Foundations for Lifelong Learning: Education in Serious Joy

by John Piper

John Piper Offers 6 Habits to Spur a Lifetime of Wisdom and Wonder for the Glory of Christ 

Humans are hardwired to learn. We immerse ourselves in stories, observe the intricacies of the world, and seek educational opportunities. But lifelong learning is far more than acquiring information or completing a degree. It is a happy quest informing the habits of our minds and the affections of our hearts. And for the Christian, the goal is richer and deeper joy, to the glory of God and the eternal good of others.

In Foundations for Lifelong Learning, longtime pastor John Piper casts Christian education as the process of growing in our ability to navigate God’s word and world. Piper introduces readers to 6 vital habits—observe accurately, understand clearly, evaluate fairly, feel appropriately, apply wisely, and express compellingly. Ultimately readers will be encouraged to find Christ in and above all things—seriously and joyfully glorifying God, no matter their vocational calling. 

Appeals to Students and  Explores 6 habits to inspire a lifetime of learning, wisdom, and wonder  Offers a Biblical  Teaches how lifelong learning ultimately connect to God, his word, and our world   Explains how one’s vocation, degree, and monetary success are not always representations of quality lifelong learning  Written by John  Author of Don’t Waste Your Life; Come, Lord Jesus; Desiring God; and Providence

Genres: Christian Living, Theology, Christian, Education, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian Non Fiction

193 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2023

About the author

John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as senior pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.), and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years, he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem.

John is the author of more than 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Collin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Piper. What I observed in this book, I have seen clearly in the ministry of Piper and co. and I am thankful for that authenticity.

That being said, nothing completely new here but very insightful and reaffirming. I really appreciated the explanation of the 6 different habits of heart and mind that he saturates with biblical text.

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foundations for Lifelong Learning: Education in Serious Joy is designed for Christian readers who love growing spiritually. “This book,” according to the author, John Piper, “is for anyone at any age, who refuses to stagnate intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally.”

Anyone familiar with Dr. Piper’s writings will quickly recognize the emphasis on joy. And while some are quick to belittle his passion for joy, their critiques fall flat in seconds. Piper points readers to the glory of Christ and shows the tie-in with Christian education. He writes, “That is the deepest foundation in serious joy: all things were made by Christ, belong to Christ, and exist for Christ … Therefore joy, serious joy, is at the heart of Christ-exalting education.”

The book is arranged into six short chapters that emphasize lifelong learning for Christ’s glory and revolve around six habits of heart and mind. Readers are challenged:

to observe the world and the word accurately and thoroughly

to understand clearly what we have observed

to evaluate fairly what we have understood by discerning what is true and valuable

to feel with proper intensity the worth, or futility, of what we have evaluated

to apply wisely and helpfully in life what we understand and feel

to express in speech and writing and deeds what we have observed, understood, evaluated, felt, and applied in a way that glorifies the Lord

Dr. Piper carefully unpacks the six habits and helps Christians see how lifelong learning has an ultimate end, namely, glorifying Christ.

In some ways, Foundations for Lifelong Learning is a follow-up to the author’s 2010 book, Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God. Each book makes a solid contribution to an area that has been neglected by many Christians. My hope is that Piper’s newest release will serve as a catalyst for many people and catapult them into the stratosphere of lifelong learning.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second time through, this time for a seminar on pedagogy at Bethlehem College. I really love our Chancellor's philosophy of education and have benefited deeply from implementing these habits in my own heart and mind. A side benefit to these is that they will greatly improve your mental health by providing you with the tools to evaluate your own thoughts and take them captive to Christ.

[Rachel {bibliopals} · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Go through with kiddos during highschool

[Ben Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed to the rafters with biblical references, as is the case with anything from Piper. I resonate the most with his approach to writing, it seems. Helpful, especially in emphasizing the clear God-intended nature of being a person who never stops learning as we go through life. Piper breaks things into six stages but they all flow and interact with one another as so much of the Christian life is wont to do: Observe, Understand, Evaluate, Feel, Apply, and Express. I was particularly impacted by the call to observe thoroughly and rightly. I lean towards speed and surface-level assumptions far too often.

[Mark E. Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than a 4 but less than a 5. A great book nevertheless!

[Aiden Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book overall and I will definitely use what I learned. Felt a little repetitive at times. Great explanation of learning and the reason for it from a biblical perspective.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great read. You can tell Piper truly cares about the subject matter by the way he writes. My only criticism is that l fail to see how this system of learning can be applied in a specific manner. This could be a fault in myself however. 8.5/10

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I approached John Piper's Foundations for Lifelong Learning: Education in Serious Joy with relatively low expectations, but it surprised me. The book proved to be quite helpful, offering a systematic approach to learning as a Christian. Piper outlines how to develop a proper Christian worldview and how to process truth and the world around us in a way that honors God. His categories are thoughtful and insightful, serving as a helpful framework for intentional learning.

That said, I did have one major critique. Chapter 5, which focuses on application, felt rushed. While it is supposed to deal with applying truth, it seemed more focused on disciplines than on application itself. Someone with greater insight could better explain what Piper was trying to communicate, but I found this section unclear and less compelling than the rest of the book.

Despite this, I would recommend the book to anyone entering a season where they are seeking to learn deeply and intentionally. Much of what Piper presents in this book resonates with ideas I’ve encountered through different experiences and resources. Though he doesn’t explicitly state this, his overall approach to learning is similar to the principles of proper hermeneutics, which made the content feel familiar and fresh.

In summary, this is an excellent resource for believers seeking to sharpen their ability to learn and grow in truth. While it has some weaknesses, it is a thought-provoking and practical book that I believe many would benefit from reading.

[Christopher Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Piper always writes with a passionate heart that desires to glorify God in all things, and as a lifelong learner himself, Piper sets forth a philosophy of education for the child of God. This book is full of practical and winsome insights on what it means to be truly educated to the glory of God. To accomplish this, Piper discusses the disciplines of observation, understanding,evaluation, feeling, application, and expression.

This is a big picture book, and it is a roadmap for parents, teachers, Christian educators, and lifelong learners of every age. Piper, as he always does, relates the topics at hand to the glory of God and the joy of God’s children as we learn to appreciate the world that God has made, and as we discern our role in this world, in family, in church, and in community. This is not a “how to” book; rather, it is a helpful set of guideposts along the educational highway.

This book is worthwhile for any student of any age to take stock of all that God has for us in this life and the next. I highly commend it for your review. Happy reading!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book to remind myself the importance of continual learning. That even in the midst of information and knowledge that I am well aware of, the reminder of Agassiz and the fish would humble to realize that even the simplest truths of God have infinite layers that have yet to be explored.

[Hernan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I will go back to again and again.

[Ruthie Planamenta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very solid reminders, and the first few chapters had excellent points! But he lost me in the Feelings chapter and never quite got me back…

[Ben Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful on the whole, but it’s a lot of material you would come across in his other books

[Ryan Elkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Piper with Bible saturated wisdom to help Christians be lifelong learners for God’s glory and service to others.

[Madeline Cooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just felt that this was difficult to read.

[Eve Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning.

Here are some of my notes I took from listening to the book:

How shall I grow in my capacity to feel the joy of God and difficult circumstances in my life?
-Realize that the gift of joy and every other spiritual affection is a gift of God that we don’t deserve
-Joy must be fought for relentlessly which is not a contradiction of the first point
-resolve to attack all known sin in your life
-learn the secret of gutsy guilt (how to fight for joy like a justified sinner)
-realize that the fight is primarily to see God for who he is
-meditate daily on the Word of God
-pray often and earnestly for open heart eyes, and a heart that inclines to God
-learn to preach the gospel to yourself rather than listen to yourself
-Spend time with God saturated people who help you see God and fight for joy
-be patient in the night of God’s seeming absence
-Get the rest, exercise and proper diet that God designed your body to have
-make use of God’s revelation in nature
-read great books about God and biographies of faithful Christians
-put what you know into the practice for the good of others
-get a global vision for the cost of Christ and pull yourself out for the cause of Christ

God truly is my treasure and the end of my quest

God is most glorified when I am most satisfied in Him

The hope of heaven in the present is in the form of joy and because of this joy I am enabled to love those who persecute me

Pray for discernment- few things are clearer than that God has designed prayer as the way he gives discernment for application of knowledge

My speech should not be bland and tasteless, just like salt makes food more enjoyable, the goal should be to make our words effective

The cross is destructive of human pride

Does my choice of words humble me and exalt Christ? This is the lens I should look through every choice of my wording.

James Denny once said “no man can give the impression that he himself is clever and that Christ is mighty to save”

Effective listeners make tactless speakers

[Aubrey Dew · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5


“Foundations for Lifelong Learning: Education in Serious Joy” by John Piper

I thought that this would be a helpful book to read before I start college in the fall, but this was an insightful book about learning at any age, and for all aspects of life. John Piper thoroughly explains the Christian education philosophy, ultimately pointing to the fact that because God gave us minds to learn about Him and the world around us, we can glorify God in our lifelong learning.

Piper divides the Christian lifelong learning philosophy into six habits that will produce fruitful education:
To observe the world closely and accurately
To understand what has been observed
To evaluate what has been understood– is this true, good, right?
To feel what we have evaluated to become emotionally healthy and mature
To apply what we have understood and felt with wisdom
And to express what has been learned in speech and writing in an accurate and helpful way

I appreciated so many points in the book and felt challenged to become educated and to educate in a way that glorifies God.

Piper popularized the term “Christian hedonism” and mentioned that in this book. I disagree with Piper’s use of the word hedonism, yet the paragraph he used it in was good and true. I have had many conversations about Piper’s use of Christian hedonism and I believe that it is an inaccurate way to describe God and our satisfaction in Him + what He has created.

“Lifelong learning, in a Christian worldview, is lifelong living– biblical living. True education is not an add-on to faithful Christian living. It is what we do, because of who God is and what he made us to be.”

[Milinda Yount · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book that hits the spot on the way I love God's word and God's world and reading and learning in general. The author refers several times to the classic "How to Read a book" by Mortimer Adler and also to C. S. Lewis. Here are a couple of passages that I highlighted in my book that my reader friends may appreciate:

"All fruitful reading is thinking. Passive reading does not usually yield understanding. Active reading means thinking about what we read--that is, the intentional effort to fit the words and phrases and propositions and paragraphs together so that they lead us to a valid grasp of what the author is trying to communicate."

"One of the implications of this for lifelong learning is that we should regularly be reading books that are beyond what we already understand."

"We agree with the late David Powlison when he explained why he loved the great novels and histories: 'Because you learn about people. You gain a feel for human experience. You come to understand riches and nuances that you could never understand just from knowing the circle of people you happen to know.' "

Also fyi, John Piper shares many of his books in pdf form for free on his website DesiringGod.org and this book is there to download. I purchased this at a bookstore visit while on vacation and happy to have it for my shelf.

[Alyssa Bohon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course, it's more classic Piper. I probably would have been more struck with its excellence if I hadn't read so many of his books already. (As he once said himself - "I say the same thing in all my books") Sometimes, in the earlier chapters, it was almost too familiar to hold my attention, and I had to make myself tune back in.

But that doesn't diminish the objective fact that this is a really good book that exemplifies the kind of clear and true communication he aims to teach. It's not very long, and would be a good annual refresher for any Christian parent, student, or teacher preparing for another school year. Lots of Scripture - and the appended story of Aggasiz and the fish!

"One way to set the habits of the heart and mind in a biblical framework is to look at Philippians 1:9: 'It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment.' The aim is love, and the means is knowledge and discernment. What we have tried to show is that the habits of application and expression correspond to love for people. And the habits of observation and understanding correspond to knowledge and discernment. The link between the two is God's supernatural answer to prayer in a transformed heart."

[Aidan Detienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had received this book from the recruitment team from Bethlehem College and Seminary. They sent it after some conversations on my interest in applying to their MDiv program.

Perhaps this book serves as a "sneak peek" for what the education at Bethlehem will equip you with in detail, leaving the reader hungry to learn more. Nothing in the book greatly changed my perspective. Yet, I did find the chapter on observation very compelling to read (especially after reading the story in the final chapter about the student and the fish). The idea of observing something for great periods of time take a tremendous amount of focus and discipline that many don't possess in this day and age. But the depth that his can produce is awe-inspiring. What could this do for my faith if I were to observe the character or actions of God in this way?

[David West · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a number of books on Christian education and this one stands out among them. Rather than an attack on public education, or an argument against humanism in the education system, Piper gives a positive program of what Christian education should aim for and the 6 main components of such an education. Piper is doggedly Biblical and that is one of the book's strengths. Also, many books on Christian education make a case for classical education. Piper avoids that discussion. Though much is commendable in the classical model of education, a truly Biblical model must apply to those living in non-western societies and to those who lived before the core texts of the classical curriculum were penned.

[Luke Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. The Christian life should be married to a great burning desire for knowledge and growth in wisdom for the purpose of God’s greater glory and our abounding joy. He lays out 6 foundational habits of Biblical learning: Observation, Understanding, Evaluation, Feeling, Application, and Expression. He dives into each habit explaining how they’re all connected and ultimately lead us to a more grounded and Biblical way of living. Fantastic read, I’ll probably come back to it yearly.

[Andrew Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so thankful for Piper and his continuing ministry, specifically through his clear, concise and creative writing.

This works connected so many dots for me and will be a framework that I live by and teach for the rest of my life. Piper exposits what biblical lifelong learning should look like through six different habits of mind and heart all rooted in the serious joy of Christian hedonism.

Love Bethlehem College’s motto, “the Great Books in light of the Greatest Book for the sake of the Great Commission.”

[Tommy Wahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

- We observe because that’s why God gave us physical and spiritual senses
- We understand because that’s why God gave us minds
- We evaluate because God revealed himself as the measure of all true worth
- We feel because that’s why God gave us hearts and emotions
- We apply and express because God calls us to love

“These are foundations of life long learning and foundations of living itself.”

Romans 11:36

[hannah cottrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

|| 4 ⭐️ ||

God has given us His Word as well as a vast world to explore throughout our lifetime. This is a wonderful handbook for navigating all the information our senses come across on a daily basis, teaching us how to fully and rightly observe, analyze and learn from them so that we may respond in a way that glorifies God. This book renews my excitement for a life filled with learning of many kinds.

[Reily Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have often heard that John Piper’s books are simply his most famous work, “Desiring God” repackaged over and over. While I am sure there is some truth that his life’s thesis is prevalent throughout his works, I think his writing has only continued to improve over the years and I didn’t get the sense that this was another version of DG.

I enjoyed this work and I felt recharged by some of the insights gained from this book!

[Flavia Bastos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book immediately caught my attention since I’m always looking for ways to “learn better.” It certainly delivers on that promise, offering very practical strategies to improve learning.

But to my surprise, it goes far beyond that. I’d even say it provides an excellent blueprint for developing critical thinking. I really enjoyed this book and only wish I had discovered it sooner. I plan to revisit it, as its core ideas are habits worth practicing and refining over time.

[Cole Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follows six steps that make up a logical flow of learning: observation, understanding, evaluating, feeling, application, and expression. Each of them important to the whole of Christian life and the task of love. Piper floods each section with Scripture and connects often to his Christian Hedonist framework.

[Nate Cure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christians are people of the Bible, the book of nature, and the great books of history. This book is a concise effort to compel Christians to be good readers of books and the world we live in. I'd highly recommend it to schools, homeschooling parents, churches, and anyone who wants to continue to grow beyond a diploma or degree.