Simon Vibert Online

John Piper Book Reviews

John Piper
IVP 1990

- Part One: Why God Should be supreme in Preaching?

The four chapters in this section cover the goal, the ground, the gift and gravity and gladness of preaching. God is kept supreme in preaching which the Father’s Glory, the Son’s saving death and the power of the Holy Spirit is maintained as the central focus. It is only this biblical focus that will keep preachers at the task!

- Part Two: How to make God supreme in Preaching

The purpose of these chapters it to demonstrate from the preaching of Jonathan Edwards show God centred preaching will stir the affections as well as fill the mind and stimulate the will.

The strength of this book is that it achieves what it sets out to do: it stimulates preachers to have God as central in preaching: focussing our ears and the grandeur of God.

I have little criticism of this book : it is one of the best things Piper has written. For the first time, I found a Piper book too short!

This book has encouraged me to concentrate less on communication concerns and more about ensuring that preaching is saturated in prayer and God focussed.

"You cannot frighten anyone into heaven. Heaven is for people who love purity, not for people who simply loathe pain." p.92