Why don’t we all back up and relearn how to live together in Christ? Adams, Robert, 1987. We’re finally getting somewhere. . Every believer has a story to tell — not only how Jesus converted us in the past, but how Jesus is real to us right now. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Desiring God began inauspiciously in 1994 when John handed off the church’s tape ministry to his assistant, Jon Bloom. Explicit Affirmation . Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. It’s a total way of enjoying Christ together. His father was an itinerant evangelist, and his mother died in 1974 in a bus accident while visiting Israel. You were formed for something awesome and magnificent. Staying in prayer, in the Word, and in obedience to His Words helps significantly. Read or listen to a short, God-centered devotional from John Piper for every day of the year. What started with tapes and John’s books, Desiring God has blossomed … We invite you to join us in this work by becoming a ministry partner and making a donation. I think about the ministry of encouragement a lot, but not as much as I should. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. In our churches and small groups and homes, let’s memorize the Bible, sing the Bible, pray the Bible, enjoy the Bible, and be encouraged together by all that Christ is for us, according to Scripture. “Must God Create the Best?” in his The Virtue of Faith and Other Essays in Philosophical Theology, New York: Oxford University Press, 51–64. Gospel doctrine creates gospel culture. No one can be the habitual worshipper of God (this is what the phrase implies) if his faith … When we aren’t actively cultivating a social environment of encouragement, what happens then? We’re on a mission to change that. In 1980, sensing an irresistible call of the Lord to preach, John became the senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he ministered for almost 33 years. Solid Joys - By fueling our minds with truth day after day, our hearts will grow to see God as a satisfying treasure. . Tertullian (ca. Jesus used the noun form of this verb when, in John 14:26, he called the Holy Spirit our “Helper” — that is, our encourager as an “empowering presence” among us (John, 260). How they are ready to die for one another!”. (6) But without faith. The Bible warns us all, “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels” (2 Timothy 2:23). It doesn't matter if you're an atheist, devout follower of your faith, an agnostic, or anywhere in between—there's wisdom to be learned from the world's religions. But the ministry of encouragement comes with no warning label. We’d be crazy not to capitalize on that! We have not taken it too far. When you give, you can have the confidence of knowing that lives are being impacted for eternity 24/7 through the 12,000+ resources freely offered at Desiring God. We call this truth Christian Hedonism. The “one another” commands of the New Testament paint a picture of the beauty of human relationships. Gospel doctrine must never be allowed to hang in midair as a naked abstraction. So, we’re already seeing what our ministry of encouragement can look like: standing with one another, bringing a life-giving presence to one another. (1 Thessalonians 5:11). The Six Pillars of Iman. The one thing gospel encouragement isn’t is average, mediocre, ignorable. New Calvinism, also known as the Young, Restless, and Reformed Movement, is a movement within conservative evangelicalism that embraces the fundamentals of 16th-century Calvinism … Just as Islam has five pillars (please recall tohe definitions of Islam and Pillar), so Iman (please recall the definition of Iman in all of its three necessary components) … But if we preach the doctrine while neglecting the culture, we end up — well, the way some of us are now: orthodox and exhausted. He converted to Catholicism in 1929 and his philosophy was later described as … Bibliography. 1782, 1785, 1701), are matters of Catholic faith … Real encouragement is one way we experience the Holy Spirit together. But let’s not freak out. 160–220) reported what people were saying about Christians: “How they love one another! Spiritual graces or gifts of the Holy Spirit can include wisdom to see and follow God's plan, right judgment, love for others, boldness in witnessing the faith, and rejoicing in the presence of God… Who wouldn’t love to jump in? Gabriel Marcel (1889–1973) was a philosopher, drama critic, playwright and musician. Those disadvantaged but confident Christians knew what they believed, and they knew the beauty their beliefs created, and the Roman world looked on with astonishment. Faith finds out what the Word has to say, prays in accordance with that Word and believes regardless of outside circumstances. You were made to know glory — God’s glory. If there is a single driving force in our society today it may … The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility. We start living on a relational starvation diet. For example, “scold one another,” “humble one another,” “pressure one another,” for starters. It is HIS divine will that young people come to faith in Jesus Christ and find salvation through the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit to bring them to faith… And the apostle Paul considered your faith as encouraging as his own: “both yours and mine.”. Listen to John Piper answer these questions from the Bible. Does encouragement seem to you a good, but small, thing? Encouragement is what the gospel feels like as it moves from one believer to another. .” (Philippians 2:1). So, let’s think it through. And this kind of community is not life-depleting but life-enriching, not guarded and aloof but all-in and involved, not scrutinizing and criticizing but affirming and strengthening. Have you? — hyped up with odd emphases and misguided priorities, even in “Christian” ways. Most people in the world have no experience of deep and abiding joy. Two, let’s pool together our personal faith, sharing our stories of how Jesus is getting us through real life in this world, “that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Romans 1:12). To me, it’s huge. ... following the examples of our predecessors, and desiring to proceed in the traditional manner, we announced and held a consistory, in which we addressed our brethren, the cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. I want to explain why I think this way, and I’d like to persuade you to join me. I believe we Bible-believing, good-hearted, doctrinally serious Christians need to go back down to the very foundations. Two, let’s pool together our personal faith, sharing our stories of how Jesus is getting us through real life in this world, “that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith… And that second change is not frosting on the cake. If you want to practice the prayer of faith… No sin is too dark, too wicked, too twisted for God to forgive. I have never met anyone suffering from too much encouragement in Christ. So, how can we grow in encouraging one another? But unfortunately, we can’t answer all incoming emails, and are unable to give personal counseling advice. At the same time, have we noticed the “one anothers” that do not appear in Scripture but sometimes appear among us? But stepping out into new relational patterns is risky — with risks worth taking! They leave thinking, “Man alive, I needed that! When the ministry of encouragement is allowed its actual authority, and it takes over and sets the tone in a community, that is how people do walk out of church. The ministry of encouragement is surprising, captivating, energizing. Ray Ortlund is the author of the forthcoming book. We have a more powerful way to face life today until the end comes: “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24–25). Desiring God is on a mission to change that. And when the encouragement we’re sharing back and forth gets so strong that it starts feeling awkward, then good! The Bible is the most encouraging book in all the world. … One, we start believing the truth of gospel doctrine. At two levels. God is everywhere, you may not see Him with your physical eyes (Jer.23:23-24). And then, let’s get after it. Maybe we can hardly imagine how wonderful it is to be frequently, strongly encouraged and encouraging. Everything we create and distribute here at Desiring God exists to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. We aim to help people everywhere embrace a profound truth that changes everything about life and eternity: You were created for something greater than yourself. . We’re on a mission to change that. The pressures of our post-everything world are bearing down on us. But sometimes I do see people — I’ve done this too! The New Testament puts encouragement at the very foundation of real Christianity: “So if there is any encouragement in Christ . Have we modern Christians settled for strong doctrine with an overlay of vague, predictable, blah niceness? How to Pray the Prayer of Faith. If you have a question about our ministry, or need guidance with regards to our resources, we’d love to assist you. The New Testament verb translated encourage can also mean “to comfort, cheer up, console, speak in a friendly manner.” Throughout, encouragement is about the life-giving power of our shared beliefs and our shared life in the Lord. And is there a better starting place than “encourage one another”? Real encouragement has authority over us all. Desiring God began inauspiciously in 1994 when John handed off the church’s tape ministry to his assistant, Jon Bloom. Even though it is something we all desperately long for, the assurance that true happiness can be known — fully and forever — is a hope that billions of people live every day without. God’s pattern is not only to raise up people with a message and a vision, but also partners in prayer and finance. But only if we repent instead of make excuses. . Watch John Piper study a short passage of Scripture (with color-coded highlights) and learn to know God through his word. What started with tapes and John’s books, Desiring God has blossomed into an international web ministry with 12,000+ free resources and 3.5+million monthly users. Real encouragement sweeps us away into a glad-hearted, up-close engaging with one another. When John and his older sister were still small, the family moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where John spent his growing-up years. What we experience then is not active injury but the lack of affirmation and good cheer we all need. Desiring God is fueled by the prayers and generosity of God’s people, with 98% of our budget coming from donations. Two, we start experiencing the beauty of gospel culture. It requires no other confirmation or affirmation. It’s how we experience real community together. It deserves nothing less than to set the predominant tone of our churches, our homes, our ministries. On the Desiring God website, John Piper addresses the topic: “God will give the saints whatever measure of knowledge they need for the greatest experience of happiness in God. It does require effort and intentionality, but it also leaves us feeling exhilarated and uplifted. Is that how we walk out of our churches on a typical Sunday: exhilarated and uplifted? And the deepest longings of the human heart can be fully satisfied by pursuing that glory. And declaring it to the world is why we exist. We also have thousands of articles, sermons, books, and podcasts. One, let’s continually marinate together in the truths of the Bible, “that through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Look at the Book - Can we really hear from God by reading the Bible? We need to rebuild on the gospel itself. As I said earlier, I’ve never met anyone who is overly encouraged in Christ. In fact, God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. We need to rethink our total life together. Absolutely! 10 Things You Should Know about Fasting,Sam Storms - Read more about spiritual life growth, Christian living, and faith. This is a tragedy. Today, John serves as lead teacher for the ministry. God … Relationships of encouragement, among other precious spiritual realities, are what the doctrines are for. It makes me want to live for Christ this week! What captivated the ancient world was a new kind of community. .Thus the very statement that Enoch pleased God is an assertion that in him faith was found. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. Maybe a less-than-energizing kind of Christianity feels normal to many of us. That God exists and can be known from His visible creation, that He has revealed the decrees of His eternal will to man, and is distinct from His creation (Denzinger-Bannwart, “Enchiridion”, nn. Spending time with God through prayer, meditation on His words and obedience will draw us near to God. How does the gospel change us? This kind of prayer depends on and trusts in the Word of God alone. The Bible does not say, “Encourage one another — but be careful!”. And I can’t wait for next Sunday!” And the word for that is revival. That’s a lot more than saying hi as we walk from the parking lot into the church building on a Sunday morning. We struggle on, but weakened. Here are a few of our most popular resources: Ask Pastor John - Life is hard and often leaves us asking tough questions about God. J.B. Phillips paraphrased this title of the Holy Spirit as “someone to stand by you.”. We believe that God is the loving Father of all kids. —Better, and apart from faith it is impossible to be “ well pleasing ” (unto Him); for he that draweth near (Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 10:1; Hebrews 10:22) to God must believe. John Piper was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Bill and Ruth Piper January 11, 1946. Encourage one another. Whatever swept over the Roman Empire in those early centuries, it wasn’t that. These one anothers include not only “encourage one another” but also “love one another” (John 13:34–35), “welcome one another” (Romans 15:7), “confess your sins to one another” (James 5:16), and more. The ministry of encouragement frees us from safe neutrality, from keeping our cards close to our chest, from evaluating one another with cost-benefit calculations. My friend Murray Harris, the New Testament scholar, said to me once, “Encouragement is one of the most important ministries in the church of the New Testament.” Our biblical authenticity is at stake here — whether we are overflowingly encouraging to one another. The ministry of encouragement, therefore, isn’t optional or just for people with a knack for it. If I am commanded to believe the gospel, is faith something I create, or is it a gift of God?