John Piper Readying to Step Down; Successor Candidate Named
A candidate to succeed influential pastor John Piper at Bethlehem Baptist Church was announced by the church's elders Tuesday. Piper said he is "overjoyed" at the selection while he continues to be a part of the succession process.
The leaders of the church, based in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota, nominated Jason Meyer, who is currently assistant professor of New Testament at Bethlehem College and Seminary.
The congregation will first vote on May 20 in order to approve Meyer as an associate pastor for the church. His starting date to fall under Piper's pastoral mentorship and an "overlap" period between the two would be Aug. 1 if the church votes in favor of the decision....
John UK wrote: ...brought the church out of the Catholic dark ages, and restored to it the apostolic doctrine of justification by faith in Christ alone, apart from works.
In the Catholic "dark ages" even kings didn't enjoy air conditioning and HDTV but neither did the world endure pandemic fornication, STDs, abortion, single motherhoodism, divorce, remarriage, adultery, homosexuality, transvestitism, darwinism, atheism, suicide, legalized same-sex marriage, consumerism, surveillancism, materialism, obesity, secularism, UNism, globalism and other modern evils unleashed upon them.
Despite the "dark ages" being indeed filled with stony hearts, stiff necks and sin-sick souls, each child of God was, of course, saved by the grace and mercy of Christ.
Perhaps millions are likewise saved in our day.
But how can we contemplate even a hint of chronological snobbery? Are we really superior, in any way, to those dear souls who lived, moved and had their being in the dreaded "dark ages"? God forbid it.
I pray this will be time of the strengthening of his faith and thank him for his love of Christ and teaching to the church.
I feel that the nation has moved into a new era in some ways in the last 10 years and I pray that the Lord will provide leaders who understand and discern the times we are in now.
discontinuity wrote: The Reformation understanding of the nature of justification...
...brought the church out of the Catholic dark ages, and restored to it the apostolic doctrine of justification by faith in Christ alone, apart from works.
newness wrote: "The reality is that no one ever saw them [genuine theological novums] like this in the Bible until Dr Piper pointed them out in the 1980s." -Dr. Peter Masters Luther has a similar penchant for newness: The reality is that no one ever saw it [Sola Fide] like this in the Bible until Dr. Luther pointed it out in the 1520s. -Dr. Alister McGrath, Evangelical, theologian, and Christian apologist, currently Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at Kings College London A whole new Gospel. A whole new path to Heaven. A whole new church. -Dr. Martin Luther, Augustinian Monk, Roman Catholic Priest, Professor of Theology at Whittenburg University, Halle, Germany
Correct. McGrath wrote the following:
"A fundamental discontinuity was introduced into western theological tradition where none had ever existed, or ever been contemplated before: The Reformation understanding of the nature of justification--as opposed to its mode--must be regarded as a genuine theological novum." (Iustitia Dei)
"The reality is that no one ever saw them [genuine theological novums] like this in the Bible until Dr Piper pointed them out in the 1980s." -Dr. Peter Masters
Luther has a similar penchant for newness:
The reality is that no one ever saw it [Sola Fide] like this in the Bible until Dr. Luther pointed it out in the 1520s. -Dr. Alister McGrath, Evangelical, theologian, and Christian apologist, currently Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at Kings College London
A whole new Gospel. A whole new path to Heaven. A whole new church. -Dr. Martin Luther, Augustinian Monk, Roman Catholic Priest, Professor of Theology at Whittenburg University, Halle, Germany
Russ. I highly recommend listening to this sermon, on John Piper, and the whole "new Calvinism " movement. They're no Puritans! New Calvinism Pastor Ralph Ovadal Friday, October 22, 2010 You can listen, on sermon audio. Goes into great detail.
Stating the obvious wrote: He should never have started. His new doctrines have had a baneful effect on his followers.
This pagan world has rocked Reformation scholarship to its core. Pandemic gluttony, fornication, homosexuality, pornography, adultery, divorce and remarriage have so bludgeoned Reformation theology as to render its chief tenants inert.
At least Piper is honest enough to try to publicly grapple with Reformation issues including "Christian" divorce and faith alone which, like yesterday's news, is worthless and insecure. Inquire of Luther's right-hand man about this.
May Piper's successor also have the fortitude to desire God with his whole heart, mind, soul and strength.
Truth is more important than blind adherence to a mere reformation.
Dr. Joel Beeke | 1/3/2010
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