Spend your life to build a church that does not live like the world.

This was the invitation of John Piper to Christian leaders at the Together for the Gospel

Conference back in 2008.

This is what he said.

I want to put it in a wider context for what my heart is for this moment and this conference.

I don't come here for nothing.

I want something, I want you to do something.

I want this world to be rocked by your lives.

So I'll tell you what I'm praying, what I want to happen and I think the brothers with

me would agree who lead this conference.

My desire and prayer to God is that your life and your ministry would have a radical

flavor.

A risk-taking flavor, a gutsy, counter-cultural, wartime flavor that makes average American

people in your church uncomfortable.

A strange mixture of tenderness and toughness that keeps people a little bit off balance.

A pervasive summons to something more, something hazardous, something wonderful, a saltiness

and a brightness about your life and about your church, something like Jesus.

When Jesus said you're the salt of the earth and you're the light of the world, I think

he had in mind the verse just before they will persecute you and revile you and say

all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account, rejoice for great is your reward

in heaven.

I think that's what makes salt, salt and light are joyful and brace of suffering.

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