R e V o L u T i O n A r Y T e N d E n C i E s: John Piper and Culture

Friday, February 3, 2012

John Piper and Culture

Grabbing the closest visual aid he could, he declared in a stentorian voice that I’m sure could be heard by everyone in the room, “This looks ridiculous.” The giggles from the bystanders drowned out his softening explanation: “On me it would never work, but on you, as part of the whole package, it works great.” He then went on to say that because every preacher is himself inevitably a product of the culture from which he comes, there is no need to try to be relevant or use artificial additives to make one’s ministry seem more relevant.
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What is a ReVoLuTiOn?

G. K. Chesterton said that every revolution is a restoration—the recapturing and re-introduction of something that once guided and inspired people in the past. The word revolution is from the Latin word re-volvere—to re-roll or re-turn. A revolution is that thing which going around, comes around—again. In a similar vein, C.S. Lewis says that when we have lost our way, the quickest way forward is usually to go home. So we are returning, we are revolving. To put it strongly, we are revolting, and we are doing it by going home.

What is Revolutionary Tendencies?

Revolutionary Tendencies is an on line collection of my discoveries, thoughts, convictions and my understanding of what it is to be an "m". At present it is a place where I will be storing various "m" ideas and resources. I'm sure that as time goes on it will come to include much more but for now that is what it encompasses. You are welcome to read whatever might be of interest to you. I prize your opinion, so please feel free to offer any input that you think might be of value. May His Name be known among the nations!

Proselytism vs. Evangelism

Proselytism and evangelism are not the same thing. To proselytize is to convert somebody else to our opinions and culture, and to squeeze him into our mould; to evangelize is to proclaim God’s good news about Jesus Christ to the end that people will believe in him, find life in him and ultimately be conformed to his image, not ours. The motive behind proselytism is concern for the spread of our own little empire; the motive behind evangelism is concern for the true welfare of men and thereby for the name, kingdom, will and glory of God - John Stott, Christ the Controversialist (173, 174)

What is a Rope Holder?

William Carey, the father of the modern mission movement, was visiting with Andrew Fuller in regards to being a missionary to India. Fuller said in reference to the lost souls in need of hearing the Gospel, “There is a gold mine in India; but it seems as deep as the centre of the earth; who will venture to explore it?” “I will GO down” responded Carey. He then stated “but remember that you must hold the rope”, meaning that he needed support if he were to go. Rope holders are the ones who send out and support missionaries. ROPE HOLDERS are essential to the missionary task. They are just as key to this task as the ones who GO because the ones who GO are not as easily enabled to do so without the necessary sacrificial giving of the His saints and more importantly without the integral adoration, pleas and thanksgivings offered up to The Redeemer. John Piper once said in one of his sermons that there are three types of Christian; those who GO, those who SEND and those who are DISOBEDIENT. If the first two types of Christians do not describe you, then you need to start praying about where you are to GO or start praying about HOW you are to HOLD THE ROPES.