church, Immanuel Nashville. In this short video our pastor, TJ Tims, reads the dedication and lets me explain how the gospel culture of our church transformed my life and led me to an understanding of happiness that allowed me to write a book about real, lasting, hopeful happiness.

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Published on October 23, 2020 05:46

New Happy Rant Sports: NBA Finals, Great Uniforms, and QB Landing Spots

In this episode of the Happy Rant Sports podcast Ted and Barnabas discuss a variety of topics, mostly pertaining to sports:

True Nashville guys
Boring NBA finals
The Jets are putrid
Great classic uniforms
Landing spots for struggling QBs

BONUS EPISODES

[image error]For some time now a number of listeners have supported us at Patreon. This has been invaluable in helping cover production costs, enabling us to do the occasional extra episode, and more. But it’s about time for us to do something for the supporters, so we have begun releasing short bonus episodes exclusively for Patreon supporters! If you want in on those you can sign up to support us at any amount per month that works for you, and at certain tiers you also get free signed books. Check it out.

Get Your Coffee

[image error]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.

Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:

Order your Redbud coffee
Connect with Ted, Ronnie, or Barnabas to speak for your church, organization, or event
Support the podcast through our Patreon page . This helps us cover production and hosting costs so we can keep this thing rolling

To listen you can:

Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher
Listen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out there
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.

Episode #46

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Published on October 22, 2020 04:01

New Happy Rant: Aquatic Churches, Movie Genres, and Parenting Advice

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas do what they always do and wander to and fro through a variety of topics:

The best movie genres
Misogyny is a better topic than politics
Aquatic themed church networks
Emails correcting us
The best parenting advice we’ve received
Mansplaining to men

BONUS EPISODES

[image error]For some time now a number of listeners have supported us at Patreon. This has been invaluable in helping cover production costs, enabling us to do the occasional extra episode, and more. But it’s about time for us to do something for the supporters, so we have begun releasing short bonus episodes exclusively for Patreon supporters! If you want in on those you can sign up to support us at any amount per month that works for you, and at certain tiers you also get free signed books. Check it out.

7 Questions to Help Pastors Connect with Their Kids

Pastors’ kids need parents more than they need pastors. They need conversations more than sermons. They need a patient listener more than stern advice. These are all nice concepts, but how exactly can pastors (and spouses) do this? Here are 7 questions you can ask to help them bridge the gap between ministry and your children.

(Note: These questions are only useful if your children feel safe being honest and vulnerable and know that you are ok being vulnerable too.)

Do you feel like you’re different than other kids your age because of what I do?

Just be blunt. Be bold to ask. You might not like the answer, but it will likely peel away a façade you might not have even known existed. This could be the precursor to conversations about identity, pressure, expectations, legalism, and a whole heap of stuff that can skew a PK’s perspective on Jesus, the church, and grace.

What kinds of expectations do you feel like people put on you because you’re a PK?

Cue venting, ranting, and possibly tears. Many PKs have pent up frustration (ranging to rage) at the competing expectations they often feel obliged to fulfill. Expecations to be, to do, to not do – they pile high and deep. By asking you are lancing an angry boil and applying a soothing salve – listening and empathy.

Do you feel like I expect anything unfair from you as a PK?

Now you get to the next layer. It is relatively easy for PKs to vent about those people. But can they do the same about you and how you hold them to an unfair standard? Or maybe you don’t hold them to an unfair standard at all but they don’t understand why their life is just different than others or why they can’t do certain things. Either way this is an opportunity to sort through some tangled, difficult, painful stuff. To do that you must be willing to humbly admit any fault.

Do you think I act the same and treat people the same at home as I do at church?

Now that you’re here, what’s a little more vulnerability? You’re now asking your kids to help you be a better parent (and pastor). They know you inside and out. They see you every day. They know when you’re full of crap. So let them call you on it. Apologize. Ask for forgiveness. And repent. You will all be better for it.

Who is Jesus to you? What does He mean to you?

Be careful with this one. Your kids know what you want to hear and will default to that. They know what they are supposed to believe and what you teach week in and week out, and they will parrot that. Don’t assume that what they say first is what they truly believe. Don’t assume they know what they believe. Prod a little. Massage the conversation. Don’t interview or cross-examine. Don’t frown or challenge. Again, just listen and understand. Don’t teach or lecture (you do that for 40 minutes every Sunday and probably a few other times too). Tell them what Jesus means to you and how He’s changed your life. Tell them about the hard times you have following Jesus. Make Jesus a God-Man worth having a relationship with, not just the subject of a sermon.

Is there anything your struggling with or having a hard time with?

Be patient. They might not ant to answer this at first. But if they have seen you admit fault and humbly ask forgiveness then it will be easier. Easier still if you’ve done this toward them. Lead with your weaknesses and create an easier context for them to be honest. Then remember that the best correction isn’t angry and doesn’t look down. It’s patient and pointing upward.

Do you want to go get ice cream? (Or play catch, or grab coffee, or see a movie, or ride bikes, or . . .)

This is really the crux of the whole deal. All the other questions will dry up if your kids don’t like you and kids like nothing more than simply being with you and doing fun stuff. Spend time doing what they love. Invite them to do what you love. Just be with them. It’s in these contexts that the best conversations start and flourish. And your kids can flourish too.

[image error]For more on the experience of pastors’ kids, the challenges they face and how pastors or church members can support them check out my book The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help.

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Published on October 14, 2020 04:29

New Happy Rant: Reformed Masculinity, Snake Handlers, and Pastoring Skills

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Barnabas, and Ronnie do what they always do and wander to and fro through a variety of topics:

The changes in reformed masculinity in recent years
Snake handling churches
MLM for snakes: the next big thing
Misogyny: Ronnie’s word of the episode (because it’s so fun)
What practical skills do pastors need?
Pastors as experts in everything

BONUS EPISODES

[image error]For some time now a number of listeners have supported us at Patreon. This has been invaluable in helping cover production costs, enabling us to do the occasional extra episode, and more. But it’s about time for us to do something for the supporters, so we have begun releasing short bonus episodes exclusively for Patreon supporters! If you want in on those you can sign up to support us at any amount per month that works for you, and at certain tiers you also get free signed books. Check it out.

New Happy Rant: Politics are Terrible and Everyone is Mad

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas do what they always do, well sort of. They wander to and fro through mostly one topic, one they generally avoid: Politics.

The “presidential” debate
People’s outrage over the predictable
Insane expectations
Where can we find hope?

BONUS EPISODES

[image error]For some time now a number of listeners have supported us at Patreon. This has been invaluable in helping cover production costs, enabling us to do the occasional extra episode, and more. But it’s about time for us to do something for the supporters, so we have begun releasing short bonus episodes exclusively for Patreon supporters! If you want in on those you can sign up to support us at any amount per month that works for you, and at certain tiers you also get free signed books. Check it out.

SPONSOR

[image error]Thank you to our sponsor for this week’s episode: 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 20% off your subscription.

NEW BOOK

[image error]In his brand new book, Hoping for Happiness, recovering cynic Barnabas Piper helps us to throw off both the unrealistic expectations that end in disappointment and the guilty sense that Christians are not meant to have fun. He shows how having a clear view of the reality of the fall and the promise of redemption frees us to live a life that is grounded, hopeful, and genuinely happy. It’s available October 1, but you can pre-order now.

Get Your Coffee

[image error]WE ARE COFFEE MOGULS AGAIN. 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.

Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:

Order your Redbud coffee
Connect with Ted, Ronnie, or Barnabas to speak for your church, organization, or event
Support the podcast through our Patreon page . This helps us cover production and hosting costs so we can keep this thing rolling

To listen you can:

Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher
Listen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out there
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.

Episode #315

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Published on October 06, 2020 13:36

New Happy Rant: Bonus Episode – Hoping for Happiness

In this episode of The Happy Rant you’ll get to listen to a free chapter from the audio book of Hoping for Happiness, my newly released book.

If you have ever asked the following questions this book is for you.

Why I am always disappointed in the end no matter how hard I chase happiness?
What does it even mean to be happy in the messed up world?
Is happiness a guilty pleasure?
Is happiness opposed to holiness?
What’s the difference between happiness and joy?
Is it ok for Christians to pursue happiness?

New Happy Rant: Book Promotion, Slapdash Podcasting, and Taking Ourselves Seriously

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas do what they always do and wander to and fro through a variety of topics:

Why don’t publishers market books any more?
How authors promote books
Podcasters taking themselves seriously
Book blurbs as fame credentials
Why don’t endorsements work for all books?
Ronnie’s marketing decadence for Hoping for Happiness
Swanky New England Boys schools

SPONSORS

[image error]The fine folks at Paul’s Leather know that the Bible is the most important book on your shelf. That’s why they make finding the perfect Bible (or keeping your perfect Bible perfect) a simple process. Using full-grain leather and hand stitching they create beautiful, classic bibles that will last for decades. They will even re-bind that old, heirloom Bible you love so much that’s falling apart. Check out their selection today.

[image error]Thank you to our sponsor for this week’s episode: 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 20% off your subscription.

RELEASING THIS WEEK

[image error]In his forthcoming book, Hoping for Happiness, recovering cynic Barnabas Piper helps us to throw off both the unrealistic expectations that end in disappointment and the guilty sense that Christians are not meant to have fun. He shows how having a clear view of the reality of the fall and the promise of redemption frees us to live a life that is grounded, hopeful, and genuinely happy. It’s available October 1, but you can pre-order now.

Get Your Coffee

[image error]WE ARE COFFEE MOGULS AGAIN. 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.

Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:

Order your Redbud coffee
Connect with Ted, Ronnie, or Barnabas to speak for your church, organization, or event
Support the podcast through our Patreon page . This helps us cover production and hosting costs so we can keep this thing rolling

To listen you can:

Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher
Listen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out there
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.

Episode #314

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Published on September 30, 2020 02:53

“Evangeliguilt” and Finding Happiness in This Life

How does a recovering cynic learn to be happy?

What is “evangeliguilt?”

What does happiness look like in this life?

Can happiness be genuine and lasting?

In this short video introducing my book Hoping for Happiness I pose these questions and point toward the answers (obviously the book gives more full ones). But let offer a bit of a spoiler: happiness is expecting the right things of the right things the way God designed them. That is the message of the book and the thing I set out to explore and explain. If you struggle with finding happiness, holding on to happiness, feeling OK about being happy, or even defining what happiness is, I wrote this for you.

Hoping for Happiness releases this week, on October 1. You can order a copy (or copies!) here:

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Published on September 28, 2020 02:56

New Happy Rant: Handsomeness, Show Ponies, and Christopher Nolan

In this episode of The Happy Rant Ted, Ronnie, and Barnabas do what they always do and wander to and fro through various topics:

Caring about being handsome
The benefits of being handsome
Show pony professors
The Jared C. Blurb
Ronnie and best friends
Christopher Nolan characters (or rather, not characters)

SPONSORS

[image error]Most believers live in the state of “being a Christian” without ever being deeply formed by Christ. Our pace is too frenetic to be in union with God, and we don’t know how to quiet our hearts and minds to be present. During our chaotic times, discover five forgotten values that can spark internal growth and help us reconcile our Christian faith with the complexities of race, sexuality, and social justice. The Deeply Formed Life, by Rich Villodas, is a roadmap to live in the richly rooted place we all yearn for: a place of communion with God, a place where we find our purpose.

[image error]Thank you to our sponsor for this week’s episode: 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 20% off your subscription.

Get Your Coffee

[image error]WE ARE COFFEE MOGULS AGAIN. 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.

Be sure to visit HappyRantPodcast.com where you can:

Order your Redbud coffee
Connect with Ted, Ronnie, or Barnabas to speak for your church, organization, or event
Support the podcast through our Patreon page . This helps us cover production and hosting costs so we can keep this thing rolling

To listen you can:

Subscribe in iTunes.
Listen on Google Play
Listen on Stitcher
Listen via just about any podcast app/streaming service out there
Leave us a rating in iTunes (it only takes 1 click and it really helps us).
Listen using the player below.

Episode #313

View more on Barnabas Piper's website »

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Published on September 24, 2020 02:26