A Challenging Read

Over the past few years, I have had many people recommend John Piper's book, "Let the Nations Be Glad!" because John Piper addresses the topic of missions. Although the book is several years old, I've never got around to reading it. I was able to purchase this book a couple weeks ago and its been a great read so far and it has really challenged me. Although I don't agree with everything the author writes, the author makes some great points about missions that have really challenged me and I'd recommed this book. Here are some quotes from the book to wet your palette.

Missions is the ultimate goal of [churches]. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man.

Persecution can have harmful effects on [churches], but prosperity it seems is even more devestating to the mission God calls us to... we should be wary of prosperity, excessive ease, comfort and affluence.

You cannot show the preciousness of a person by being happy with his gifts. Ingratitude will certainly prove that the giver is not loved, but gratitude for gifts does not prove that the giver is precious. What proves that the giver is precious is the glad-hearted readiness to leave all his gifts to be with him. This is why suffering is so central in the mission of [churches]. The goal of our mission is that people from all the nations worship the true God. But worship means cherishing the preciousness of God above all else, including life itself. It will be difficult to bring the nations to love God from a lifestyle that communicates a love of things.