My pastor, John Piper, was priveleged to be with his father as he slipped away into heaven this week. As I read the obituary, which John Piper wrote himself, and as I read Pastor John’s moving testimony (a journal entry) of his father’s last moments, my soul was blessed and challenged.
So I thought I’d encourage you all to read these as well. Desiring God Blog also posted a summary of a sermon Pastor John preached on Father’s Day 2005 where he paid special tribute to his father. Bill Piper served Christ faithfully, as an evangelist for most of his life. He graduated from Bob Jones University and remained associated with them his whole life, from what I can tell.
It is a blessing to think that the far reaching and influential ministry of John Piper today was in a large part shaped by his faithful parents raising him to serve the Lord. May God give us grace to serve God faithfully all our days. And may He give us grace to raise our children in accordance with His will and for His glory.
May God get glory through the upcoming funeral celebration for Dr. Bill Piper, and may we all be encouraged to love Jesus more and live for Him more faithfully.
I wasn’t aware of the history behind the Piper family (father & son), or that Bill Piper had been involved with BJU. This is quite interesting. Being a ‘first generation Christian’, I’m intrigued by those who have been able to pass down their faith to their children and see that Christ saves them, too. As a student at Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary in Lansdale, PA, the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church is Tim Jordan, and his father, E. Robert Jordan had started the church back in the 1950’s. The personality differences between father & son are quite stark, and I wonder if it were the same with Bill & John Piper. Now that I have a son, Simon, I wonder how well he will look at my own ‘faithfulness’ to Christ (not to say that I’m being prideful here) in that it is God who is glorified.
Thanks for the comments Larry. I had a roommate that grew up in Jordan’s church.