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John Piper

John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. 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 Come, Lord Jesus.

Boast Not, Fear Not

Boast Not, Fear Not

How does the apostle Paul address the insecurity that plagues us as fallen human beings? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper confronts those insecurities with 1 Corinthians 3:18–23.

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How to Struggle in the Strength of Christ: Colossians 1:28–29, Part 2

How to Struggle in the Strength of Christ

Colossians 1:28–29, Part 2

When we put our hands to the plow of our Christian lives, we cannot leave prayer behind. God gives the strength we need; he must work within us.

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Who Presents Believers Mature in Christ? Colossians 1:28–29, Part 1

Who Presents Believers Mature in Christ?

Colossians 1:28–29, Part 1

Our growth in Christ can seem so slow and the road so long, but we can take comfort knowing that God himself is maturing us.

The One Foundation of the Church

The One Foundation of the Church

How should the foundation of the church impact how we build upon that foundation? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper turns to 1 Corinthians 3:10–17 and tackles that question.

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How Can I Encourage Without Flattering?

How Can I Encourage Without Flattering?

How can we celebrate the good we see without succumbing to flattery? Pastor John traces a key distinction between godly and ungodly praise.

Renewing a God-Centered Life

Renewing a God-Centered Life

Only God’s grace can renew a life and recenter it on our God. In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper explores this truth from 1 Corinthians 3:5–9.

The Christian Life as Warfare

The Christian Life as Warfare

It may seem counterintuitive, but there is great encouragement in realizing that the Christian life is war. In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper lays out the battlefield in 1 Corinthians 3:1–4.

More Thrilling to Be Saved Than to Succeed

More Thrilling to Be Saved Than to Succeed

What excites a Christian most? Our deepest, truest joy does not flow from completed degrees or flourishing ministries, but from the God who saved us.

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The Wealth of the Glory of Mystery: Colossians 1:24–27, Part 4

The Wealth of the Glory of Mystery

Colossians 1:24–27, Part 4

The welcoming of the nations into the unspeakable hope of the glory of God is the mystery revealed to the elect in the gospel of Christ.

The Wisdom of Christ Crucified

The Wisdom of Christ Crucified

What does the wisdom of God reveal about the transformative power of Christ crucified? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper returns to the cross in 1 Corinthians 2:14–16.

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What Do We Give to God?

What Do We Give to God?

God is self-existent and self-sufficient, far beyond any need or lack. So, what can we give to God when we gather for corporate worship?

The Power of Preaching the Cross

The Power of Preaching the Cross

The preaching of the cross is the very power of God. In this episode of Light + Truth, that’s the glorious truth John Piper exults over in 1 Corinthians 2:1–5.

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What Is Lacking in Christ’s Afflictions? Colossians 1:24–27, Part 3

What Is Lacking in Christ’s Afflictions?

Colossians 1:24–27, Part 3

What is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? The personal, bodily, costly presentation of his love to the elect through missionaries.

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The Amazing Apostolic Heart of Love: Colossians 1:24–27, Part 2

The Amazing Apostolic Heart of Love

Colossians 1:24–27, Part 2

Paul understood his sufferings for the gospel as an essential means to bring about the salvation of the elect.

The Cross and Human Boasting

The Cross and Human Boasting

How does the cross address the impact of sin and pride on our ability to worship? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper holds up 1 Corinthians 1:31 and what Jesus achieved when he died.

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What Does It Mean to Serve God?

What Does It Mean to Serve God?

The command to “serve the Lord” appears all through Scripture — but Scripture also assures us that God has no needs. So, how do we serve an all-sufficient God?

The Truth of Christ and Christian Unity

The Truth of Christ and Christian Unity

If disunity contradicts the undivided Christ, then we can pursue and deepen unity by focusing on his identity and work. In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper explores the truth of Christ and Christian unity in 1 Corinthians 1:10–17.

God-Centered Self-Understanding

God-Centered Self-Understanding

What determines a Christian’s self-understanding in a world that strives to define us? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper draws a fresh portrait from 1 Corinthians 1:1–9.

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Six Reasons to Rejoice in Suffering: Colossians 1:24–27, Part 1

Six Reasons to Rejoice in Suffering

Colossians 1:24–27, Part 1

The New Testament provides at least six reasons for why Christians embrace the trials they undergo with joy.

The Importance of the Word

The Importance of the Word

Why has God placed the preached word at the center of the church’s worship? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows why from 2 Timothy 3:16–4:5.

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Learning to Forgive Family

Learning to Forgive Family

For some, forgiving family from the heart may be one of the hardest steps of obedience. Pastor John offers five ways forward when forgiveness feels impossible.

The Amen of Worship

The Amen of Worship

What meaning and significance does the word “amen” have in corporate worship? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper turns to 1 Corinthians 14:6–19 to tackle that question.

Happy Pastors Make Healthy Churches

Happy Pastors Make Healthy Churches

Christ’s blood bought more than our pardon, precious as it is. His death also purchased the power we need to live a radical Christian life.

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Global Response, Personal Apostle: Colossians 1:21–23, Part 4

Global Response, Personal Apostle

Colossians 1:21–23, Part 4

God is no tribal deity. He will see to it that his gospel reaches every tribe, people, language, and nation under heaven.

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Conditional Reconciliation and Eternal Security: Colossians 1:21–23, Part 3

Conditional Reconciliation and Eternal Security

Colossians 1:21–23, Part 3

God uses the warning passages of Scripture to stimulate us to fight for faith. And he uses that fight to keep us safe until the end.

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