Barnabas Piper's Blog

April 29, 2026

Kindle Deals for April 29

[image error]Adryanto Suryo on Unsplash" data-large-file="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." class="size-large wp-image-70983" src="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1024w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 300w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 768w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1536w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 2048w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Adryanto Suryo on UnsplashSome Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:

How to Be a Christian in a Brave New World by Joni Eareckson Tada – $2.99

Rise: Get Up and Live in God’s Great Story by Trip Lee – $1.99

Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope by Esau McCauley – $4.99

Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate by Matthew Soerens & Jenny Yang – $4.99

Walking Through Deconstruction: How to Be a Companion in a Crisis of Faith by Ian Harber – $3.99

Hope Ain’t a Hustle: Persevering by Faith in a Wearying World–Wisdom from the Book of Hebrews by Irwyn Ince – $3.99

The Beautiful Community: Unity, Diversity, and the Church at Its Best by Irwyn Ince – $3.99

The Good Life by Trip Lee – $6.99

Don’t Let Nobody Turn You Around: How the Black Church’s Public Witness Leads Us out of the Culture War by Justin Giboney – $5.99

Bring It On Home: Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin, and Beyond—The Story of Rock’s Greatest Manager by Mark Blake – $2.99

[image error]

When the Tempest Gathers: From Mogadishu to the Fight Against ISIS, a Marine Special Operations Commander at War by Andrew Milburn – $2.99

When the Killer Man Comes: Eliminating Terrorists As a Special Operations Sniper by Paul Martinez – $2.99

Willie Nelson: An Epic Life by Joe Nick Patoski – $2.99

Raw: My Journey into the Wu-Tang by Lamont U-God Hawkins – $2.99

A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee by Danny Fingeroth – $2.99

Stan and Ollie: The Roots of Comedy by Simon Louvish – $2.99

The Grand Tour: The Life and Music of George Jones by Richard Kienzle – $2.99

Hank Williams: The Biography by Colin Escott – $2.99

Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise by Scott Wyman – $1.99

Janis: Her Life and Music by Holly George-Warren – $1.99

The Soundtrack of My Life by Clive Davis – $1.99

MY BOOKS:

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99

Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99

The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99

Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99

The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99

All links are Amazon Affiliate links.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 29, 2026 04:44

April 28, 2026

Kindle Deals for April 28

[image error]Adryanto Suryo on Unsplash" data-large-file="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." class="size-large wp-image-70983" src="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1024w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 300w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 768w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1536w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 2048w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Adryanto Suryo on UnsplashSome Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:

The entire Studies in Biblical Theology series is on sale through the end of April—here is a selection.

Hear, My Son: Teaching Learning in Proverbs 1-9 by Daniel Estes – $5.99

Now Choose Life: Theology and Ethics in Deuteronomy by J. Gary Millar – $5.99

Original Sin: Illuminating the Riddle by Henri Blocher – $5.99

Five Festal Garments: Christian Reflections on the Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther by Barry G. Webb – $5.99

Slave of Christ: A New Testament Metaphor for Total Devotion to Christ by Murray Harris – $5.99

Jesus and the Logic of History by Paul Barnett – $5.99

Now My Eyes Have Seen You: Images of Creation and Evil in the Book of Job by Robert Fyall – $5.99

Thanksgiving: An Investigation of a Pauline Theme by David Pat – $5.99

Hearing God’s Words: Exploring Biblical Spirituality by Peter Adam – $5.99

God the Peacemaker: How Atonement Brings Shalom by Graham Cole – $5.99

A Mouth Full of Fire: The Word of God in the Words of Jeremiah by Andrew Shead – $6.99

The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus: Luke’s Account of God’s Unfolding Plan by Alan Thompson – $5.99

Paul and the Law: Keeping the Commandments of God by Brian Rosner – $5.99

Dominion and Dynasty: A Theology of the Hebrew Bible by Stephen Dempster – $5.99

A Little Book for New Theologians: Why and How to Study Theology Kelly Kapic – $3.99

A Little Book for New Scientists: Why and How to Study Science by Josh Reynolds & Steve Donaldson – $3.99

A Little Book for New Philosophers: Why and How to Study Philosophy by Paul Copan – $3.99

A Little Book for New Bible Scholars by E. Randolph Richards & Joseph Dodson – $3.99

A Little Book for New Historians: Why and How to Study History by Robert Tracy McKenzie – $3.99

A Little Book for New Preachers: Why and How to Study Homiletics by Matthew D. Kim – $3.99

MY BOOKS:

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99

Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99

The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99

Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99

The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99

All links are Amazon Affiliate links.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 28, 2026 05:20

April 27, 2026

Nothing More for Heaven Now to Give

[image error]Adlan on Unsplash" data-large-file="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." class="size-large wp-image-71006" src="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1024w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 300w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 768w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1536w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 2048w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Adlan on Unsplash

1 Timothy 1:15


The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.


 


Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me


What gift of grace is Jesus, my Redeemer


There is no more for Heaven now to give


He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom


My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace


There’s a certain kind of person in this world who combines cynicism with pedantry, a particular kind of nitpicky contrarian. I am one of these people. This means that when I see a lyric like “There is no more for Heaven now to give” my instinct is to find all the exceptions. It is, after all, statement of superlatives and totality–heaven could not give more. Really? Nothing?

Really, nothing. When Jesus “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant . . . And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:7-8) he was the most that our Father in Heaven could give. He is the fulfillment of all promises. He is the resolution to all evil. He is salvation for all sinners who simply believe. He is our ongoing advocate and intercessor, bringing us close to our Father. And Jesus is the superlative who gently and inexorably smothers cynicism in love and beauty.

I originally wrote this post for my church, Immanuel Nashville, in our Daily Pulse email. If you want encouragement from God’s word delivered Monday thru Friday to your inbox, I encourage you to subscribe.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 27, 2026 04:49

Kindle Deals for April 27

[image error]Adryanto Suryo on Unsplash" data-large-file="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." class="size-large wp-image-70983" src="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." alt="" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1024w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 300w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 768w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1536w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 2048w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Adryanto Suryo on UnsplashSome Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:

To the Tenth Generation: God’s Heart for Your Family, Far into the Future by Ray and Jani Ortlund – $4.99

Version 1.0.0

On Living Well: Brief Reflections on Wisdom for Walking in the Way of Jesus by Eugene Peterson – $4.99

This Hallelujah Banquet: How the End of What We Were Reveals Who We Can Be by Eugene Peterson – $5.99

Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy Alcorn – $2.99

Genius of Generosity: Lessons From a Secret Pact Between Two Friends by Chip Ingram – $3.99

The Church: The Gospel Made Visible by Mark Dever – $4.99

Home with God: Our Union with Christ by Kyle Worley – $4.99

Unfolding Redemption: The Heart of the Gospel in the Story of Old Testament History by Ian Vaillancourt – $5.99

Lions of the West: Heroes and Villains of the Westward Expansion by Robert Morgan – $2.99

Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon–And the Journey of a Generation by Sheila Weller – $1.99

Wiseguys and the White House: Gangsters, Presidents, and the Deals They Made – An Authoritative Exposé of the Mob’s Secret Influence on American Political Power by Eric Dezenhall – $1.99

The Statesman and the Storyteller: John Hay, Mark Twain, and the Rise of American Imperialism by Mark Zwonitzer – $3.99

The Black Calhouns: From Civil War to Civil Rights with One African American Family by Gail Lumet Buckley – $2.99

Jack and Lem: John F. Kennedy and Lem Billings: The Untold Story of an Extraordinary Friendship by David Pitts – $2.99

Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber, and the Invention of Criminal Profiling by Michael Cannell – $2.99

Inferno: The True Story of a B-17 Gunner’s Heroism and the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History by Joe Pappalardo – $2.99

Lincoln & Churchill: Statesmen at War by Lewis Lehrman – $3.99

MY BOOKS:

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99

Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99

The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99

Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99

The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99

All links are Amazon Affiliate links.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 27, 2026 04:42

April 24, 2026

3 Things I Like This Week – April 24

Photo by Igor Kazantsev on Unsplash

Each week (give or take one or two here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.

1) Nashville Cars ‘n Coffee

I am not a “car guy” in the proper sense of the term. I don’t know engines. I don’t really know one year’s model from another by distinct features. I can barely drive a manual. But I love a good car show. I love the designs, the artfulness, the craftsmanship, the creativity. I love the variety of people who come out to enjoy a car show–young, old, blue collar, white collar, urban, rural, men, women. Once a month, usually on the first Saturday of the month, there is an event at the Nashville Motor Speedway called “Nashville Cars ‘n Coffee.” In the warmer months, it is massive–hundreds of cars from classics to modern, impeccably restored to wildly tricked out. There are food trucks (and of course coffee trucks) vendors, and anything a proper gear head or a casual enjoyer would appreciate. And it is completely free and family friendly. It is a really good time. And I think they do events like this in other cities around the country too, so check your area to see.

2) The Work of the Pastor by William Still Version 1.0.0

One of the primary responsibilities and emphases of a good pastor is to ensure that his soul is being fed and nourished. There are stretches and seasons of ministry where this is particularly challenging because of the kinds or quantity of demands placed on him. Recent weeks have felt like this for me, and I reached a point where I needed encouragement and refreshment. On somewhat of a whim I grabbed this little book. You might not think it screams “encouragement” with a title like that, but the foreword by Sinclair Ferguson states, “While there is much practical wisdom to be found in these pages, The Work of the Pastor is not a book to turn to primarily to learn the nuts and bolts of ‘how to be a minister. Other fine books perform that service admirably. Rather this is an inspirational, not an instructional book. It throbs with a passion to keep the central things central. It takes us to the heartbeat rather than the hand actions of pastoral life. It belongs to that smaller category of books on the work of the ministry that stir the affections, challenge the motivations, and produce a change in the affections.” In the portion I have read thus far I have found this to be entirely and wonderfully accurate, and I am very thankful for this book and for the timing in which I found it.

 

3) Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker

People of a certain age will be familiar with this classic SNL skit. People of a certain disposition will be able to quote it in its entirety and likely sneak quotes from it into every day conversation. It is Chris Farley at his best from maybe the best era of Saturday Night Live. I never fail to laugh at this. (This post brought to you by the friend of mine who casually mentioned in a meeting this week that his family received portions of government cheese when he was a child.)

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 24, 2026 06:23

Kindle Deals for April 24

[image error]@felirbe on Unsplash" data-large-file="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." class="size-large wp-image-70631" src="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." alt="" width="1024" height="684" srcset="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1024w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 300w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 768w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1536w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 2048w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by @felirbe on UnsplashSome Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:

Upon Waking: 60 Daily Reflections to Discover Ourselves and the God We Were Made For by Jackie Hill Perry – $4.99

Holier Than Thou: How God’s Holiness Helps Us Trust Him by Jackie Hill Perry – $4.99

Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life by Tish Harrison Warren – $4.99

Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep by Tish Harrison Warren – $4.99

Life Together in Christ: Experiencing Transformation in Community by Ruth Haley Barton – $4.99

The Sacredness of Secular Work: 4 Ways Your Job Matters for Eternity by Jordan Raynor – $1.99

Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart: How to Know for Sure You Are Saved by J.D. Greear – $4.99

Pistol: A Biography of Pete Maravich by Mark Kriegel – $1.99

Letters to a Young Athlete by Chris Bosh – $1.99

Cobb: A Biography by Al Stump – $2.99

House of Nails: A Memoir of Life on the Edge by Lenny Dykstra – $2.99

Pudge: The Biography of Carlton Fisk by Doug Wilson – $2.99

Smokin’ Joe: The Life of Joe Frazier by Mark Kram – $3.99

Ghosts of Manila: The Fateful Blood Feud Between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier by Mark Kram – $2.99

Ninety Percent Mental: An All-Star Player Turned Mental Skills Coach Reveals the Hidden Game of Baseball by Bob Tewksbury – $2.99

Pedro by Pedro Martinez – $2.99

Papi: My Story by David Ortiz – $2.99

Red and Me: My Coach, My Lifelong Friend by Bill Russell – $2.99

The Glory Game: How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever by Frank Gifford – $2.99

Joe Louis by Randy Robeerts – $2.99

Four Days to Glory: Wrestling with the Soul of the American Heartland by Mark Kreidler – $2.99

Going the Other Way: An Intimate Memoir of Life In and Out of Major League Baseball by Billy Bean – $2.99

A Fire to Win: The Life and Times of Woody Hayes by John Lombardo – $2.99

The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World by John Carlos – $2.99

Belichick and Brady: Two Men, the Patriots, and How They Revolutionized Football by Michael Holley – $2.99

The Kids Got It Right: How the Texas All-Stars Kicked Down Racial Walls by Jim Dent – $2.99

Lou Gehrig: Pride of the Yankees by Paul Gallico – $1.99

Hang Time: My Life in Basketball by Elgin Baylor – $2.99

Playing with the Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War, and a Field of Broken Dreams by Gary Moore – $2.99

The Soul of Basketball: The Epic Showdown Between LeBron, Kobe, Doc, and Dirk That Saved the NBA by Ian Thomsen – $2.99

MY BOOKS:

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99

Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99

The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99

Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99

The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99

All links are Amazon Affiliate links.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 24, 2026 05:16

April 23, 2026

Kindle Deals for April 23

[image error]@felirbe on Unsplash" data-large-file="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." class="size-large wp-image-70631" src="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." alt="" width="1024" height="684" srcset="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1024w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 300w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 768w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1536w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 2048w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by @felirbe on UnsplashSome Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:

Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus by J. Mack Stiles – $3.99

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever – $3.99

Care: Loving Your Church by Walking through Life Together by Dwayne Bond – $3.99

Safe and Sound: Standing Firm in Spiritual Battles by David Powlison – $2.99

Essential Christianity: The Transforming Power of the Gospel in Ten Simple Words by J.D. Greear – $2.99

Joy: Happiness of the Heart: 7-Session Bible Study by Anne Woodcock – $3.99

Love Your Enemies: Jesus’ Love Command in the Synoptic Gospels and the Early Christian Paraenesis by John Piper – $2.99

Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor with the Gospel by A.S. Ibrahim – $3.99

Something Needs to Change: An Urgent Call to Make Your Life Count by David Platt – $1.99

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt – $1.99

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown – $1.99

Stalin: Waiting for Hitler, 1929-1941 by Stephen Kotkin – $2.99

Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick – $1.99

Jack London: A Life by Alex Kershaw – $2.99

Shackleton: By Endurance We Conquer by Michael Smith – $.99

Elizabeth & Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters by Andrew Morton – $1.99

The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty by Valerie Bauerlein – $1.99

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, death, and hope in a Mumbai undercity by Katherine Boo – $1.99

The Great Crash 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith – $3.99

The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State by Nadia Murad – $1.99

MY BOOKS:

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99

Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99

The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99

Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99

The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99

All links are Amazon Affiliate links.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 23, 2026 05:36

April 22, 2026

Gospel Sanity in this Insane World

[image error]Nathaniel Shuman on Unsplash" data-large-file="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." class="size-large wp-image-70877" src="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." alt="" width="1024" height="819" srcset="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1024w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 300w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 768w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1536w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 2048w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Nathaniel Shuman on Unsplash

One of my ministerial and theological pet peeves is when Christians, especially pastors, respond to contentious societal issues with a glib “that’s a gospel issue.” I’ve seen this response offered to racial disputes, political disputes, and just about every other kind of controversy that threatens to divide the church. While I suspect that the intent of this response is to acknowledge the underlying sinful and broken realities that cause these controversies, the impression it gives is that of shrugging off real-world pain and responsibilities with a pat answer. This response actually seems to make the gospel appear less relevant and practical in difficult real-world scenarios.

This response is frustrating because the gospel of Jesus is being used as a “get out of controversy free” card by Christians who don’t want to delve into the complexities of human experience and conflict. Beyond this frustration, flippantly referencing “the gospel” is infuriating because by doing so, people obscure the reality that the gospel of Jesus does, in fact, apply to every situation in deep, meaningful, personal ways. The gospel is not a “blah” blanket to throw over every contentious issue. But rather the means by which Christians can sanely, lovingly, calmly navigate them.

When I say that the gospel applies deeply and personally to every situation, I mean more than just that every person needs to be saved by Jesus, although this is true. D.A. Carson wrote about the gospel and its “entailments,” explaining that the gospel itself is the good news of salvation through the accomplishments of Christ, and the entailments of the gospel are the tendrils of good that come about because of the gospel. So, the gospel applies to every contentious, painful, and complicated societal and personal issue through its entailments—the working of justice, loving our neighbors, being made whole, finding peace, etc.

This means that the gospel and its entailments are our very grounds for sanity as we navigate a world of upheaval. How is this so?

The Insane World

Consider those things that so often leave us confused, overwhelmed, and utterly helpless.

Political crisis, division, and vitriolGender and sexuality confusion, loss of ethicsA general abandonment of virtue and moralsGlobal conflict and warsInjustice and the celebration of evilFailing and falling church leadersPersonal betrayalFamily dysfunction and pain

All of these can easily lead us to anxiety, fear, rage, and helplessness. All of these can become objects of our fixation, dominating our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. All of these can even distract us from our true calling as pastors, to preach the gospel of Jesus and to shepherd his flock. Instead, though, we can turn to the gospel and its entailments to find ballast for our hearts and minds—to find sanity.

The Gospel’s Connectivity and Applicability

The gospel (and its entailments, but for brevity I am just going to say “the gospel”) provides personal sanity when we feel unmoored, upside down, tossed, and attacked. It tells us who we are in Christ—sons and heirs, deeply loved, sealed by the Holy Spirit. It reminds us that we are image bearers of God and emissaries for His kingdom. And it gives us a moral and ethical plumb line against which we can measure our hearts and actions.

The gospel provides corporate sanity for the church (so long as pastors boldly and clearly proclaim it) by reminding us that we are the family of God, adopted children. In fact, the church is an entailment of the gospel—God’s designed and designated institution to bring His good news to the world and represent Jesus in the world. And the gospel reminds us that Christ is our Great Shepherd, so we follow and depend on Him and Him alone.

And the gospel provides sanity for believers in a broader global and societal context, too. When we look around a world seemingly intent on tearing itself apart and glorifying evil, how can we not be overwhelmed and perplexed? But we remember 2 Corinthians 4:7-10:

Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body.

The gospel is our treasure and our sanity. It reminds us that Jesus will return to judge and to usher in His perfect kingdom once and for all. It reminds us that vengeance is the Lord’s, so every injustice and evil will receive its just due. And it reminds us that Jesus will make all things new. So, the gospel gives us hope as we navigate a fallen and tumultuous world.

These are not mantras we remember and recite. Nor is the promise of the gospel and its entailments some insubstantial positivity, some mere perspective shift. The gospel creates the reality in which we live and minister as calm, happy, peaceful, firm people of God. The gospel is the rock on which we stand as the waves of the world’s tempest break against it. In the world, “sanity” looks like self-dependence and unfettered emotive response to every problem. In Christ, sanity is strong faith, serene hearts, and bold proclamation of His gospel to a world that needs true sanity.

This article was originally published at NewChurches.com .

Subscribe now

 

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 22, 2026 05:43

Kindle Deals for April 22

[image error]@felirbe on Unsplash" data-large-file="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." class="size-large wp-image-70631" src="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." alt="" width="1024" height="684" srcset="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1024w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 300w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 768w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1536w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 2048w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by @felirbe on UnsplashSome Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:

The Cross of Christ by John Stott – $7.99

The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling by John Stott – $3.99

Why I Am a Christian by John Stott – $3.99

Escape from Reason: A Penetrating Analysis of Trends in Modern Thought by Francis Schaeffer – $3.99

We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry by G.K. Beale – $7.99

You Are a Theologian: An Invitation to Know and Love God Well by Jen Wilkin and J.T. English – $4.99

Spiritual Warfare in the Storyline of Scripture: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach by William Cook & Chuck Lawless – $4.99

Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and Why They Matter by Thomas R. Schreiner – $4.99

Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton (With Annotations and Guided Reading by Trevin Wax) – $4.99

Jesus the King: Understanding the Life and Death of the Son of God by Tim Keller – $6.99

Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit: Growing in Christlikeness by Christopher J.H. Wright – $3.99

Man: The Dwelling Place of God: What it Means to Have Christ Living in You by A.W. Tozer – $1.99

Fool’s Talk: Recovering the Art of Christian Persuasion by Os Guinness – $5.99

Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times by Os Guinness – $4.99

Understanding Spiritual Warfare: A Comprehensive Guide by Sam Storms – $1.99

Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide by Sam Storms – $1.99

The Thrill of Orthodoxy: Rediscovering the Adventure of Christian Faith by Trevin Wax – $5.99

MY BOOKS:

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99

Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99

The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99

Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99

The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99

All links are Amazon Affiliate links.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 22, 2026 05:36

April 21, 2026

Kindle Deals for April 21

[image error]@felirbe on Unsplash" data-large-file="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." class="size-large wp-image-70631" src="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/..." alt="" width="1024" height="684" srcset="https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1024w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 300w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 768w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 1536w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 2048w, https://barnabaspiper.com/wp-content/... 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by @felirbe on UnsplashSome Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:The Bible Speaks Today Commentaries: Old Testament

The Message of Genesis 1–11 by David Atkinson – $4.99

The Message of Genesis 12–50 by Joyce G. Baldwin – $4.99

The Message of Exodus by J. Alec Motyer – $6.99

The Message of Leviticus by Derek Tidball – $6.99

The Message of Numbers by Raymond Brown – $6.99

The Message of Deuteronomy by Raymond Brown – $6.99

The Message of Joshua by David Firth – $5.99

The Message of Judges by Michael Wilcock – $4.99

The Message of Ruth by David Atkinson – $4.99

The Message of Samuel by Mary J. Evans – $5.99

The Message of Kings by John W. Olley – $6.99

The Message of Chronicles by Michael Wilcock – $5.99

The Message of Ezra & Haggai by Robert Fyall – $4.99

The Message of Nehemiah by Raymond Brown – $5.99

The Message of Esther by David G. Firth – $4.99

The Message of Job by David J. Atkinson – $4.99

The Message of Psalms 1–72 by Michael Wilcock – $5.99

The Message of Psalms 73–150 by Michael Wilcock – $5.99

The Message of Proverbs by David J. Atkinson – $4.99

The Message of Ecclesiastes by Derek Kidner – $4.99

The Message of the Song of Songs by Tom Gledhill – $5.99

The Message of Isaiah by Barry G. Webb – $5.99

The Message of Jeremiah by Christopher J.H. Wright – $6.99

The Message of Lamentations by Christopher J.H. Wright – $4.99

The Message of Ezekiel by Christopher J.H. Wright – $6.99

The Message of Daniel by Dale Ralph Davis – $4.99

The Message of Hosea by Derek Kidner – $4.99

The Message of Joel, Micah & Habakkuk by David Prior – $5.99

The Message of Amos by J. Alec Motyer – $4.99

The Message of Obadiah, Nahum & Zephaniah by Gordon Bridger – $6.99

The Message of Jonah by Rosemary Nixon – $5.99

The Message of Zechariah by Barry G. Webb – $4.99

The Message of Malachi by Peter Adam – $4.99

The Bible Speaks Today: New Testament

The Message of the Sermon on the Mount by John Stott – $5.99

The Message of Matthew by E. Michael Green – $6.99

The Message of Mark by Donald English – $5.99

The Message of Luke by Michael Wilcock – $5.99

The Message of John by Bruce Milne – $6.99

The Message of Acts by John Stott – $6.99

The Message of Romans by John Stott – $6.99

The Message of 1 Corinthians by David Prior – $6.99

The Message of 2 Corinthians by Paul Barnett – $4.99

The Message of Galatians by John Stott – $5.99

The Message of Ephesians by John Stott – $6.99

The Message of Philippians by J. Alec Motyer – $5.99

The Message of Colossians & Philemon by Dick Lucas – $4.99

The Message of 1 & 2 Thessalonians by John Stott – $5.99

The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus by John Stott – $5.99

The Message of 2 Timothy by John Stott – $4.99

The Message of Hebrews by Raymond Brown – $6.99

The Message of James by J. Alec Motyer – $4.99

The Message of 1 Peter by Edmund P. Clowney – $5.99

The Message of 2 Peter & Jude by Dick Lucas & Christopher Green – $5.99

The Message of John’s Letters by David Jackman – $4.99

The Message of Revelation by Michael Wilcock – $5.99

MY BOOKS:

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99

Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99

The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99

Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99

The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99

All links are Amazon Affiliate links.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on April 21, 2026 04:40