John Piper vs. Tab Trainor, Josh Fenska, & Jamie Maxim

Anyone who knows me well knows that I deeply respect Pastor John Piper. When he has a new book come out, I buy it and read it. I subscribe to his sermon podcast weekly, and usually listen to 2-3 sermons of his each week. His pastoral and biblical teaching has helped shape and mold my life as a follower of Jesus Christ. I thank God for John Piper.

However, too often I fall into the trap of creating a celebrity out of Pastor Piper. Too often, I will listen to many of his sermons throughout the week, and then, when Sunday morning comes around, I am overly critical of my own local pastors because, in my eyes, they are no John Piper.

In some ways, this is true. John Piper is an extraordinarily gifted pastor who is not only affecting his local church in Minneapolis, MN, but the entire world. Many of his sermons and books are being translated into Spanish, Portugese, Chinese, and many other world languages in order to allow others to learn at the foot of Pastor Piper. He has a way of communicating the biblical text that is not only clear and pastoral, but also fervently passionate and brilliantly illustrative.

But overall, this is not true. Though my pastors may be no John Piper, Mr. Piper has not been given the task of caring for my soul. Nope. That task has been given to Tab Trainor, Josh Fenska, and Jamie Maxim at Sovereign Grace Church in Oswego, IL. And they carry it out well. My pastors care for my wife and I through the excellent teaching of God's Word on Sunday mornings, by praying for us continually, by counseling us through our decision to begin a family, by placing us in a Care Group where we will be cared for all the more by others in our lives, by ensuring that sin does not overtake us, and by faithfully reminding us of the Gospel where our Savior died for us.

When I get to heaven, yes, I will thank God for John Piper. But I will thank Him more for placing me in the care of Tab Trainor, Josh Fenska, and Jamie Maxim. My soul has been cared for well by these men.

So, John Piper, thank you for excellent teaching, your lucid communication of the Gospel, and your zealous passion to see God glorified through His people. I owe you many thanks. But you are no Tab Trainor. You are no Josh Fenska. And you are no Jamie Maxim. For they are the ones who are constantly caring for my soul.

FYI: Tim Challies has posted a thoughtful and careful critique of the celebrity culture that is afoot in Christian churches today. If you struggle with being critical of your own pastor because you listen to the likes of John Piper, C.J. Mahaney, Mark Driscoll, or Rick Warren on a daily basis, this article is well worth the time it takes to read it.