John Piper – Taking Leave and Asks for Forgiveness
I saw this article and just had to post it. John Piper!! Please tell us soon as to what you are asking forgiveness for. I understand 30 years of ministry can take it’s toll and your deeds and character flaws are not what’s concerning to us, or want to know about. It’s what you have been preaching (Calvinism) and who you have been siding with that we want to hear you say sorry for.
I pray that whatever is happening in your life that Jesus Christ the Son of God is renewing your relationship with Him that it will be unstoppable! And that you come back 8 months from now a NEW man in Jesus Christ, with a STAND for the TRUTH that will knock the socks off everyone! IF NOT, then no amount of prayer from anyone is going to help you, if you don’t see you are following false doctrine. Also what’s the point of asking everyone to pray for you when you can have thousands of people praying for you who are not even saved. Who will they be praying too on your behalf? But you should know these things, you are the pastor after all.
A first step would be to get rid of all these people in your life that are deceiving you. I see in this ‘apology’ of yours that you still want to advertise your ‘vision’ for the world. What vision is that? How can men have a vision and mission that contradicts the Word of God. Surely your vision should be focused on Jesus Christ alone and not on this world. When you come back are you going to warn people of the deception in the church and the turning back to Rome, or carry on with this NWO vision to see this earth look like man-made-heaven with a false Christ?
[EDITED by DTW: Oh wait, sorry people, I don’t think he is coming back in 8 months to preach the truth. He has invited Rick Warren to speak at his Desiring God Conference in 2010 and above is a lovely photo of John Piper and Rick sitting together at Ralph Winters memorial service back in June 28, 2009…]
JOHN PIPER TO TAKE LEAVE
By John Piper March 28, 2010
As you may have already heard in the sermon from March 27-28, the elders graciously approved on March 22 a leave of absence that will take me away from Bethlehem from May 1 through December 31, 2010. We thought it might be helpful to put an explanation in a letter to go along with the sermon.
I asked the elders to consider this leave because of a growing sense that my soul, my marriage, my family, and my ministry-pattern need a reality check from the Holy Spirit. On the one hand, I love my Lord, my wife, my five children and their families first and foremost; and I love my work of preaching and writing and leading Bethlehem. I hope the Lord gives me at least five more years as the pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem.
But on the other hand, I see several species of pride in my soul that, while they may not rise to the level of disqualifying me for ministry, grieve me, and have taken a toll on my relationship with Noêl and others who are dear to me. How do I apologize to you, not for a specific deed, but for ongoing character flaws, and their effects on everybody? I’ll say it now, and no doubt will say it again, I’m sorry. Since I don’t have just one deed to point to, I simply ask for a spirit of forgiveness; and I give you as much assurance as I can that I am not making peace, but war, with my own sins.
Noêl and I are rock solid in our commitment to each other, and there is no whiff of unfaithfulness on either side. But, as I told the elders, “rock solid” is not always an emotionally satisfying metaphor, especially to a woman. A rock is not the best image of a woman’s tender companion. In other words, the precious garden of my home needs tending. I want to say to Noêl that she is precious to me in a way that, at this point in our 41-year pilgrimage, can be said best by stepping back for a season from virtually all public commitments.
No marriage is an island. For us this is true in two senses. One is that Noêl and I are known inside-out by a few friends at Bethlehem-most closely by our long-time colleagues and friends David and Karin Livingston, and then by a cluster of trusted women with Noêl and men with me. We are accountable, known, counseled, and prayed for. I am deeply thankful for a gracious culture of transparency and trust among the leadership at Bethlehem.
The other way that our marriage is not an island is that its strengths and defects have consequences for others. No one in the orbit of our family and friends remains unaffected by our flaws. My prayer is that this leave will prove to be healing from the inside of my soul, through Noêl’s heart, and out to our children and their families, and beyond to anyone who may have been hurt by my failures.
The difference between this leave and the sabbatical I took four years ago is that I wrote a book on that sabbatical (What Jesus Demands from the World). In 30 years, I have never let go of the passion for public productivity. In this leave, I intend to let go of all of it. No book-writing. No sermon preparation or preaching. No blogging. No Twitter. No articles. No reports. No papers. And no speaking engagements. There is one stateside exception-the weekend devoted to the Desiring God National Conference combined with the inaugural convocation of Bethlehem College and Seminary in October. Noêl thought I should keep three international commitments. Our reasoning is that if she could go along, and if we plan it right, these could be very special times of refreshment together.
The elders have appointed a group to stay in touch and keep me accountable for this leave. They are David Mathis, Jon Bloom, Tom Steller, Sam Crabtree, Jon Grano, Tim Held, Tony Campagna, and Kurt Elting-Ballard. Five of these have walked with Noêl and me over the last two months, helping us discern the wisdom, scope, and nature of this leave. They brought the final recommendation to the elders on March 22.
I asked the elders not to pay me for this leave. I don’t feel it is owed to me. I know I am causing more work for others, and I apologize to the staff for that. Not only that, others could use similar time away. Most working men and women do not have the freedom to step back like this. The elders did not agree with my request. Noêl and I are profoundly grateful for this kind of affection. We will seek the Lord for how much of your financial support to give back to the church, to perhaps bear some of the load.
Personally, I view these months as a kind of relaunch of what I hope will be the most humble, happy, fruitful five years of our 35 years at Bethlehem and 46 years of marriage. Would you pray with me to that end? And would you stand by your church with all your might? May God make these eight months the best Bethlehem has ever known. It would be just like God to do the greatest things when I am not there. “Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7).
I love you and promise to pray for you every day.
Pastor John
————-
What John was really apologizing for in a very round about that way, was the fact that he was now best friends with Rick Warren and he is telling you there is nothing you can do about it. This is what he is telling you. But then John Piper is after all a Calvinist and Calvinist’s follow a doctrine of demons, so his turning to Rome should not surprise us. See Calvinism
————-
PIPED PIPER JOHN INVITES RICK WARREN HERETIC TO DG 2010 !
FIRST THE CLOSE WORK WITH EMERGENT CHURCH MARK DRISCOLL FOLLOWED BY A 8 MONTH LEAVE FROM MINISTRY DUE TO ” UNNAMED PRIDE ..? ” NOW HIS DESIRING GOD CONFERENCE HAS NOTED HERETIC PROSPERITY GOSPEL MONEY HUNGRY MEGACHURCH AUTHOR RICK WARREN AS A SPEAKER. WHAT’S SAD IS SO MANY YOUTH OF TODAY PASTORS OF TOMORROW FOLLOW PIPER’S HEDONIST DOCTRINE OF PREACHING TEACHING & WRITINGS ! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH JOHN, COME BACK TO YOUR FIRST LOVE !!
MRWBBIII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJmkk1XjrGw
MRWBBIII
Well that was short lived excitement LOL. I should have just checked the conference details before hand. Silly me.
Oh look at the nice picture I just added to my article.
Maybe Piper has been influenced too much by his association with Driscoll who regards holiness as a sin in his zeal to present Christ as a portrait of machoism? Just a thought…….by being so vague he only piques the imagination. The chances of him coming to any earth-shattering conclusions that would change his theology in which he is so deeply entrenched are slim to none, God is a God of miracles. He has put himself in the hands of fellow Calvinists for accountability and birds of a feather don’t stray to other flocks.
Burning Lamp
>> and birds of a feather don’t stray to other flocks.
I agree. My parrot agrees too.
AND NEWSFLASH… Amazing the things you hear within 10 minutes of posting an article..
John MacArthur still supports John Piper too this day. Let’s see if he still supports him after the Desiring God Conference. I bet you all 1 billion Zim $ that he will still support him. That amounts to 1 block of toilet paper by the way, just incase someone was still interested in transformation taking place in Zimbabwe.
Burning Lamp – I this think you really need to check your sources on Driscol because Ive recently met with him read almost all of his books and no where have I EVER heard such scwable .Could you please quote me the verse from his book or wherever you got the info that he regards holiness as a sin? Because that is a false statement . He has an entire chapter devoted to holiness in his book “religion saves and 9 other misconceptions”. And on the point of God being a manly God would you rather Him be a new aged hippy that likes to walk on the way to galilea with an ipod and says “ya man be happy , have peace”? or a warrior that wont take anybodies nonesense? Because I can assure you the 1st example is purely emergeing . Debs – John Piper knows the wrongs and rights of this world we cannot judge him purely because of association..Maybe if he was sitting with old Mc Laren and Paggit singing pop songs and doing some centering prayer nonesense in his church …but he isnt he is doing what a Christian should do befriending everybody and loving everybody . God has been appointed judge in this world and if Warren is a false prophet God will deal with the man and all the mantra clapping emergents out there. Until then praise God for the good He has done in your life and the blessings He is about to pour out. Im not saying dont tell the world about emergents but please just think again before you guys go on about piper..Hes a human being and hes obviously stepping down for a while to be a better preacher. I think that should say something!
Are the Zimbabwians also being ushered into “healthy small groups for unity and community?” Not long ago I went to Piper’s church’s website and I saw this headline that said it all: “Salvation occurs in community.” Macarthur is a big supporter of Greg Laurie who speaks at Saddleback and who helps finance Rick Warren’s mission.
bob
Nah, in Zim you are ushered into small groups and murdered 🙁
Yolandi – With all due respect, have you been tucked away in a lead mine? Driscoll is a clever mixture of truth and error. Where does one start? How about the Acts 29 church planting fiasco with the bellying up to the bar in church and the resulting alcohol abuse? How about his statement that NOT drinking booze is a sin? How about his potty mouth? How about what goes on at Mars Hill with the engagement of culture and the need to be “cool”? Come on, all you have to do is “Google” a few of these things to get the facts. I am not going to put in a bunch of links and waste my time looking all of them up. Maybe you are playing devil’s advocate and pulling my chain? Hope so!
bob
You have no idea. The transformation fire is to start in South Africa and spread to Africa and then the whole world. On 23 May, Pentecost, God TV will transmit the Global Day of Prayer event from Cape Town. The organizers of the event also gave South Africa Turn2God and Cape Town for Jesus: Michael Cassidy, Graham Power, Dion Forster, Steve Johnstone, Ettiene Piek. Did you know that the world and all religions can be united in unashamedly ethical community groups? It is a good works, socialist religion and it is coming to a community near you. And the South African ‘christians’ are cheering it. Do stay tuned and browse these sites:
Global Day of Prayer.
Dion Forster.
Lausanne Cape Town 2010.
Unashamedly ethical:
When making the Individual Commitment you will commit to the following 10 things:
1. To be entirely truthful in all you say.
2. To be faithful to your family relationships.
3. To do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but to look out for the interests of others.
4. To refuse to elicit, accept or pay any bribes, and to report those who do.
5. To be a diligent leader without being harsh, and to pay your staff what is just and fair.
6. To be a peacemaker.
7. To do your work wholeheartedly.
8. To submit yourself to just and ethical governing authorities.
9. To remember the poor by investing generously and sacrificially in the broader community.
10. To collaborate with your peers to impact our community and nation.
You also commit yourself to being accountable to the Unashamedly Ethical Ombudsman.
YOUTH COMMITMENT
When making the Youth Commitment you will commit to the following 10 things
1. To tell the truth always.
2. To honour your parents, and to respect your teachers.
3. To stay pure in all your relationships.
4. To do what is right even when your friends do not do so.
5. To be unselfish, and to treat people like you want to be treated.
6. To stay free from alcohol and drugs.
7. To refuse to cheat on any exams or tests.
8. To do your work wholeheartedly.
9. To serve the poor in your community.
10. To collaborate with your peers to impact your community and nation.
You also commit yourself to being accountable to the Unashamedly Ethical Ombudsman.
BUSINESS COMMITMENT
When making the Organisational Commitment you will commit to the following 10 things:
1. To be honest and ethical in all your dealings.
2. To provide efficient, economic and effective products and services in an impartial manner.
3. To provide all stakeholders with timely, accessible and accurate information.
4. To refuse to elicit, accept or pay any bribes, and to report those who do.
5. To negotiate all contracts with the utmost integrity.
6. To pay taxes, and to pay all creditors on time.
7. To pay reasonable salaries and wages.
8. To submit yourselves to just and ethical governing authorities.
9. To remember the poor by investing generously and sacrificially in the broader community.
10. To collaborate with your peers to impact your community and nation.
Your organisation will be listed on the Unashamedly Ethical Business Directory.
You also commit your organisation to being accountable to the Unashamedly Ethical Ombudsman.
GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT
When making the Government Commitment you will commit to the following 10 things:
1. To be honest and ethical in all your dealings.
2. To provide efficient, economic and effective public service delivery in an impartial and fair manner.
3. To refuse to elicit, accept or pay any bribes, and to report those who do.
4. To expect your members to disclose all personal or family financial interests which may affect their decision making.
5. To negotiate all government contracts with the utmost integrity.
6. To report fraud, corruption, nepotism, maladministration and other offenses.
7. To ensure transparency, accountability and fair administrative action by providing the public with timely, accessible and accurate information.
8. To invest in the betterment of your employees and elected officials by good human resource management.
9. To pursue the transformation of your sphere of influence and expertise in the public service.
10. To collaborate with your peers to impact the world positively.
Your organisation / department will be listed on the Unashamedly Ethical Business Directory.
You also commit your organisation / department to being accountable to the Unashamedly Ethical Ombudsman.
CHURCH COMMITMENT
When making the Church Commitment you will commit to the following 10 things:
1. To be honest and ethical in all your dealings.
2. To seek the maturity of your members by encouraging them to read the whole Bible regularly.
3. To equip your members to transform every sphere of society.
4. To work towards unity within the Body of Christ.
5. To collaborate with your peers to impact our community and nation.
6. To commit a growing percentage of your resources to evangelism, Kingdom expansion and transformation by investing beyond your local ministry.
7. To care for the poor, and for widows, orphans and strangers.
8. To spend the tithes and offerings you receive ethically and prayerfully.
9. To pay reasonable salaries and wages to your staff.
10. To manifest the Kingdom of God tangibly.
Your church will be listed on the Unashamedly Ethical Business Directory.
You also commit your church to being accountable to the Unashamedly Ethical Ombudsman.
bob
Once you have done your homework and you have read The Prayer For The World, then ask yourself which christ are they talking about:
Do you think they are calling on Jesus Christ who is to judge the living and the dead?
Im not emergent AND I MOST CERTAINLY NEVER WILL BE! I just know that seeing is believing and mark driscol is as against the emerging church as you and i are. I sat in a church with the man and he rebuked the church he was preaching at because he said he could see they were walking towards heathen ways. Fwd 2 weeks the same church told me that they to almost fell into an emergent trap and pastor mark helped them out of it. BTW i did ask him about that post on contemplative prayer turns out it was a guy that works for him in SA and the dude was new and all and he just posted the thing on resurgance. Not everything on the page belongs to Driscol. Please dont ever call me an emergent again its an insult. Im a radical for Jesus …The only truth is in the Bible and Ive come to make peace with all the evil in this world because frankly im in this world but not of it. I know who my God is and how amazing He is and no emergent can take that away from me. Gods power is unendless and strong and these small loser contemplative idiots who go against Gods will are small speckles of nothing in Gods bigger picture. And yes Ive changed for the better …Ive grown in God the last few months …Ive been judged severely at film school because I refuse to take part in their mantras and their belief systems. But through all of that Ive managed to meet people and visit churches and in Cape Town I found hope in churches again. Yes there are crazies there to but over all Jubilee , Hillsong , His people and Commin Ground have spoken nothing but truth straight from the word and in one of those churches I have found a home. After being churchless – homeless for 3 years I think its a good thing that God has finaly given me peace for my soul. I will never stop confronting the wrongs of the emerging church however I dont allow it to kill my relationship with Jesus because thats exactly what satan wants.
Yes lets google you burning lamp im sure we will find a few truth and errors there too …Go read one of his books come back to me and we will have this talk again 😛
Btw Jesus sat with Sagees dont know the english name for him …I think all of you should go read Matthew again. Jesus sat with the rebels , the outcasts ect
so Im just wondering what ya all believe in ? Calvinism ? Arminianism? 7 day advantests? Catholics? Evangelicals? its interesting to see the different ideas formed in the denominations.
Here are just some of your comments Yolandi that you have made across this blog since last year. One can follow the links to the other articles you commented at. One can also read my replies to you. I have not supplied all your comments, but most of them. I don’t have time to put these in date and time order.
——————- This comment is regarding Mosaiek Church. With Stephan Joubert etc.
Yolandi
Submitted on 2009/12/15 at 6:22am
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2009/10/07/dream-interpretation-3-soccer/#comment-2076
I left this church a few years back being on the worship team I was asked to leave with a few other people. We refused to part take in their occult rituals of centering prayer and yoga and we were asked to leave..This church is ready to corrupt the masses in Jozi.
—————— Comment regarding TUKS university
Yolandi
Submitted on 2009/12/15 at 10:19am
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2009/05/07/how-unique-was-the-suffering-of-jesus-not-unique-at-all/#comment-2078
After reading numouress debates on the emerging church and studying at the faculty of theology for the entire duration of 2009 I have decided not to return. The occult spiritualism taught at the faculty goes hand in hand with emerging church practices that are occurring daily in churches in and around Johannesburg and south africa. At the end of 2007 I decided to leave Mosaiek because they were teaching a different gospel and the same thing is sticking out its ugly head at Tuks Thelological . Cobus let me say this Christ’s suffering was true and real and not “symbolic” …If it was symbolic I would like to ask you this question – What was the need for the death on the cross or even a mention of it? Does sin exsist then? or is it just another fiction of our imagination? The same questions apply to the resurection of Jesus Christ …If you ask Prof Van Aarde he will argue and say that this too was just “symbolic”…
—————— Comment regarding Stephan Joubert and Dr Steyn
Yolandi
Submitted on 2010/01/03 at 3:32pm
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/01/02/the-whole-counsel-of-god/#comment-2319
Amanda I studied at UP and Im still a born again Christian even if it tested my faith. A 19 year old def knows what is right and what is wrong …Therefore I just wanna add people in emerging churches cannot possibly just sit there and not know that something isnt “right”. As for Joubert the Greece tour was planned with Dr Steyn I personally know the Steyn’s. The tour (if its the same one we are talking about) in its self isn’t emerging as far as I know its prob just a nice little holiday at the expense of NG Moreletta and Mosaiek…
And come on guys people don’t have so much money to give as an offering..Considering some don’t even bother to give a tithe…Ever asked yourself how a small little student church can grow within a few months? Mosaiek cost over 24 mil to build and 90 % of the congregation consists of students. Rhema consists of all types but many people who attend come from rural areas…mmmm…I smell a rat!
—————— Your comment regarding Mark Driscoll
Yolandi
Submitted on 2010/01/06 at 4:49am
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/01/04/rick-warren-gets-2-4m-in-donations/#comment-2401
Hello everyone I haven’t been able to send alot of msgs because Ive been so busy but I did part take in a facebook discussion..Debs I still need to reply to you 🙂 But Id like everyone to please go on facebook and look for Pastor Mark Driscol’s page and look for an update on him congratulating Rick Warren.. I stirred up a big debate by asking him why he would support a man that quotes 4 known new age mystics and fully endorses them in his book the purpose driven life. Many people attacked me others urged Driscol to rethink his association with Warren … In my opinion where there is smoke there is fire..and somewhere somehow driscol is taking Piper and other leaders down with him.
—————— Your comment again about Mark Driscoll
Yolandi
Submitted on 2010/01/06 at 9:46am
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/01/04/rick-warren-gets-2-4m-in-donations/#comment-2410
I befriended Driscol a while back or well I use to have a teacher / student relationship with him .He helped me with a series of notes I was doing on the sex of God i.e is God male or female for a theology class. I found his help inspiring but a short while after that he became arrogant and I just got this feeling something in his theology had suddenly changed…He didnt reply to his so called fans on facebook and esp those asking pressing questions about salvation… http://www.facebook.com/pastormark?v=feed&story_fbid=231166389670
—————–Your comment re Rick Warren infiltrating John Pipers teaching. John Piper and Mark Driscoll are part of same ministry.
Yolandi
Submitted on 2010/01/12 at 6:22pm
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/01/04/rick-warren-gets-2-4m-in-donations/#comment-2549
Rick warren worries me this guy is head of the council of forgein relations …Hes a pastor and he heads up a big illuminati type group.. I worry when I see him infiltrating Piper’s teaching…Pastor Roger Oakland sent a news letter a year ago showing his pdl book in comparison to an occult book written a few years before and it read the same on almost every page. Now that worries me even more…
—————– Your comment about TB Joshua
Yolandi
Submitted on 2010/02/02 at 11:46pm
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/01/29/springboks-healed-by-tb-joshua-sadly-pass-away/#comment-3288
I dont have a problem with Joshua so much because I believe God can heal anyone …Jesus said many will come and do even greater miracles than He did…So if Kruger died and others it might not have been in Gods will for them to live any longer then they did…I saw him (joshua) through the grace of Jesus bring back a baby from the dead and I to this day cannot believe that Satan has any hold or claim to life and death..Only God has that power…
Sorry Debs we have to agree to disagree on this one :))
——————- Your comment about Louie Giglio and John Piper disagreeing with Contemplative prayer but support Mark Driscoll
Yolandi
Submitted on 2010/01/12 at 6:13pm
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/01/12/louie-giglio-sometimes-silence-is-loud/#comment-2548
Ive seen most of Giglio’s confrences and his silence and the emergent silence are two different things. I agree with you on most things Debs but Giglio is always word based and ive been to passion its more a way to bring praise to Jesus “become quiet and know that I am God”… If he hummed and bonged a drum I would be seriously worried but Ive seen interviews asking him about other religions and he always said that other religions cannot replace Jesus. He is aligned with John Piper and Piper is against contemplative prayer he has numerous articles on desiringgod.com urgeing people not to take part in contemplation.If it does come out that Giglio is emergent I will ask my friends to stop supporting passion…
My mum and I went to see Sarel Vd Merwe and we brought the dvds there is def strange things happening in this world and we need to fight it.
——————- Your comment about Ray MacCauley endorsing WWC
Yolandi
Submitted on 2010/02/02 at 11:53pm
Maybe he will join a cult like his buddy Jayz and marry 6 woman? I have lost respect for him …Not because he is divorcing that catstrophy of a wife (he can divorce as many as he wants)….however it still gets me that he endorses the world parliment of churches and thats why this time he has lost my vote…
Lindy is still single and working at Osteen’s church she writes on facebook alot about how wonderful ray is ect …
——————–
JOHN PIPER THINKS RICK WARREN IS THEOLOGICALLY SOUND
John Piper – Rick Warren and the Desiring God National Conference
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShxvN8YWTlA&feature=player_embedded
Yolandi
You believe in nothing but satanic rituals i’m sorry to say.Anyone who believe TBJ is a man of God is blinded by this mans satanistic rituals.
Yolandi you are playing with fire and will get of second best if you carry on with these games. You cannot play games with God.
Deborah (Discerning the World)
I share in your bad mood today. I don’t have insomnia but just very very tired today and the last couple of weeks.
Im going to make a case against you of slander if you do not remove these posts. You will not make slanderous remarks against my names that are not true. You have no right to judge me. If you continue to post things against me I will have to take this to the authorities.
[EDITED: comments have been removed]
You have 10 minutes to remove the posts or I will drive to the nearest police station.
[EDITED: comments have been removed]
I know who you are Deborah and im taking this up with the Roodepoort authorities you have publicly accused me of things that are not true
You are one sick crazy lady Deborah and you need some serious help
[EDITED: Please don’t try using another name, in other words, stick to using the same name you used in your first comment on my blog]
I really though for a long time there would only be male expose’s… Like men of sin that would be revealed in these days?
But then there was the one woman crying for Tammuz… and the Oprah type inviting them into her house to deceive them. (Speaking about Yolandi)
Oh yes and then there is the fact about rat poison. It is 99.9% food and .1% poison. It kills. Ask Tuberculoses Joshua. He mixes “food” well with “poison”
oh I hate suspense!! lol
Amanda,
Thanks for showing me that. They are praying to Satan to come and complete their communitarian NWO.
Bruce Wilkinson is doing the same in Namibia:
“Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Prayer of Jabez, is a leader in the effort to transform Africa (He partners with World Vision [UN-NGO]). Wilkinson was the keynote speaker for the “Transformation Namibia” celebration held on May 1, 2003 (May Day is a major Satanic holiday, Beltaine). The “Transformation Namibia” website states that their “ambition is all about government, business and church leaders joining hands to address the real needs of our country.” This means their ambition is to implement Communitarianism in Namibia. What kind of gospel do government and business leaders join hands with? Their mission is “transforming Africa through unity and prayer, as we mobilize the body of Christ, and all spheres of society, community by community, nation by nation, with the full gospel of Jesus Christ.” “Transformation Namibia’s” strategy is “to facilitate a national leadership strategy.” And “to formalize measurable targets per main focus areas for March 2010 and March 2030.” “Measurable targets” may refer to the measurable goals demanded by the global communitarian system. Church growth leaders are pragmatists who validate efforts by measurable results. Men like Noah would have been kicked off his church growth leadership team.
http://www.thewatchmanwakes.com/John-Macarthur-TMAI-Leadership-church-growth.html
Piper announces his need to take time away from the ministry (he will still be accepting paychecks)at the same time he decides openly to get in bed with Warren. Sounds like it’s all well calculated to remove heat from himself as he transitions more from the role of preacher to the role of facilitator (attempting to facilitate some kind of “common ground” between biblical truth and Warren’s heresy–afterall, Warren does sometimes read the writings of reformed Christians…like Edwards [according to Piper]). And all the speakers at the Desiring God conference have topics associated with human thinking and reasoning which is nonsensical in light of God’s word. Maybe they’d invite Descartes to the conference if he was available. The whole conference is heretical
bob
Totally… and yet they will run there like a a crowd gone wild.
Re paycheck. Yes. I actually wanted to say in my article; During these 8 months would he remove his books from the market? Nah.
Robbie
Sorry for suspense. Just gonna have to keep it like that for a few more hours. I am working on it… turning out to be a lot more writing than I expected.
bob
From your link:
Ouch. And they call that a new way of being church. It is not even Christian.
Amanda/Bob
I tell you coffee shops are big business. If you can start a chain of ‘Common Ground’ coffee shops you will make a fortune.
All everyone does is give all their money to the person next to them in a loving gesture of wanting to pay for eachothers coffee. The organiser/community leader will however ask for donations to start an orphanage. Everyone is so high on caffeine that buy that time the money has been circulated, everyone has actually paid for their own coffee and given away R25000 to the guy who first passed the buck.
Hmmm, Common Ground is a brilliant name for a coffee shop. I Register, Trademark, Copyright that.
Deborah,
Great idea, but it’s already been taken here in the US.
http://commongroundsdavis.com/
http://www.commongroundgr.com/
Did you see this? Piper praises Rick Warren and defends his association with him. You might want to have a barf bag handy.
http://firstjohnfourfive.wordpress.com/2010/04/02/john-piper-rick-warren/
bob
Ah no. I am too late.
common ground taken? make the second o an e
OOPS! but really, taken that “group thinkers who will always have a willingness to COMPROMISE (agree to disagree?) Truth for group consensus” it would go quite well off?
JOHN PIPER ON RICK WARREN DG 2010 SERMON JAM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSmU8EcbjWk
Lane Chaplin:
http://www.lanechaplin.com/2010/03/its-confirmed-john-piper-to-host-rick.html
Every time a leader falls into deception it hurts the entire Body and those who have eyes to see it can’t help but have a sense of loss and disappointment. But with Piper there were precursors along the way showing he was headed in the wrong direction. First the Calvinism and then others errors followed. Sadly, so many have followed a man without testing. He is a Pied Piper who has/is leading many down the road of destruction. Such is the way of the world. Sad and true.
Burning Lamp
Such is the world, yes. And what has disturbed me most the last 2 weeks or so is the fact that Calvinism is NOW the net that captures those who fall out of the Emerging Church and out of Word of Faith thinking that it’s 100% biblical when it’s not – it’s another version of Roman Catholicism.
I found a great article explaining the diabolical view of predestination. I will post it today.
Ah I also just wanna say something here quickly.
When reading comments, please make sure that you follow a persons comments made from one article to another in CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER (that means the DATE and TIME across different articles) – If you don’t have the sequence of events in the correct order then nothing will make any sense.
Deborah
Yolandi said:
I urge you to remove all the remarks you made to Yolandi and about her and comply with Luk 12:58-59;
Yolandi
You have ignored me before. For your own sake, please hear me this time. Because of what you said, you can never again trust anybody who befriends you. I am sorry for the burden you now have to carry. May the Lord protect you.
Amanda
I have removed my comments to her as she requested. This matter has been settled.
Deborah
Bless you and stay safe.
Thank you Amanda. It really was and is the right thing for me to do, for her.
Righty, let us move on. Btw where is Roodepoort? Don’t worry, not important.
Matthew 12:36-37 “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.”
Twitter post:
Superbella2009 – 10:28 AM Apr 3rd via web
Gebrokenheid deur Thomas:
Can this be translated Amanda? I understand it to a certain point. But not in it’s entirety.
Hi Amanda,
Have you perhaps translated the portion of the article I wrote on my blog you posted here? If you have, please send me a copy at your earliest convenience. I have been trying to translate it myself but circumstances have prevented me thus far.
Thank you Thomas, thank you!
Hi Thomas
I can promise it for no later than tomorrow 1800? Sorry, it has been a bit busy around here and I am trying to catch up.
News clip
The Ought and Is of Piper’s Leave Absence
By Kevin Shrum
You would have to be living under a rock to not know that John Piper, well-known Christian leader, writer, gift of God to the Church at large, and pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the last thirty years will be taking an eight-month leave of absence beginning May 1 and continuing through December 31. Piper has publicly stated that this leave of absence, approved by the elders of Bethlehem Baptist Church, will be used to deal with internal sin, pride, and to kindle a renewed commitment to his family and ministry as he prepares for his final years of ministry.
I do not begrudge Piper’s leave of absence. In fact, I believe this is the way things “ought” to be for the faithful pastor. There should be, from time to time, a leave of absence for study, rest, and renewal. Pastoring and preaching, if done right, is an exhausting job. It is a 24/7 job. The pastor is never off duty; even when off, he is still on. Ministry demands intense emotional commitment and requires on-going mental and physical energy. The continual sapping of the pastor’s emotional, mental, and spiritual strength requires that the pastor continually replenish his supply. An occasional leave of absence helps in the pastor’s renewal project.
Yet, when I heard and read of Piper’s eight-month reprieve, I instantly thought of the thousands of pastors who, for a myriad of reasons, will never be afforded the luxury of an eight-month sabbatical. Most pastors may get one or two weeks a year for a vacation, but never an extended study leave. Sometimes the causes are financial – both pastor and church simply do not have the resources to provide for this kind of time off. Sometimes the causes are leadership – most pastors serve in single-staffed churches where finding someone to fill in for two weeks is difficult enough, much less for eight months. Still another cause is that most church members do not see the need so there is no desire to provide for such extended leaves. The reasoning here is to treat the pastor as the average church member who may get only a two week vacation each year – “I work hard and don’t get extended leaves of absence,” so says the uninformed church member. This is the way things actually are – the way it is!
Yet, there are many good reasons for pastors and churches to consider the practice of granting periodic leaves of absence for study, rest, family renewal, and rejuvenation. If the church expects the pastor to effectively lead and to keep his family in good order, then they must see the need to provide the time and resources needed to accomplish such worthy goals. Why? First, the renewed pastor is the effective pastor. Second, the church must change how they look at their pastor. Instead of the pastor being viewed as the hireling called to do all the work of the church, the pastor must be viewed as the God-called, God-ordained preacher of the gospel and leader of the church who must hear from God if the church is to be healthy and productive. If the pastor has little time to clear his head and meditate on God’s Word in a season of reflection, then his ministry will be shallow and the church will be stunted in its growth.
Third, the pastor and church must reconsider the heavy load the pastor carries. All things are not equal when it comes to comparing the work of the pastor and the average laborer. Pastor’s help people live and die. They deal with weighty issues daily. They prepare messages from God’s Word, counsel the broken-hearted, make hospital visits, attend meetings, plan worship services, represent the church in the community, and organize various events. On top of all of this the pastor is to make sure his family is well-supported and cared for. And get this: Most of this is done while he is underpaid and underappreciated.
Finally, pastors must give up the “Messiah complex” when it comes to the Lord’s work. We are not indispensable. The pastor must remember that it is the Lord’s church (Mt. 16:13). The church has survived for generations; it will survive after we’re gone. A periodic leave of absence will prove to the pastor that the church will not fall apart if he’s gone a short time. Consider the church as a long chain consisting of individual ministry links made of solid steel that represent God’s ministers in each generation. The pastor’s job is not to be the entire chain, but simply the single link he is called to be in the church’s ministry. This calls for humility. In other words, the church can live without us for a short period of rest and renewal. If the leave of absence is actually planned for its intended purpose, and if the pastor is renewed and refreshed, the church will more than survive; it will thrive.
It is my prayer that more churches will consider giving their pastors intentional, financed seasons of rest, renewal, and study. It is my prayer that Piper’s example and that of his church will inspire more churches and pastors to be refreshed in the work of the Lord. In this way, we will move from the way things ought to be to making these seasons of renewal the way things actually are – the way it is!
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100422/the-ought-and-is-of-pipers-leave-absence/index.html
Hi Guys (ladies and gents)
I am afraid to type in famous teachers names in your search engine. Gee whiz, so many going bad. do you guys know anything about Francis Chan, he is also leaving his church for something he says God is calling him to do. I do not know anything about him. I know that you are better than any tv detective (not better than Kojak or are you????). I have heard a few guys talking about his sermons, but then these guys also like mark “the mouth” driscoll. please check him out and let us know.
thx
Barland
Yeah, Francis Chan is Louie Giglio’s compadre in radical youth change. Louie Giglio was mentored and still is by John Piper. I have looked at Francis Chan’s website a while ago and what he speaks sounds ‘ok’ but then that’s what most ‘New Calvanists’ sound like, ‘ok’. Louie Giglio likes to speak about contemplative prayer without actually telling you it’s what he believes in.
See articles where Louie Giglio is mentioned: https://www.discerningtheworld.com/category/pastors-teachers-speakers/l/louie-giglio/
I have been meaning to write about Francis Chan, but he is a tough one to write about because back then I was not sure what to look for. Now that I know what Louie Giglio is about I can go back and look at Francis Chan. I hate it when these guys make video’s it’s very difficult to catch what a person is really saying… sneaky.
Deborah
“Erwin McManus, Ken Blanchard- endorsed Patrick Lencioni, Rick Warren, Shane Claiborne, founder of a “new monasticism” community”.
These are the guys Chan is sharing the platform with… (www.powertostand.com)
Robbie
Eh, look at that. Where there is smoke there is always fire (especially that fake fire called down from ‘heaven’ over the youth at their youth conferences).
Portret van ‘n Afrikaneraktivis
40 000 after 4 days? I don’t think so.
Amanda
“40 000 after 4 days? I don’t think so.”
Nope me too don’t think that thing.:-)
From the red pen:
Open Letter to Francis Chan #1.029 – “Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God”
Chapter 1: Stop Praying
Page 30
God is all-knowing
“Each of us, to some degree, fools our friends and family about who we really are. But it’s impossible to do that with God. He knows each of us, deeply and specifically. He knows our thoughts before we think them, our actions before we commit them, whether we are lying down or sitting or walking around. He knows who we are and what we are about. We cannot escape Him, not even if we want to. When I grow weary of trying to be faithful to Him and want a break, it doesn’t come as a surprise to God.”
The red pen’s commentary:
There is more.
Quotation Marks
Recent remarks from John Piper, Miley Cyrus, and more.
“I’ve hinted at this before, but now I am saying it—don’t give money to the RNC.”
Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, after news reports revealed the Republican National Committee had spent $2,000 at a Los Angeles strip club.
Source: Family Research Council
* * *
“My soul, my marriage, my family, and my ministry pattern need a reality check from the Holy Spirit.”
John Piper, repenting for “several species of pride in my soul” and announcing he would take an eight-month leave to spend time with his wife, Noël.
Source: Desiring God
* * *
“I just want to be in peace and quiet for a while and be reunited with my family.”
Gao Zhisheng, the Chinese Christian human-rights lawyer who disappeared more than a year ago, in a series of phone calls to media outlets saying he was “free at present.” Observers believe he is still under police surveillance and restrictions.
Source: Associated Press
* * *
“My faith is very important to me. But I don’t necessarily define my faith by going to church every Sunday. Because now when I go to church, I feel like it’s a show.”
Miley Cyrus, actress and singer.
Source: Parade
* * *
“By having the phrase ‘In the Year of Our Lord,’ it is directly referencing Jesus Christ, and not everyone believes in Jesus Christ.”
Sidra Qureshi, a Muslim student campaigning to have the phrase removed from the diplomas of her San Antonio school, Trinity University.
Source: San Antonio Express-News
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/may/4.13.html
Mon, May. 03 2010 03:21 PM EDT
Piper Leaves Megachurch with Hope for Revival
Pastor John Piper began his eight-month leave this past weekend. Now filling the empty pulpit at Bethlehem Baptist Church is Kenny Stokes, who had been on a sabbatical these past several months.
Stokes, who previously served as the church’s Downtown Campus pastor, was approved unanimously by the elders at the Minneapolis church last week to serve as Interim Pastor for Preaching while Piper is away.
The elders determined that continuity, consistency and stability were most important and thus decided to have one primary preacher – rather than a rotation of varied speakers – to serve as the temporary shepherd.
“Few things are more important in the life of a church than the faithful preaching of the word of God,” said Piper in his final written commentary to his church of some 9,000 attendees. “I trust Kenny.”
“Under Christ, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, I am happy to leave you under his preaching,” he added.
Piper, 64, announced late March that he would be taking his first-ever leave of absence from ministry this year to focus on his marriage, his family and his soul. His break was not prompted by a particular sin but by “ongoing character flaws” – including pride – and the stresses they have caused to others.
He told his congregation that he felt his marriage, soul and ministry pattern needed a reality check from the Holy Spirit.
The renowned preacher and author stopped tweeting just after making the announcement and has also let go of other forms of online communication, including Facebook and blogging. During his leave, Piper will also disengage from book writing, preaching and speaking at events (with a few exceptions).
In his last sermon on April 25 to Bethlehem, Piper cited Robert Murray M’Cheyne, a 19th century minister in the Church of Scotland who also took eight months away from his parish in 1839.
M’Cheyne asked William Burns to take over the pulpit and wrote to him: “I hope you may be a thousand times more blessed among them than I ever was. Perhaps there are many souls that would never have been saved under my ministry, who may be touched under yours; and God has taken this method of bringing you into my place. His name is Wonderful.”
Revival did come to St. Peter’s Church while he was away.
With that, Piper left the Bethlehem pulpit with the same hope and prayer:
“O Lord … show your great power in my absence. Send a remarkable awakening that results in hundreds of people coming to Christ, … wayward children coming home, long-standing slavery to sin being conquered, spiritual dullness being replaced by vibrant joy, weak faith being replaced by bold witness, disinterest in prayer being replaced by fervent intercession, boring Bible reading being replaced by passion for the Word, disinterest in global missions being replaced by energy for Christ’s name among the nations, and lukewarm worship being replaced by zeal for the greatness of God’s glory.
“[B]less this church beyond anything we have ever dreamed.”
Just as M’Cheyne returned to his flock and served nearly four more years before he died at the age of 29, Piper hopes to return to the Minneapolis church to preach for at least five more years.
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100503/piper-leaves-megachurch-with-hope-for-revival/index.html
NEWS FLASH: I bought the Joy Magazine today to Spy on the latest nonsensical news. and I found this full page advert on John Piper in SA from 14 to 17 October 2010 yikes that is now !!!! AND John Piper in Capetown
I will call my comment: S A youth and John Piper and was he really only Taking Leave and Asking for Forgiveness. His leave will expires in December 31, 2010.
May I mention my feeling here so far as I am doing research here. He is going to aim to talk to the Babtists type churches and NOT the Moreletta’s or Rhema’s or Lewende Woord or Charismatic Penticostal’s I think.
Excerpt from above article in his letter John Piper (March 28, 2010) says the following: I asked the elders to consider this leave because of a growing sense that my soul, my marriage, my family, and my ministry-pattern need a reality check from the Holy Spirit. On the one hand, I love my Lord, my wife, my five children and their families first and foremost; and I love my work of preaching and writing and leading Bethlehem. I hope the Lord gives me at least five more years as the pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem.
Question : What is John Piper doing in South Africa when he was supposed to “let go of all of it” until 31 December 2010 AND HE MEANT everything because he said this:
In this leave, I intend to let go of all of it No book-writing. No sermon preparation or preaching. No blogging. No Twitter. No articles. No reports. No papers. And no speaking engagements. There is one stateside exception—the weekend devoted to the Desiring God National Conference combined with the inaugural convocation of Bethlehem College and Seminary in October.
The Word REZOLUTION need some research as to explain the drive and meaning behind this.
The Pastor, the People, and the Pursuit of Joy: The Apostolic Aim of Pastoral Ministry.Desiring God 2010 Conference for Pastors On February 1-3, over 1400 pastors from around the world tasted afresh the goodness and mercy of the Lord during the Desiring God 2010 Conference for Pastors. We were greatly blessed through the teaching ministry of Sam Storms, Eric Mason, Bob Blincoe and John Piper (whose biographical message was on C. S. Lewis).
May I say WOW !!! AND ask why C. S Lewis?
C.S. Lewis — The Heretic!
AUTHOR OF THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA And other demonic fantasies
Lewis believed in the power and use of spells
Lewis said a spell is needed to overcome “enchantment” of the world. “You and I have need of the strongest spell that can be found to wake us from the evil enchantment of worldliness.” Faith is here replaced by a spell. God is not in the business of providing spells to break
enchantments. This quote shows where where much Narnia “doctrine” comes from.
1John 5:4 -For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
The Narnia chronicles are filled with debauchery and unholy fantasies. He was not even a believer according to orthodoxy. His lifestyle was worldly and not to be emulated. Why he is held up as an icon in the evangelical world is beyond me. And why do churches promote the movies based on his books? Parents who would never take their children to Harry Potter movies or allow them to read the books offer up this garbage to their children and think they are doing a good thing. Go figure!
Burning Lamp
My point exactly why would one even want to listen to a biographical message on some one like C S Lewis. Also who would wanna do prep work on a biographical message about C S Lewis and that at a conference called Desiring God 2010 Conference for Pastors. Nope I’m afraid there is so much deceit out there it is sometimes scary!!
Like you say BL it is beyond us why the man is held as an icon. We can only watch and pray and keep our lamps filled with oil and stay awake at all times to avoid such nonsensical babel.
C S Lewis’s one book Screw Tape Letters is very popular in South Africa and are punted in all the so called christian bookshops.
AND THEY SAY: The Screwtape Letters is a Christian apologetics novel written in epistolary style by C. S. Lewis, Christian apologetics !!! Nooooo way it is down right Demonic if you ask me….mmmm Bunnytrails 🙂
Guys I think we have to respect Mr/Pst J Piper’s decision, we were never there when God was calling him, and we don’t know (as he didn’t mention)the reason for him to take what he calls a “Leave” from God’s work. We never employed/deployed him. He proclaimed and acted so himsel(as sent by God). I respect the guy and beleive his mssg until God tells me sumthing else abt him. I’m sure he alone has the answers to our unawered question of “mara why?”. The only thing that we can try to do as the church (beleivers) is to pray that he walks in the rite path, that the decision he took is inline with God’s purpose on his life. Be blessed brethren. Insulting and hurting each other with such sharp words won’t help a thing but only make the enemy to celebrate.
God’s servant
Um, dude, you are behind the times, 1st Piper was a Calvinist with notions of being saved before being born (Election) and has now joined forces with Rick Warren. He has become 100% ecumenical.
>>>we were never there when God was calling him,<<<<
ummm yes, Neither was he
God’s Servant, what you are saying is not cause for celebration, but the Lord is grieved when one disobeys His Word and looks the other way or excuses error. I hope you take off your rose-colored glasses and look for the truth and stop respecting men. The Apostle Paul did not pull any punches when exposing false teachers – and that includes those who promote Calvinism.
I don’t have time to read everything, so I don’t know if I’m being redundant. If I am please bear with me. Rev Piper may also want to re-think his position on Israel.
Stan
>> Rev Piper may also want to re-think his position on Israel.
You are absolutely correct. He has.
http://www.incpu.org/concerns-on-Johnp.htm