To Preach Where Christ Has Not Been Named

“There will always be people who argue that the doctrine of election and predestination makes missions pointless. But they are always wrong. It does not make missions pointless; it makes missions possible. (John Piper, A Holy Ambition, Ch 6)

I came to this book with a desire to renew my passion for the Work. This collection of “key sermons and articles from more than 30 years of John Piper’s preaching on missions” (Preface) has fanned into flame the gift God has given me through the ministry of my mentors to serve others cross-culturally—and I’m not even Calvinist! I know it can do the same for you.

Summary

The book is arranged into several parts. By way of Introduction, Piper describes what this “Holy Ambition” is (Chapter 1, which is well-worth the read). His great example of holy ambition comes through the ministry of the Apostle Paul.

Paul is not a local evangelist. He’s a frontier missionary, a pioneer missionary. That is, his calling and his ambition is not to do evangelism where the church has been planted. The church should do that. Paul’s calling and his ambition is to preach the gospel where there is no evangelizing church. There are no Christians. They don’t even know the name. (Ch 1)

Piper then summarizes his message on this Holy Ambition by saying:

It comes from a personal encounter with the living Christ (not necessarily as dramatic as the Damascus road), shaped and informed and empowered by the written word of God. As you meditate on the law of the Lord day and night (cf. Psalm 1:2)—as you immerse yourself in God’s word—he comes and takes some truth of that word and burns it into your heart until it becomes a holy ambition. If that hasn’t happened yet, saturate yourself with the word of God and ask him for it. (Ch 1)

Part 1: “A Biblical Theology of Gospel-Centered Mission” – This part works through a number of fantastic passages like Ephesians 1:3-6 and 2Thessalonians 1. Piper’s thesis for a Theology of Missions won’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s read or heard him before, but it bears repeating: “God’s ultimate goal in creation and redemption is to uphold and display his glory for the enjoyment of his redeemed people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” (Ch 3) This is why Jesus came, this is why He sent His disciples out, this is why He saved me, and this is why I’m still alive today. Missions is all about the glory of God, and what an honor it is to be used to that end!

Part 2: “The Mandate of World Mission” – In Chapter 8, Piper offers “Five Tests” from 2Corinthians 2:17 that every hopeful missionary should ask himself:

• First, do you treasure Christ enough so that you do not peddle his word? Paul says, “For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word.” That is, these peddlers don’t love Christ. They love money and use Christ. So the first test is: Do you love Christ more than money? …
• Second, will you speak from sincerity? Will you be real? Will you mean what you say? Will you renounce all pretense and hypocrisy?
• Third, will you speak as from God? That is, will you take not only your commission from God, but your words and your authority from God. Will you speak his words and not your own. Will you speak in his authority and not your own? Will you draw your strength and guidance from his power and wisdom, not your own?
• Fourth, will you speak as before God? That is, will you reckon him to be your judge and no man? Will you care more about his assessment of your words and not be deterred by human criticism?
• And, fifth, will you speak as in Christ? That is, will you get your identity and your assurance and your confidence and your hope and your courage from your union with Christ? (Ch 8)

Part 3: “The Costs of and Blessings of Mission” – In my humble opinion, Chapter 10, “Doing Missions When Dying is Gain”, is by far the most inspiring and timeless piece in the whole collection. Piper preached this sermon at Wheaton College on October 27, 1996, and I highly recommend that you either get the book and feast on his words or listen to the sermon directly—over and over again. I share just two great quips about martyrdom from these chapters:

When you’re old you not only don’t have anything to lose in martyrdom, you get discount fares. (Ch 10)

Henry Martyn, the missionary to Persia, said that he was immortal until his work on earth was done. True. And he would have also agreed that in the fuller sense: You are immortal after your work on earth is done. (Ch 11)

Piper’s conclusion offers an inspiring call for missionaries to continue “Declaring His Glory Among the Nations.” His Appendices, “Prosperity Preaching: Deceitful and Deadly” and “Driving Convictions Behind Cross-cultural Missions” should both be required reading for those hoping to live abroad, especially since the Prosperity is one of the fastest-growing perversions of Christianity in the developing world.

Conclusion

I highly recommend this book (and admit that I’ve already sent a number of screenshots from my e-book reader to a number of co-laborers scattered across the globe). Let Piper’s words fan into flame the gift God’s given you as well!

©2018 E.T.

Read More from John Piper:

• Desiring God (1986)
• Don’t Waste Your Life (2003)
• Jesus The Only Way to God (2010)
• A Holy Ambition (2011)