JohnPiperisapastorandauthorwhoisthefounderandleaderofdesiringGod.organdChancellorofBethlehemCollege&Seminary.For33years(1980-2013),heservedasseniorpastoratBethlehemBaptistChurchinMinneapolis,Minnesota.PiperattendedWheatonCollege(1964-68)majoringinliteratureandminoringinphilosophy.StudyingromanticliteraturewithClydeKilbystimulatedhispoeticside,andtodayheregularlycomposespoetry.Incollegehewasoriginallyonthepre-medtrack,onlytodecidetogointoministryduringaboutofsickness.HethencompletedaMasterofDivinitydegreeatFullerTheologicalSeminaryinPasadena,California.WhileatFuller,hetookseveralcoursesfromDanielFullerandthroughhimdiscoveredthewritingsofJonathanEdwards.AlongwithC.S.Lewis,EdwardsandFullerarenotedinfluencesinPiper’slifeandministry.PiperreceivedhisDoctorofTheologydegreeinNewTestamentStudiesattheUniversityofMunich,Germany(1971-74).Hisdissertation,LoveYourEnemies,waspublishedbyCambridgeUniversityPressandBakerBookHouse.Uponcompletionofhisdoctorate,hetaughtBiblicalStudiesatBethelUniversityandSeminaryinStPaul,Minnesotaforsixyears(1974-80).In1980heacceptedthecalltoserveaspastoratBethlehemBaptistChurch.Johnistheauthorofmorethan50books,andmorethan30yearsofhispreachingandteachingareavailablefreeatdesiringGod.org.HisbooksincludeECPAChristianBookAwardwinnersSpectacularSins,WhatJesusDemandsfromtheWorld,PiercedbytheWord,andGod’sPassionforHisGlory,andbestsellersDon’tWasteYourLifeandThePassionofJesusChrist.TheevangelicalorganizationDesiringGodisnamedforhisbookDesiringGod:MeditationsofaChristianHedonist(1986).In1994,hefoundedthisorganizationwiththeaimof“spread[ing]apassionforthesupremacyofGodinallthingsforthejoyofallpeoplesthroughJesusChrist.”In2010,aFestschriftwaspublishedinhishonor.FortheFameofGod’sName:EssaysinHonorofJohnPiperincludedcontributionsfromDonCarson,SinclairFerguson,G.K.Beale,ThomasR.Schreiner,WayneGrudem,AlMohler,C.J.Mahaney,MarkDever,JohnMacArthur,andBillMounce.Johnandhiswife,Noël,havefoursons,onedaughter,andtwelvegrandchildren.

Lecture by John Piper Pastor, Author and Chancellor,

Bethlehem College & Seminary, Minneapolis, MN Saturday, November 11, 2017, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

John piper