John Piper

[anime4christ]

Most of the youth at my church are huge fans of John Piper and there's going to be a conference with him at my church this week. I wanted to check this guy out, but I missed the registration (and it costs $30 btw, and no live streaming for those who didn't pay and come), so I want to know what you guys know about him and can say about him. I'm a little wary of the fact that he's like a celebrity at our church, so I dunno. Other than him being a Calvinist, what else is good or bad about his teachings and him himself?

[Samer]

He's pretty big into the English Standard perVersion instead of the King James Bible. And yeah, the big thing is the Calvinism. He calls himself a seven-point Calvinist (there are only five points).
He's also big into what he calls "Christian hedonism."

"Those who know me best know that I am a Christian Hedonist... my desire to be happy is a proper motive for everything I do. I do what I do because I think it will make me happier in the long run." -John Piper, quoted from wayoflife.org's Friday Church News Notes 1/13/2006

[anime4christ]

I haven't really quite understood the thing with the hedonism, how is it different from us being joyful in the Lord? What is it anyways?

[Madeline]

Piper also believes in Lordship salvation, which some of you may or may not agree with.

[BlessedChristianlady8]

I heard of him My former church which is not a King James one youth pastor used to talk about John Piper. He said that John Piper was his favorite writer. I would stern away from books like that. I do however, Have some books by him that I just read to just read however, It get them free anyways LOL.

[Bro.Johnny Mac]

Calvanism isnt biblical,so I would avoid John Piper's teachings.

[kevinmiller]

I have several friends that enjoy his writings. I haven't looked into him much myself. I might get around to picking up one of his books one day and checking it out.

[DaveW]

I was given the Hedonism book - the point to hedonism is that it is all about selfish enjoyment.

There is no place in the life of a follower of Christ for that.

And the use of the name "Christian Hedonism" is simply to headline, draw attention and create sales.

Yes we are to rejoice in the Lord - it is a command, but that is very different to enjoyment being the prime motivation of our life.

In my opinion anyone who uses that sort of attention grabbing method is worth being wary of.

I admit I didn't get through the book - I have better things to do that waste my time reading about a man's justification of selfishness - Chapter three or four was all I could abide.

I think there are many things about him to be careful about.

Kieth Piper though - He seems pretty straight down the line to me. :wink

[anime4christ]

Hmm, I see. Would that be the reason he's so popular?

The interesting thing is that the registration for the conference is $30 and all the places quickly got taken up. And they said they will not dtream this service on the internet as they do with every church service, so only those who shelled out some cash get to see the conference, and others wishing to can't even if they wanted to pay for it.

I was curious about him, so I wanted to go, but I missed the registration so I dunno what I'll miss. Maybe they'll have a recording I could buy later.

When Ray Comfort had a conference at our church, it was free so you could tell his main goal was to get the message out rather than make a pile of money. I don't get what's wrong with streaming this conference, they won't lose a single penny (well, maybe people won't buy the recrdong later), but I guess it's kinda like, if u didn't pay, you don't get to see at all.

Oops, did I start ranting? hehe. I'm just curious about this guy and i guess I won't find out soon what he's all about.

[tired]

me and Piper don't see eye to eye on a few things but I do like him and MaCarthur. They seem like they want to contend against the new age trends seeker-sensitive mumbo-jumbo out there.

[DaveW]

John Piper wants $30 to listen to him talk about having fun, Ray Comfort lets anyone come for free to hear him talk about repentance from sin (sorry don't know what his topic would be specifically)......

That might tell you something - like maybe John Piper can't enjoy himself enough with all his money, and he needs more money to so that he can be truly hedonistic as he says.

(or am I being too harsh?) I don't know too much about him other than the hedonism book but that is enough to start warning lights flashing for me.

[MilkmanDan]

John Piper wants $30 to listen to him talk about having fun, Ray Comfort lets anyone come for free to hear him talk about repentance from sin (sorry don't know what his topic would be specifically)......

That might tell you something - like maybe John Piper can't enjoy himself enough with all his money, and he needs more money to so that he can be truly hedonistic as he says.

(or am I being too harsh?) I don't know too much about him other than the hedonism book but that is enough to start warning lights flashing for me.

To the mans defense.

He shares ALL of his material online and it's F R E E of any charge. Bandwidth is not cheap. Also, Piper is offering his "cannon" free to many US troops stationed overseas. Its no excuse for poor doctrine, but lets not beat the dude up so bad.

Yes, Comfort and Cameron have a website but their material is not free.

I have listened to both. I love Cameron and Comforts enthusiasm and zeal just as much as i appreciate Piper's passion. But, I don't go either way (maybe more Comfort).

[Jerry]

Ah, error is free and more easily accessible! Maybe that is why it is so popular.

As a previous poster has stated, just the fact that he calls himself a hedonist is problem enough! Take a concept that is evil, add a Christian label to it, and voila - it's Christian!!

I remember seeing a particular "Christian" author in church libraries and bookstores, and he was marketed and referred to himself as a "naturalist" (as opposed to a supernaturalist). I thought that was horrible - someone who denied the miracles of the Bible - and that turned out to be the exact case too (it wasn't just me arriving at the wrong conclusion based on a possible misunderstanding of a term)! Yet, they add the title Christian to his books, and there you have it - a Christian apostate, a Christian liberal, a Christian denier of God's supernatural intervention in our lives and our world - but that's okay if this unbeliever is marketed as a "Christian" because that makes him "Christian"!! :roll

It's okay if Rick Warren, Eugene Peterson, and Robert Schuller, and a whole host of other "Christian" writers quote from New Agers and their writings - and use the same terms as they do (but magically, they mean something Biblical in their use of the terms) - because they "Christianize" the paganism and make it alright. Perhaps we could say they "redeem" paganism and false religions.

I remember as a very young Christian, coming out of Dungeons and Dragons (ie. from my involvement in it before I got saved), walking into a "Christian" bookstore and seeing "Christian" Dungeon and Dragons material. Somehow they took the occult and made it Christian. I didn't believe it then - I still don't believe it now...

Oh, wait, I'm ranting again. :uuhm:

[anime4christ]

John Piper wants $30 to listen to him talk about having fun' date=' Ray Comfort lets anyone come for free to hear him talk about repentance from sin (sorry don't know what his topic would be specifically)......[/quote']
Ray Comfort talked about how to evangelize and tried to motivate everyone to do it. I kinda think that is the main reason we are here on Earth, isn't it? Seeing as how Piper is a Calvinist, I think the main reason for being here is to seak pleasure would make perfect sense to him. I do think he is right to a degree in some things he says (I went and read some of his sermons), but I think he takes it a bit too far, especially with the label.

[DaveW]

me and Piper don't see eye to eye on a few things but I do like him and MaCarthur. They seem like they want to contend against the new age trends seeker-sensitive mumbo-jumbo out there.

There are people out there who are against the seeker sensitive mumbo jumbo, AND they don't have too much wonky doctrine! :wink