John Piper and R. C. Sproul

Justin Taylor, on his blog at The Gospel Coalition's website, recently posted about the legacies of Piper and Sproul. 'Pipes' has had a profound and penetrating effect on my faith. Justin Taylor rightly indicates some of the things I, and others, see in this proponent of Christian Hedonism.

As believers in secondary causation, it’s appropriate for us to ask why. Why, under God, are people attracted to the teaching of Dr. Sproul and Dr. Piper? Why do so many folks see them as “spiritual fathers”?

One reason is that younger believers, in particular, have highly attuned “boloney detectors” (to use the technical term). They are hypersensitive to hypocrisy and phoniness. And when they hear Dr. Sproul and Dr. Piper teach and preach, they hear authority and authenticity, truth and love, passion and power, combined in a compelling and arresting way.

It’s not merely the God-centered, biblically saturated content. It’s that this deep theology is creatively presented and passionately believed.

These men do not merely teach; they herald, they summon, they exhort, they plead, they yearn.

In a way that’s difficult to describe in a non-clichéd way, the timber of their voices contains both sorrow and joy. And in that sense, I think they echo the tone of their sorrowful-yet-always-rejoicing Savior.

Men like these do not trifle with their faith. They are serious; sometimes frighteningly and faith-edifyingly serious. And yet, joy always shines through. I'm thankful for men like these, and for how God has used them in my life.