In The Supremacy of God in Preaching, John Piper calls preachers to make displaying the glory and majesty of God the ultimate goal of their pulpit ministry, “The goal of preaching is the glory of God in the glad submission of his people” (44). He accomplishes this by presenting the biblical foundation for such a goal (1 Peter 4:10-11, “in order that in everything God may be glorified in Jesus Christ,”) and using Jonathan Edwards as an illustration of such preaching. The rest of the book answers how to preach the supremacy of God. First, Piper encourages preachers to recognize the gravity of preaching and to pursue joy in it. He then considers the ministry of Jonathan Edwards, encouraging pastors to follow his example in keeping God central through intimacy in worship, submitting to God through faith in His sovereignty, making God supreme through ten helpful suggestions on preaching (most impactful noted below). He concludes by looking back over three decades of ministry and considering how he’s grown in his appreciation of Edwards’ view of Christ and Calvin’s resolve to keep preaching “tethered to the Bible.” Near the end of the book, he lists thirty reasons why it is a great thing to be a pastor, a riveting and awe-inspiring list that is sure to stir the heart of anyone who is preparing for the task of shepherding God’s people.

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