Most of us know John Piper as the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Now we must get to know him as the former pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church.

And all of us I'm sure pray that these years of his pilgrimage will be years not of retrenchment but of quietly expanding ministry.

He served us well in the pre-conference as he expounded the latter half of 2 Corinthians 4. I needed to hear that message myself and as

I listened I thought I know some discouraged ministers and missionaries to whom I will direct the

URL once it is posted on the site. For those of you who are invocational ministry or have any hope of being invocational

ministry, I beg of you to spend time studying that is

the passage of scripture under John's tutelage. One of the hats he is taking on in this so-called retirement

is the chair of a committee that is starting a new conference, the

cross conference, a world missions conference, the first of which will take place between Christmas and New Year, this year, 2013.

You can find out already more information on the web.

Let me pray for John, and he will open up our conference by introducing

to us to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Let us pray.

Nothing is more important, Lord God, in the ministry of your word, then faithfulness to the text, humility of mind, hunger

to know and to obey the truth.

Contition where we have been wrong,

where we have sinned,

and renewed faith in the provision that the Savior himself made.

And over all that, Lord God, we beg of you to pour out your spirit upon John and upon us.

That the words of his mouth and the meditation of all our hearts may be pleasing in your sight,

O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.

We ask in Jesus' name,

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