Church & Ministry Resource Guide
Church & Ministry Resource Guide
| Format: | Paperback |
| Page Count: | 176 |
| Size: | 5.25 in x 8.0 in |
| Weight: | 7.5 ounces |
| ISBN-13: | 979-8-8749-1515-5 |
| ISBN-UPC: | 9798874915155 |
| Published: | January 05, 2027 |
John Piper Explains Why the Christian Pursuit of Happiness Is Not Optional but Essential for Glorifying God
We are created to live for God’s glory, but is it wrong to pursue our own happiness? What if the two are connected? Finding supreme fulfilment in the Savior, rather than worldly pleasures, brings him ultimate glory. Or as John Piper summarizes: “Christ is most magnified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”
In this concise guide, Piper, host of the Ask Pastor John podcast, explores the concept of Christian Hedonism through an engaging Q&A format. He tackles 15 relatable questions, including “How could God make me happier than the things I love?” “If something makes me happy, does that mean it’s automatically okay to do?” and “Don’t we have to wait until heaven to experience happiness?” This winsome, theologically rich book helps readers trade short-lived desires for the enduring hope of Christ.
- Accessible: A helpful Q&A book for youth groups, young adult ministries, and anyone looking for advice on the Christian life
- Written by John Piper: Bestselling author and host of the popular Ask Pastor John podcast
- Practical: Helps readers understand life’s purpose, God’s glory, self-denial, and joy from a deeply biblical perspective
Author:
John Piper is founder and lead teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He served for thirty-three years as a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is the author of more than fifty books, including Desiring God; Don’t Waste Your Life; and Providence.
Product Details
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: I know I want to be happy. But does God want me to be happy?
Chapter 2: If God is God and doesn’t need anything, why does he care so much about whether I’m happy or not? What’s in it for him?
Chapter 3: Why haven’t I heard this taught before? It sounds so different from what I’m used to hearing about God.
Chapter 4: A lot of things make me happy — friendship, success, good food — but I don’t think about God like that. How could God make me happier than the things I love?
Chapter 5: Don’t we have to wait until heaven to experience happiness? How much happiness can I really expect to experience in this life?
Chapter 6: Isn’t it selfish to focus on my own happiness? I thought being a Christian was about serving others and God, not myself.
Chapter 7: Jesus talks about denying yourself and taking up your cross. Doesn’t that mean giving up happiness?
Chapter 8: Does this mean that if something makes me happy, it’s automatically okay to do?
Chapter 9: Let’s be honest: sometimes sinning feels good in the moment. How can joy in God compete with that immediate rush?
Chapter 10: What does it actually feel like to be satisfied in God? Is it a warm, fuzzy feeling, or is it something else?
Chapter 11: If my main goal is my own joy in God, why should I bother doing hard things for other people?
Chapter 12: Does God get more glory if I’m super happy in him, and less glory if I’m only a little bit happy in him? How does that work?
Chapter 13: If I find more real happiness playing video games or watching YouTube than reading the Bible, does that mean I’m failing as a Christian?
Chapter 14: God made good things like pizza, sports, and music. Are we supposed to stop enjoying those things and only enjoy God?
Chapter 15: This sounds really big and complicated. What’s the first, most practical step I can take to start finding more satisfaction in God today?