The American Dream beckons us to waste our lives on trivial diversions like “success,” pleasure, and comfort. In contrast, in his book Don’t Waste Your Life, pastor John Piper directs us to scripture’s call to live lives that matter for eternity. Piper directs us to live with a single, unifying, all-embracing, all-transforming passion for God’s glory–which also will mean our highest joy.
Theology
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller (Book Recommendation)
Our culture elevates self-esteem and self-worth. But this results in anxiety and insecurity as it leaves us needing constant validation. Instead, Tim Keller points us to 1 Corinthians 4 to propose that true peace is actually found by shifting the focus away from ourselves, freeing us from the tyranny of self-concern. By understanding and embracing the gospel message, we are released from obsessing over our own successes, failures, and what others, or even what we ourselves, think of us.
The Cross of Christ by John Stott (Book Recommendation)
The meaning of the cross speaks to our deepest human need and its purpose unveils the heart of what we as Christians cling to. In his classic work, The Cross of Christ, the late John Stott unpacks what the cross achieved, how it meets contemporary cultural assumptions and questions, and its practical significance for Christian living.
Why Baptism is Required for Church Membership (with Bobby Jamieson)
Why does our church, and churches like ours, require people to be baptized before we will admit them as members of our church? Today Kirk is joined by Bobby Jamieson, associate pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., to discuss the Biblical and theological reason for this practice.
Access the episode here. (Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and more.)
What Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
“The baptism of the Holy Spirit has been a subject of debate and much discussion among Christians over the years. What exactly does it mean to be baptized in the Spirit? Is it a distinct event that occurs after conversion, as some maintain, or an integral part of salvation universally experienced by all believers? And what is its significance redemptive-historically, particularly as it finds expression at Pentecost (Acts 2)?
In this article, we’ll seek to answer the question, ‘What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?’ by examining the biblical evidence, analyzing various interpretations, and attending to its theological significance.”
Kirk E. Miller 