Book Details:
- Author: John Piper
- Category: Biography
- Publisher: Crossway (2006)
- Binding: Softcover
- Page count: 160
- ISBN#: 1581348134
Recommendation:
- Review Date: 09/04/07 by Bob Hayton
- Rating: Highly Recommended
Review:
John Piper’s biographies are written with a pastor’s eye and so are more than just the story of a famous individual. Rather, they focus on how the person ticked, and how they lived for Jesus. This book looks at 3 great men in the history of the Church, and even though each man had serious flaws, Piper points out the evidences of God’s grace and how these men were used so mightily for God.
It would be hard to pick three more trans-formative individuals in church history than the three Piper surveys in this book. He focuses on the pastoral heart and preaching of John Calvin. He looks at Augustine’s dramatic conversion from the bondage of sin. And with Luther, he focuses on his study and work as a scholar. The thread that binds the lives of these men is the power of joy in their lives. Or you could say the presence of sovereign joy in their personal lives and ministries.
This short book offers an excellent introduction to the life and legacy of each of these towering figures from church history. But it offers much more. Piper knows just how to peel back the curtain, as it were, and show us how these men tick. He finds their heart for Christ and aims to encourage us all to follow in their footsteps.
Author Info:
John Piper is Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. His many books include When I Don’t Desire God, Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die, and Don’t Waste Your Life. He and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and six grandchildren.
Additional Resources:
- Book Excerpt: Available here
- Other Book Reviews: Available here
- Purchase Links: Amazon.com, Westminster Bookstore, Monergism Books and Crossway Books
- Author’s Website: Here (also a listing of online sermons here)
- PDF Copy: Download a PDF copy of this review
