I'm a huge fan of the learning about the heros of the faith. It's where I seem to get most of my steak dinners. I was sorting through christianaudio.com for some good listening material for work and came across some sermons from the Desiring God conferences. Every year at that conference John Piper does a biographical sermon on a giant of the faith. People like Jonathan Edwards, C.H. Spurgeon, John Calvin, William Wilberforce, John Bunyan, etc. They're amazing! Some of these guys were psyco for the Lord. John Piper does an excellent job of exalting them where they need exalted, but revealing sin or bad doctrine when he sees it. Very helpful in having a sober view of our heros. These sermons are excellent in putting our lives in perspective. The death to self that these guys modeled is pretty extraordinary, and something I need desperately in my life...and I'm guessing yours too. The latest sermon was from the 2009 conference and it was on George Whitefield. This dude was a supernatural phenom! (only possible for christians) He was preaching at least 40 hours a week, but a lot of times would preach 60 hours! What the?! I like what Piper said: "The facts about Whitefield's life, as an 18th century, itinerant, anglican, evangelist, from the beginning of his ministry until the end, are almost unbelievable. I mean can they really be true?! And all I know to say is that multiple attestations of his life, from those who knew him, and the agreement of biographers that don't like him and do like him; all of that seems to say that these things are so, as incredible as they are!" Here is the link if ya'll would like to indulge in a little self-defemation:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByConference/43/3573_I_Will_Not_Be_a_VelvetMouthed_Preacher/
Listened to this sermon, I did.
ReplyDeletePiper does well to make practical implications from the lives of these church figures. I've heard about a dozen from this sermon-series thus far, and really appreciate the tip off that they're available.