Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible
John Piper is preparing to launch his “Look at the Book” initiative to teach people how to study the Bible. If this first video is an accurate sign of what’s to come, then we’re in for quite a treat.
If you have any question about what it looks like to sit down with nothing but the text of Scripture and simply observe, interpret, and apply—I could not recommend this 10-minute video any more highly.
I couldn’t be more thrilled with the new direction of John Piper and Desiring God ministries. From Piper’s blog post last week called “The Legacy I Want to Leave“:
For most of my pastoral life, I heralded the wonders of what I saw in the Bible.
I tried to do this in such a way that people could see that the wonders really did come from the Bible, and not from me. But I seldom focused on how I saw the spectacular truths of Scripture. My preaching and writing aimed mainly to bring people to a banquet, not take them into the kitchen.
When I think of the coming generations, I am not content to only leave them a deposit of books and sermons that celebrate the glories of God and the wonders of Christian Hedonism…
Underneath all the arguments is the Book. The Bible. If future generations only learn what we saw, and not how to see it for themselves, they will be second-handers. And second-handers cannot last. They grow bored and boring. Powerful, truth-preserving, God-glorifying, Christ-exalting, soul-ravishing, mission-advancing ministry is sustained by the power to see for yourself the glories of God’s word.
So I have a new and focused passion to help people really see the riches of God’s word for themselves.
Please check out the rest of the post and Piper’s short video explaining his vision. And let’s pray that God would use this influential man of God for incredible good for Jesus’ sake. Let’s pray that his legacy would truly be more than a deposit of books and sermons, but a generation of Christians who know how to look at the Book and mine its riches for themselves.
And while you pray, please pray for me. I imagine Piper will write a book about how to study the Bible. I’m sure it will sell better than my recently released book on the topic. Please pray that I would resist any petty jealousy and delight in the Lord’s word going forth.
