Who is John Piper? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: John Stephen Piper

Age: 78 Years, 78 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Noël Henry

father: Bill

mother: Ruth

Pastors American Men

U.S. State: Tennessee

City: Chattanooga, Tennessee

More Facts

education: Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Fuller Theological Seminary, Wheaton College

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1

What is John Piper known for?

John Piper is known for being a prominent American Reformed Baptist pastor, author, and theologian.
2

What are some of John Piper's popular books?

Some of John Piper's popular books include "Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist," "Don't Waste Your Life," and "The Supremacy of God in Preaching."
3

What is John Piper's stance on theology?

John Piper is known for his adherence to Reformed theology, particularly the doctrines of grace and the sovereignty of God.
4

How did John Piper contribute to the New Calvinism movement?

John Piper played a significant role in the New Calvinism movement through his emphasis on the doctrines of grace, the centrality of God in all things, and the importance of passionate, joyful obedience to God.
5

What is John Piper's perspective on missions and evangelism?

John Piper is a strong advocate for missions and evangelism, emphasizing the importance of sharing the gospel with all nations and the necessity of living a life that reflects the glory of God.

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Childhood & Early Life

John Piper was born to Bill and Ruth Piper, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was mostly raised by his mother as his father used to travel as an evangelist and a church planter. The family moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where he studied and graduated from Wade Hampton High School.

He attended Wheaton College from 1964 to 1968 and majored in literature and philosophy and also studied Romantic Literature.

While at college, he enrolled for the Pre-med program, but eventually earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminar, in California. He then enrolled in the University of Munich, Germany, where he completed his doctorate in New Testament Studies.

Upon the completion of his doctorate degree, he began teaching Biblical Studies at Bethel University and Seminary from 1974 to 1980.

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Career

In 1980, he became the Pastor of Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota and authored ‘Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist’ in 1986. He broadened his theological horizons and began publishing a number of other books centered on ‘Christian Hedonism’.

In 1994, he founded ‘Desiring God Ministries’, which provided all of the discourses, the sermons and the information that Piper presented on theology, in the form of CD’s, DVD’s and even over the internet.

In August 2009, Piper believed that a small tornado that occurred during a conference was in fact, a sign from God. He wrote a blog post on the same and linked the tornado with a controversial blog on homosexuality. Although he was condemned for his post, it was later welcomed by readers as a ‘bold’ post.

He took a break from the ministry from May 1, 2010 to January 9, 2011. During this time, he focused on authoring a number of books and also travelled around the world.

On May 20, 2012, Jason Meyer was voted in to succeed John Piper as the pastor. Before retiring permanently, he preached his final homily as the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist on March 31, 2013. It was during this speech he announced that he and his family would be moving away from the church for a year so that the new pastor could work free of distractions.

His most recent publications include, ‘Counted Righteous in Christ’, ‘Think About These Things’, ‘The Hidden Smile of God’ and ‘The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God’.

Major Works

He founded ‘Desiring God Ministries’ in 1994, which provides all of his sermons, books and articles online and offline on sale or for free. His sermons are also available in DVD’s and CD’s for fellow ‘Christian Hedonists’. This is considered one of his major works because he believes that the ministry is the ‘central labor of his life’. Through this establishment, he has managed to touch the lives of over 2 billion people around the world.

He has authored a number of books during his lifetime, but one particular publication, ‘Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist’, which was published in 1986, went on to become a best-seller and was the recipient of the ECPA Christian Book Award.

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‘The Passion of Jesus Christ’, published in 2004, was not only the winner of the ECPA Christian Book Award but was also considered his magnum opus and it explicated on the magnificent truths of the gospel backed with theological evidence; something which was uncommon at the time.

Personal Life & Legacy

He married fellow-Wheaton, Noel Henry in 1968 and has four sons, a daughter and twelve grand-children.

In his spare time, Piper likes to indulge in reading literature and also spends his time penning poems for family occasions or celebrations.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on January 11, 2006 for which he underwent a surgery on February 14, 2006.

Facts About John Piper

John Piper is known for his love of spicy food and has been spotted enjoying hot peppers and spicy dishes.

He is an avid fan of classical music and often incorporates his favorite pieces into his lectures and sermons.

John Piper has a passion for gardening and spends his free time tending to his vegetable garden.

He has a quirky habit of taking long walks in nature to meditate and reflect on his beliefs and teachings.

John Piper is a skilled calligrapher and enjoys practicing this art form in his spare time.

John Piper Biography

You wanted to know

What is John Piper known for?

What are some of John Piper's popular books?

What is John Piper's stance on theology?

How did John Piper contribute to the New Calvinism movement?

What is John Piper's perspective on missions and evangelism?