| Right now, my Sunday school class uses material by Lifeway, called Masterwork. Basically, you study two works of different famous Christian authors each quarter. The literature is an abbreviated version of a given writers book, with commentary, scripture and questions added in by an editor. Although I'm not always impressed with the material, thankfully, I sit under an excellent teacher who can take even the most biblically and theologically shallow lessons and eek out deep, life-changing truths. We've studied books by Billy Graham, John MacArthur, Beth Moore and the like. Certainly each of those are great writers, yet often the material or maybe its arrangement, definitely leaves me wanting. So, learning that our new study is on John Piper's book, Let the Nations be Glad, most certainly has me excited. So much contemporary, Christian writing has neglected the centrality of God in salvation, scripture, life, etc. We, our problems, the solutions, a new program, method or prayer has taken center stage over that which is of first importance. Yet, John Piper does an excellent job of displaying the supremacy of God in missions. He says that missions is not the goal, but God is. Piper goes even further to say that God's goal is not missions, God's goal is himself. Now, when is the last time you were in a Southern Baptist church, or any church for that matter, and heard a lesson on the God-centeredness of God? I'm not real sure how Piper snuck into Lifeway, but I'm sure glad that he did. |
posted by Christie