John Piper, retired pastor over 30 years to Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN, wrote a book called Desiring God that became a foundation and website resource, DesiringGod.org. Piper has also been known for his message Boasting Only in the Cross which provided the popular phrase, "Don't Waste Your Life." This also turned into a book and rap song by Lecrae. The DesiringGod.org website contains an incredible amount of content that covers specific Bible passages, topics, question and answers, difficult subjects, conference information, and biographical sermon series of Christian people throughout history. The resounding message Piper makes from pastoring and Desiring God is that "God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in him."
I have been greatly impacted and inspired by people God has affected to live for him throughout history, like Adoniram Judson (August 9, 1788 – April 12, 1850). Adoniram Judson was an American who trusted in the gospel and was led to the country of Burma to share the gospel and God's word to those who needed to hear the gospel of Christ, where he then encountered the greatest hardships of life from the loss of family, falsely arrested by an outside intervening government, and a deep, dark depression that turned hopeful in the end.
John Piper, retired pastor over 30 years to Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN, wrote a book called Desiring God that became a foundation and website resource, DesiringGod.org. Piper has also been known for his message Boasting Only in the Cross which provided the popular phrase, "Don't Waste Your Life." This also turned into a book and rap song by Lecrae. The DesiringGod.org website contains an incredible amount of content that covers specific Bible passages, topics, question and answers, difficult subjects, conference information, and biographical sermon series of Christian people throughout history. The resounding message Piper makes from pastoring and Desiring God is that "God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in him."
John Piper preached "Boasting Only in the Cross" for the 2000 Passion One Day in Memphis, TN to thousands of young adults. The sermon became the catalyst to the book and Lecrae's rap song, "Don't Waste Your Life:"
Sinclair Ferguson, pastor of 42 years to date of the video and professor, gave a short snippet lesson at the Desiring God Conference for Pastors in 2014 about the life of pastoring, highlighting the Greek and biblical concept of telos (aim, goal) and its relationship to pastoring, the church, and Christ. Watch and listen to the below video to learn of mistakes and wisdom to pastor or learn what to look for in pastors and churches. Listen to how Ferguson references the centrality and aim (telos) of the church being love understood from the verse and context of 1 Timothy 1:5.