One of my favorite preachers / authors / theologians, and I believe one of the “great” ones of our era, is John Piper. Dr. Piper has for over twenty years served as pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN, and has epitomized passionate God-centered preaching of the gospel and immense zeal for His glory. His church’s mission statement well describes the central theme of much of his own ministry:

We exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples.

Over the years, Piper’s writings have been very influential in my life. God has used his works to grant me a greater hunger for God, a zeal for global mission, and a desire to make Him the centerpiece of my entire life. He is a uniquely gifted man with gifts in preaching, writing and a keen theological mind. Add to this a genuine humility and love for Christ, and you can understand why he has become increasingly used of God in recent years.

The ministry Desiring God exists to make available the many fruits of John Piper’s labors, and does so at amazingly accessible costs. Nearly all of the books in the online bookstore, most of which Piper has either written or contributed to in some fashion, are available regularly at prices lower than even amazon.com. Many of these books are even downloadable in electronic format for free. In addition, there are hundreds of his sermons available for free not only in audio but also (downloadable) video format! Obviously, their commitment to spread passion for God’s supremacy globally shows in how they are willing to give away so many abundant resources.

As if that were not enough, for two days this week (June 27-28), they are having a tremendous book sale. Every book in the Desiring God bookstore is on sale for $5! GO GET ‘EM, is all I can say to that. Unfortunately for me, I already own nearly all of Piper’s books. But if you don’t, GO GET ‘EM. And if you’re new to John Piper, let me suggest some of the following as some of the best books to start with (for just $5!):

• Let the Nations Be Glad!: This was the first book from John Piper that I read, and a pivotal one for me. This is, in my opinion, the best book on missions written in the modern era. It is an eloquent plea for a Biblical, God-saturated vision for world missions.
• God Is the Gospel: One of Piper’s more recent books, this is a relatively short book that is possibly one of Piper’s most important. In this book he describes and defends his view that the heart of the gospel is God, and that when we begin to make the gifts of God more important than God Himself we have lost sight of the point of the gospel.
• The Pleasures of God: I personally found this one of the most helpful books Piper has written. Here he delves in systematic detail into what brings God pleasure, including excellent chapters on God’s Pleasure in Election and a moving chapter on God’s Pleasure in Bruising the Son. Fairly easy read.
• Desiring God: the namesake of their resource ministry, this book presents and defends what Piper calls his philosophy of “Christian hedonism.” No “Piper” collection is complete without this primary text on what he means when he says that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
• Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: An excellent plea from Piper to fellow pastors to forgo the temptation to professionalize pastoral ministry, in the mold of the world. He instead challenges fellow church leaders to take up the role of undershepherd of God’s people and servant of Christ. This book covers many areas of ministry, and addresses many of the pitfalls of vocational ministry.
• Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A classic text presenting a well-rounded vision of Biblical manhood and womanhood. It graciously defends / presents a complementarian viewpoint of gender roles in creation and in the church in particular.
• The four books in his “Swans Are Not Silent” Christian biography series: The Legacy of Sovereign Joy, The Roots of Endurance, The Hidden Smile of God, and Contending For Our All: These books provide short, readable glimpses and reflections on the lives of saints who have left an indelible mark on church history which last through today. Reading Christian biography can be a source of much encouragement, guidance and wisdom. I heartily commend Piper’s series of biography compilations. Much of the source material for these very readable books comes from the annual pastor’s conference hosted by Bethlehem Baptist Church.