How to Lead Your Ministry Team During Social Isolation
How to Lead Your Ministry Team During Social Isolation
Author: Bart Garrett
Published: March 20, 2020 at Redeemer City to City.
Additional Resources
Five Thoughts from Quarantine
Five Thoughts From Quarantine
Author: Paul Tripp
Published: March 25, 2020 at Paul Tripp Ministries.
Additional Resources
A Mighty Fortress is Our God: A Reflection on Imminent Danger
The following originally appeared as a blog post written by TCT Member Pastor Coty Pinckney of Desiring God Community Church in Charlotte, NC on March 21, 2020.
“A mighty fortress is our God – a bulwark never failing.”
Martin Luther wrote those words (in German) as well as the tune we use around 1528. This was a time of great danger. It seemed as if the leaders of the Reformation could be killed at any moment – and what would happen to the cause then?
Luther’s partner, Philip Melanchthon, was particularly worried. Luther responded in a letter dated June 27, 1530:
With all my heart I hate those cares by which you state that you are consumed. They rule your heart . . . by reason of the greatness of your unbelief…. If our cause is false, let us recant. But if it is true, why should we make Him a liar who has given us such great promises and who commands us to be confident and undismayed?…
What good do you expect to accomplish by these vain worries of yours? What can the devil do more than slay us? Yes, what? …
I pray for you very earnestly, and I am deeply pained that you keep sucking up cares like a leech and thus rendering my prayers vain. Christ knows whether it comes from stupidity or the Spirit but I for my part am not very much troubled about our cause…. God who is able to raise the dead is also able to uphold his cause when it is falling or to raise it up again when it has fallen…. If we are not worthy instruments to accomplish his purpose, he will find others. If we are not strengthened by his promises, where in all the world are the people to whom these promises apply? But more of this at another time. After all, my writing this is like pouring water in to the sea.
We in the US do not face death for the Gospel. But life often does seem out of control – particularly today, with so much uncertainty about the spread of COVID-19, and the economic effects of the steps taken to limit its spread. It can seem as if random chance is harming those around us and taking aim at us – or even worse, as if Satan himself is advancing his cause and will overwhelm God’s people.
Psalm 46 is written for times like 1530 – and for times like 2020.
We don’t know when this psalm was first written and recited. Some have speculated that it was written after the Assyrian king Sennacharib besieged Jerusalem – and God slaughtered 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in their sleep. Whatever Whether the historical occasion, the Kingdom seemed to be in grave danger from a powerful military force – so powerful that there seemed to be no hope – and God delivered His people.
We’ll consider verses 1-7 together under two headings, and then verses 8-11 under a third.
Is Everything Falling Apart?
In 1530, Melanchthon worried that everything was falling apart. Today, the coronavirus leads to similar feelings.
The psalmist pictures those feelings. In verse 2 he speaks of “the earth giving way,” and “the mountains being moved into the sea.” Indeed, the waters of the sea roar and foam, and the mountains themselves are fearful, for they “tremble at its swelling.”
To understand these expressions, it’s helpful to remind ourselves of the creation account in Genesis 1. Before God works, darkness is over the face of the deep waters. There is nothing but water. On the third day, God gathers the waters into one place, the sea, and commands dry land to appear.
So note: in Psalm 46 God’s work is being reversed! The mountains – the dry land that looks most powerful, most secure – are moved back into the sea. God ordered creation; now disorder seems to reign.
That’s what’s happening with the natural order. What about the political order?
Verse 6 tells us, “The nations rage, the kingdoms totter.” In Hebrew, the word translated “totter” is the same word translated “moved” in verse 2. The physical order is being moved and shaken, and thus is falling apart; just so with the political order.
When things seem to fall apart, when all that we’ve thought firms, secure, rock-solid begins to shake and totter, when it seems as if no one is in control, that danger is all around, we are tempted to fear. Thus the psalmist exhorts us in verse 2, “We will not fear.”
He then grounds that exhortation in the character and promises of God.
God Secures His People
In the creation account, God imposed order on the chaotic world. In Psalm 46, God shows His people that while all may appear to be returning to chaos, He still rules. He still governs. And He secures His people
Verses 1-7 tell us of three ways that God secured His people at that time – ways that He continues to secure His people today:
First: God is with us!
This is the primary message of the entire psalm.
He is our refuge – that is, He shields us from danger.
He is our strength, empowering us in weakness.
He is not only a help, but a present help, right beside us, in our presence; He never leaves us nor forsakes us.
To underline this point, verse 11 repeats verse 7:
The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress.
With Him we are secure. No enemy can scale His walls. No danger can assault this fortress.
Verses 4 and following expand on this image:
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. (Psalm 46:4-5)
Picture a flourishing, vibrant city, surrounded by unassailable walls, with a river flowing through its midst so that there is a continual supply of water. God’s people are the city. God is both the walls surrounding the city and the Protector dwelling in its midst. He helps the city immediately – at the earliest time, at the crack of dawn.
So the first way that God secures His people: He is with us. He is always with us.
The second way that God secures His people: He stabilizes us.
Remember, verse 2 speaks of the mountains being moved into the sea, and verse 6 (literally) of the kingdoms being moved. But verse 5 tells us that since God is in the midst of the city, “she shall not be moved.”
Even if both the created order and the political order are falling apart – even if a new virus threatens our entire world – God stabilizes and secures His people. They do not slip, do not fall, do not stumble.
The third way that God secures His people: He controls the dangerous forces
Verse 6 is my favorite:
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter, he utters his voice, the earth melts (Psalm 46:6)
In the midst of chaos and political upheaval, in the midst of war and intrigue and betrayal and scheming, in the midst of disease and disorder and disarray, God speaks! And all falls before Him.
He doesn’t organize His people into an army to fight the enemy, though He could;
He doesn’t send lightning and wind and hail to destroy them, though He could.
Rather – just like during creation week – He speaks – and His will is done. His words all by themselves are mighty and powerful.
So you see: Though all around you may seem out of control, may seem to be falling apart, God is in control. He is never out of control. He only has to speak – and that chaos, that opposition, is over and done with. Thus, when we see chaos continuing, when God’s enemies thrive – this is happening only by His permission, in order to accomplish His good and wise purposes.
He is almighty, He is in control of all. As Luther wrote:
The prince of darkness grim,
We tremble not for him.
His rage we can endure,
For, lo, his doom is sure:
One little word shall fell him. (emphasis added)
With those three ways that God secures His people fresh in our minds, let’s return to the picture of God’s people as a city. The New Testament authors pick up on this idea. In Hebrews 11, the author tells us Abraham followed God’s call, not knowing where he was would lead, for “he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:10) Like Abraham, all followers of Jesus while in this world are strangers, exiles, refugees, seeking a homeland – and God has indeed prepared for us a city.
Revelation 21 then pictures this city that God has prepared:
I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:2-4)
So Psalm 46 tells us that today God’s people are His city, surrounded by His fortress. He is in their midst. Though powerful forces are arrayed against this city, attacking it, trying to undermine it, God is an impenetrable fortress, and we are secure.
Hebrews and Revelation then picture the future, the new heavens and new earth. God’s people are still a city – but now, God has spoken His word, He has felled the prince of darkness grim, and His enemies are no more. He is with us in the present, and He will be with us for eternity. But in eternity, in the new city, we no longer need His protection. The old order has passed away. He has wiped every tear from our eyes.
So when it seems as if everything is falling apart – from viruses, from wars, from natural disasters – know: God secures His people today, and in eternity He will rid creation of all that is opposed to Him and to His people.
“So Relax! I Am Exalting My Name!”
Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:8-11)
We’ll highlight three commands in this final stanza:
First: Look!
The people must come and behold God’s works. He utters His voice – and even the earth melts. So any enemy has no chance whatsoever. Look at His might. Look at His power. Look at how He has acted in the past.
That was encouraging in the psalmist’s day.
But today, when we look, we see God at work doing something much greater than a defeating a huge enemy army.
In Luke 10, Jesus sends the 72 out to proclaim the Gospel. Going in the power of Jesus, the see Him at work – even demons obey them! They return, excited about the authority they exercised.
Jesus responds:
Behold (Look!) I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:19-20).
Furthermore, Jesus says:
Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it (Luke 10:23-24).
We in our day are privileged to see what the people of God have longed to see for millennia: God using people like you and me to reach all the nations with the Gospel. We see peoples who have walked in darkness for thousands of years seeing the great light; we see a plentiful harvest – and so pray for more workers.
So look! Behold! Look at the great victories that God is forging by His Word! Pay attention! His Kingdom must come – and it is coming. The evidence is all around us. And all the seeming chaos in this world is working to bring that end about.
So that’s the first command: Look!
The second command: Recognize!
“Know that I am God” in verse 10 is translated in the NET, “Recognize that I am God.”
That is: “Draw the conclusion from what you see! Recognize who I am and what I am doing. Recognize my sovereign power. I am indeed almighty. I am indeed working for your good. Look – and then recognize Me in all that happens.”
The final command: Relax!
We read in verse 10, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Question: Is God speaking to the warring parties, saying: “Stop your fighting!” That’s what some translators think. But others – particularly the British translator and commentator Alec Motyer – think God is speaking these words to His people: “Be still – don’t be worried – relax – know that I am God.”
I think that’s more consistent with the rest of the psalm. God says, “I am with you. I love you. I am your fortress. I control all these forces arrayed against you. All may appear to be falling apart, but one word of mine will order the chaos and defeat the enemy. For I am doing a great work. My name must be hallowed. I must be exalted among the nations. I must be exalted in all the earth. I must bring those from every tribe, tongue, and nation to myself. And everything that happens is working to that end according to My plan. That is where all is heading, even though you can’t see it. So relax! Trust Me! I am for you! And I am glorifying My Name.”
Conclusion
What concerns you today? The virus? The economy? Your own health? The death of a loved one? The seeming chaos around us, and thus all aspects of the future?
However dark all may appear in your life, it cannot appear darker than the night our Lord was betrayed by a close friend, brought before a show trial, abused, whipped, mocked, and then nailed to a cross where He died.
For the disciples, that was the moment when all their hopes were dashed, when they were the most confused.
Yet: God utters His voice: And Christ conquers death.
He rises from the dead!
He sits at the right hand of the Father!
He reigns in power!
He will return with great glory!
Look! God was in control even at the crucifixion. And so: Recognize: He is in control in your darkest hour.
So be among His protected, secure people!
Trust that at that crucifixion Jesus paid the penalty for your sins!
Turn to Him and be saved!
Then: relax. Trust Him. God secures His people. He will be exalted in the earth. It is certain. That day will come – despite viruses, despite Satan, despite our own weakness.
Relax – and know that He is God.
Additional Resources
3 Things to Remember When You're Feeling Anxious
3 Things to Remember When You're Feeling Anxious
Author: David Powlison, Crossway.org
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Anxiety, Waiting and the Coronavirus
Anxiety, Waiting and the Coronavirus
Author: Alasdair Groves
Published: March 11, 2020 at The Christian Counseling and Education Foundation.
Additional Resources
TCT National Call with John Piper
On September 4, 2019, we sat with Pastor John via video conference call and he shared some thoughts on maintaining wonder in pastoral ministry and answered a variety of personal questions from TCT pastors and planters.
An Hour with Pastor John
For the video and audio versions of this resource, click on the image below.
Members Only Content. This resource is only available to TCT Members. If you are a member and experiencing difficulty accessing the resource, please view this help.
On September 4, 2019, we sat with Pastor John via video conference call and he shared some thoughts on maintaining wonder in pastoral ministry and answered a variety of personal questions from TCT pastors and planters.
John Piper is known as founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary; however, he’s affectionately known among the network as “Pastor John” who in many ways is the “grandfather” of our network.
For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books, including Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist and most recently Why I Love the Apostle Paul: 30 Reasons.
TCT National Calls are hour-long video chats / webinars during which TCT features guest speakers who will share wisdom and focused content from their experience as pastors, planters, or ministry component strategists.
2018 P&W Retreat: Resting in Christ
Resting in Christ in Disappointment and Discouragement | Justin Perry
Quieted to Witness | Nathan Knight
Personal and corporate strategies of wartime living, courageous witness, and social action to show the supreme value of Christ to fallen people and fallen culture.
I am one of the fortunate ones. Having been sent out by North Wake Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina I was able to sit under the ministry of Pastor Larry Trotter, otherwise known as the “Baptist monk.” Larry is one of the few that carefully pays attention to Jesus’ example of prayer and solitude for the sake of the mission.
He once told us of the need to regularly pull away for prayer and solitude retreats for if we don’t, we’d get “wobbly.” I can't tell you how many times I have been snappy, grumpy, or just spiritually or emotionally tired wherein I evaluated why and recalled this counsel. You can only imagine how this might negatively affect my attempts at witnessing to others the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The fifth dimension that The Treasuring Christ Together Network emphasizes is this need to witness. We define it this way:
Personal and corporate strategies of wartime living, courageous witness, and social action to show the supreme value of Christ to fallen people and fallen culture.
You can practically feel the energy of this sentence. “Wartime living,” “courageous witness,” and “social action” are daunting tasks, to say the least. To live this way in order to testify to our neighbors and the nations the greatest news of all requires much of us, therefore it likewise demands our souls be quieted. We cannot properly extend ourselves if we are persistently exhausted.
In Matthew 14:23 we read that “after [Jesus] had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.” In Mark 1:35-39 we read of a similar incident of Jesus pulling away early in the morning and then coming out to preach to the crowds.
Evidently, our Lord saw the need of having His soul stilled before His heavenly Father as He prepared to go to the crowds and when He left the crowds. Surely, this pulling away to pray was petitionary, but also quieting to the noise of preaching. It likely reminded Him why He was there in addition to strengthening His resolve to continue on in the difficult task of preaching the Gospel.
Note also, these instances weren’t momentary. In Matthew 14:23 Jesus was there so long that night came on. In Mark 1:35-39 He had been there early in the morning while it was still dark. This reveals to us the need to not only pull away to be quieted, but also that quieting takes time. Our souls don’t have brakes like our cars that we can merely step on and stop. They are more like flywheels that need both the removal of motion and time for the wheel to slow down. If we are going to be effective as a network in witnessing we must do as our Lord did and quiet our souls so that we will not be “wobbly” and ineffective for the call to wartime living.
Not only is this important for pastors, this is also important for pastor’s wives. They are constantly on the go helping and engaging wartime witnessing themselves. From late night feedings to early morning discipleship meetings all the way to exhausting conversations with their husbands who like to sometimes verbally process the difficulties of their jobs. Pastor’s wives must also have their souls quieted in order to effectively witness to others for Christ.
Let's consider a few ways we can quiet our souls for the purposes of witnessing both personally and corporately:
1. Personal Private Prayer: The life of Christ and Acts 6:4 would indicate to us that one of the most important things we do as leaders in the church is to pray. Simply put, if you are not praying, you are not communing with God. And if you are not communing with God what might this indicate about your witnessing?
Try and find a quiet spot at a time where you know you will not be disturbed and consistently give yourself to prayer. That may be an actual closet or it may be getting to your office early or waking up early before the kids get up. Use the Psalms or other prayers from Scripture in addition to resources like Valley of Vision or Prone to Wander by Barbara Duguid and Wayne Duguid Houk to assist you when it's hard to begin.
2. Meditation: I've found that by adding the step of Scripture meditation in between my Bible reading and prayer time has assisted in quieting my soul for witnessing. It tends to warm my soul and quiet me down and lead me into prayer more naturally. That singular thought or verse I meditate on tends to find its way into conversations and prayers as I go about my day.
3. Personal/Corporate retreats: Whether it be a half day or a full day, pulling away from your regular context as an individual or with others once every 4-6 weeks is ideal in quieting our souls in order to be an effective witness. Find nearby parks, go on a hike, or sit in an art museum. Provide enough time to let that flywheel slow down. Most often the hardest part of slowing down is that first hour. Therefore, extended time is needed to get the most out of the exercise.
4. Corporate prayer: Whether it be the prayer gathering before church each week or in members meetings, I have found listening to the prayers of my covenanted brothers or sisters pray for others often stirs my soul and fills me up. They do the praying for me as I listen and drink in their petitions to God for others.
5. Turn off the screens: We have a beautiful view off of our porch that overlooks NW D.C. that my wife and I sit on each night in the warmer months. We put down our phones, turn off the TV, and light a couple candles, and sometimes play beautiful music softly after the kids go down to sleep and we just talk. I enjoy watching the trees sway back and forth against the breeze and I often stare at the moon or the few stars we can see in the city. There is something about those quiet moments wherein I look to creation and am reminded of my smallness as I speak with my wife whom I love that naturally stills me and gives me strength for the next day.
Whatever it is, brothers and sisters, quiet your soul so that you do not become “wobbly” and tire in the task of witnessing. As a network, we emphasize these things so that we might be in our communities courageously witnessing for the long haul.
Nathan Knight
A Plea for Well Nourished Pastors | Justin Perry
We live in a time when industries are constantly changing, technologies are rapidly developing, and skills are continually in need of sharpening. To stay current with the latest advancements, skills, and technologies in their fields, many professionals utilize (and many companies require) continuing education to help stay competitive, relevant, and effective.
We live in a time when industries are constantly changing, technologies are rapidly developing, and skills are continually in need of sharpening. To stay current with the latest advancements, skills, and technologies in their fields, many professionals utilize (and many companies require) continuing education to help stay competitive, relevant, and effective. As a pastor to several professionals who are continuing education in their careers, I am aware that this pursuit is costly and is most often undertaken in the midst of an already full life, with real responsibilities and pressing demands. I look to the nurse who is administering a new medicine to my daughter and to the engineer using new technology to build a home for my friends, and say, “It is worth it…too much is at stake to not give yourself to continuing education!”
Likewise, God’s word reminds us that the churches we serve desperately cry out to us (regardless if they ever utter these words), “It is worth it to continue being educated on who God is and His glorious works…too much is at stake to not give yourself to continuing that education!” To be clear, this post isn’t about the need for formal certificates, classes, or degrees. Rather it is an encouragement for pastors to pursue personal efforts to grow and help each other grow in biblical truth, wisdom, faith, and love, which show Christ as our supreme treasure.
Writing to Timothy, a pastor of the church at Ephesus, Paul commands him: Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you (1 Timothy 4.16 NASB). Simply put, watching your life and doctrine is the ongoing, continual task of pastoral ministry. Whether that is informal venues or simply the disciplined pursuit of growth in knowledge of and love for God, pastors cannot afford to cease being learners of God. Congregations cannot afford this. The glory of God is too precious for pastors to ignore this. While we know these statements are true, the temptations to grow complacent in giving ourselves to the study of God are numerous: the degree has been completed, the shepherding tasks are overwhelming, sermon preparation is demanding, counseling load is great, or simply doesn’t seem to be enough time.
Paul’s words pierce the heart of the complacent pastor, motivate the will of the lazy pastor, and fan into flame the obedience of the faithful pastor: persevere in these things. These things don’t simply refer to verse sixteen but to what Paul has stated throughout 4:6-16, of particular interest in verse 6: being constantly nourished on the words of faith and of sound doctrine which you have been following.
Our souls are meant to feast on and be nourished by the words of faith and of sound doctrine. The healthiest of sheep are found following nourished and healthy shepherds. Malnourished shepherds do not inspire the flock to feast at the banquet of God’s sufficiency because it is exceedingly difficult to call others to places you are unwilling to go yourself. Emerging from the requirements for elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 is a man who is exemplary in his satisfaction in God and thus in how all aspects of his life are impacted by this satisfaction.
We have been entrusted to care for the souls of others yet are prone to allow our hearts to go unattended. We are tempted to give diligent attention to the life and doctrine of church members, all the while neglecting our continuing education of God Himself - both the knowledge of Him and right response of worship to Him. We fill our days with reading, studying, sermon preparation, sermon delivery, and counseling for the benefit of others yet we do not labor to experience the transforming effect that truth has on our own soul. We can so easily rely on yesterday’s (or sadly even last year’s) excitement for, knowledge of, and intimacy with the living God to carry us into the challenges and opportunities that we face today. We can unknowingly allow other theologians and pastors to drink deeply of God’s goodness and truth for us as we keep ourselves busy with ministry demands.
Brother pastors, fight for time to give a grace-motivated effort in and attention to your study to know more of God. Sound doctrine matters. If you have grown weary in the good work of pursuing more knowledge of God, the place to begin is on your face before the One who deserves your best. Confess your sin. Then, considering the grace awaiting you on the other side of confession, walk humbly in repentance. Practically, read of good books, listen to sermons, and/or attend a conference that requires you to think deeply about the things of God. After reading, listening, and attending…take time to meditate on truths learned so that God will be more greatly cherished. Encourage other elders or ministry leaders to labor with you in making time to continue in this education of God. Invite them in for purposes of accountability to this pursuit. Lead the church you shepherd into the needed discipline of giving themselves to studying doctrine. Don’t underestimate how impressionable this is in your preaching, congregational singing, and counseling ministries. For the glory of God, the good of the souls of those around you, and for your unceasing joy, give yourself to be a student in the classroom of sound doctrine, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. Paul isn’t teaching self-atonement or that salvation ultimately rests with man, but he is accentuating the God-ordained human agency in the accomplishment of salvation. As you watch your life and doctrine, be confident that you will see the Savior work.
I praise God for the sweet privilege of being part of this network where our shared mission and theology leads us to grow and help each other grow in biblical truth, wisdom, faith, and love, all of which shows Christ as our supreme treasure. I am thankful that this value doesn’t merely adorn a webpage but is shaped regularly by the brothers in this network. These brothers are giving themselves to learning more of God and intentionally encourage me to do the same. I also praise God that this network seeks to ensure that the end of doctrine is not simply the education itself. A head loaded with truth falls short of what sound doctrine is intended to accomplish. It not only fills one’s head with truth but also inflames one’s heart with affections for God. TCTN, excel still more at diligently ensuring that our right doctrine about God leads to greater enjoyment of Him
Justin Perry is Pastor at Covenant Life Church
Healthy Churches 2015: Session 5
A Video from the Acts 29 W Regional Conference in 2015
"The Healthy Soul of a Leader" Jim Cofield & Rich Plass, authors of the book "The Relational Soul" and members of Crosspoint Ministry.
CCEF Counseling Mini-Books
Mini-Books: A Ministry Tool
A series of small books dealing with a variety of counseling topics from OCD and Self Harm to Depression and Addiction. Written by a variety of authors and intended to aid in ministry settings.
How People Change
What does it take for lasting change to take root in your life? If you've ever tried, failed, and wondered why, you need How People Change. This book explains the biblical pattern for change in a clear, practical way you can apply to the challenges of daily life. But change involves more than a biblical formula: you will see how God is at work to make you the person you were created to be. That powerful, loving, redemptive relationship is at the heart of all positive change you experience.
Authors: Timothy S. Lane and Paul David Tripp
But online at Amazon
Suffering and the Sovereignty of God
In Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, contributors John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Steve Saint, Carl Ellis, David Powlison, Dustin Shramek, and Mark Talbot explore the many categories of God's sovereignty as evidenced in his word. They urge readers to look to Christ, even in suffering, to find the greatest confidence, deepest comfort, and sweetest fellowship they have ever known.
Authors: John Piper and Justin Taylor
Purchase or download at DesiringGod
Killjoys The Seven Deadly Sins
Our hearts were designed to enjoy a full and forever happiness, not the pitiful temporary pleasures for which we’re too prone to settle. Pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust are woefully inadequate substitutes for the wonder, beauty, and affection of God. They will rob you, not ravish you. They will numb you, not heal you. They will slaughter you, not save you.
Killjoys was written to lead you deeper in love with our God and further into war against your sin. The truths, warnings, and promises in these pages are meant to chart a life-giving path to greater holiness and greater joy.
Authors: John Piper, David Mathis, Johnathon Bowers, Joe Rigney, Jonathan Parnell, Jason Meyer, Tony Reinke, Ryan Griffith, and Marshall Segal
Download or purchase at DesiringGod
When I Don't Desire God
For decades, John Piper has trumpeted the truth that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” He calls it Christian Hedonism. The problem is that many people, after being persuaded, find that this truth is both liberating and devastating.
It’s liberating because it endorses our inborn desire for joy. And it’s devastating because it reveals that we don’t desire God the way we should. What do you do when you discover the good news that God wants you to be content in him, but then find that you aren’t?
Author: John Piper
Download or purchase at DesiringGod
A Hunger For God: Desiring God Through Fasting and Prayer
Between the dangers of self-denial and self-indulgence is this path of pleasant pain called fasting. It is the path John Piper invites you to travel in this book. For when God is the supreme hunger of your heart, he will be supreme in everything. And when you are most satisfied in him, he will be most glorified in you.
Author: John Piper
Download or purchase at DesiringGod
The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ
In The True Christian’s Love to the Unseen Christ, Thomas Vincent endeavors to excite and provoke Christians to a lively and vigorous exercise of love toward Jesus. With pastoral affection, Vincent delivers a variety of arguments and motivations to stir us up to love. He also provides a number of wise directions for how to warm and enflame one’s heart with a love for Christ. A devotional classic, this specimen of practical Christianity is full of biblical application and encouragement.
Author: Thomas Vincent
Purchase online at Amazon
Because We Love Him: Embracing a Life of Holiness
What does it mean to be holy? A holy life is the only true way to show our love for God, according to Clyde Cranford, who spent his life perfecting this way of being. Now in heaven himself, Cranford passes on his discoveries about pursuing holiness, revealing two practical steps for the reader to follow in his deep yet simple book: First, strive to know God, then, to please Him. This accessible and life-changing guide offers unique "how-to" sections on daily quiet times, why and how to memorize Scripture, witnessing, worship, forgetting self, dealing with temptation, and knowing God's will. Readers will find inspiration and empowerment to live their love for God out loud.
Author: Clyde Cranford
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Glimpses of the Inner Life of Our Lord and the Emotions of Jesus
This double volume contains the classic work by William Garden Blaikie on the Inner Life of Christ, together with “The Emotions of Jesus” by Robert Law. These two books, especially Blaikie’s, cover a little thought of subject but with great sensitivity and profound insight. We have received more letters of appreciation for this volume than all our other books put together.
Authors: William G. Blaikie & Henry Law
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Looking Unto Jesus
A view of the everlasting gospel ; or, the soul's eying of Jesus, as carrying on the great work of man's salvation, from first to last. (1763)
Author: Isaac Ambrose