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27 Servants of Sovereign Joy: Faithful, Flawed, and Fruitful
From Bestselling Author John 27 Biographies of Notable Figures from Church History, including Augustine, John Calvin, and Martin Luther Throughout church history, the faithful ministries of Christian leaders―though full of struggle, sin, and weakness―have magnified the worth and majesty of God. Their lives and teachings are still profoundly relevant. Their voices live on in the stories we read and tell today. In this book, John Piper celebrates the lives of 27 such leaders from church history, offering a close look at their perseverance amidst opposition, weakness, and suffering. Let the resilience of these faithful but flawed saints inspire you toward a life of Christ-exalting courage, passion, and joy.
1024 pages, Hardcover
Published September 20, 2022
93 people are currently reading
342 people want to read
About the author
John Piper
609 books4,638 followersJohn 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 13, 2026
Read the other 6 servants of sovereign joy. It’s like Piper has mastered the art of pastoral biography. I finish reading encouraged, sobered, and sometimes warned. It was special to read Piper’s bio on his dad on the day my dad was supposed to be 64 years old. Praise God for ordinary servants of God.
I love the lesson he draws from Fuller’s life:
“We should learn the vital link between the doctrinal faithfulness of the church and the cause of world missions. The main impulse of our day is in the other direction. Everywhere you turn there is pressure to believe that missions depends on not disputing about doctrine.
As soon as you engage another professing Christian in controversy over some biblical issue, the cry will go up, ‘Stop wasting your time and be about missions.’ What we learn from Fuller is that those cries are, at best, historically naive and, at worst, a smoke screen for the uninhibited spread of error.
One crucial lesson from Andrew Fuller's life is that the exegetical and doctrinal defense of true justifying faith and true gospel preaching in the end did not hinder but advanced the greatest missionary movement in world history. Getting Christian experience biblically right and getting the gospel biblically right are essential for the power and perseverance and fruitfulness of world missions” (883).
Reading about McCheyne’s 29 years of life will make any young Christian think hard about their future (887).
Not sure how I feel about Piper’s thoughts on Christianity having a masculine feel from Ryle’s life though he explains himself (906-7).
I love Piper’s honesty about what might be his wishful thinking about Edward’s sin of owning slaves (970).
I appreciate Piper’s deep engagement with Lloyd-Jones’ doctrine on the baptism of the Holy Spirit with valid pushback (992).
I love the lesson he draws from Fuller’s life:
“We should learn the vital link between the doctrinal faithfulness of the church and the cause of world missions. The main impulse of our day is in the other direction. Everywhere you turn there is pressure to believe that missions depends on not disputing about doctrine.
As soon as you engage another professing Christian in controversy over some biblical issue, the cry will go up, ‘Stop wasting your time and be about missions.’ What we learn from Fuller is that those cries are, at best, historically naive and, at worst, a smoke screen for the uninhibited spread of error.
One crucial lesson from Andrew Fuller's life is that the exegetical and doctrinal defense of true justifying faith and true gospel preaching in the end did not hinder but advanced the greatest missionary movement in world history. Getting Christian experience biblically right and getting the gospel biblically right are essential for the power and perseverance and fruitfulness of world missions” (883).
Reading about McCheyne’s 29 years of life will make any young Christian think hard about their future (887).
Not sure how I feel about Piper’s thoughts on Christianity having a masculine feel from Ryle’s life though he explains himself (906-7).
I love Piper’s honesty about what might be his wishful thinking about Edward’s sin of owning slaves (970).
I appreciate Piper’s deep engagement with Lloyd-Jones’ doctrine on the baptism of the Holy Spirit with valid pushback (992).
December 28, 2025
Excellent, readable, biographies of 27 believers. Hard to choose between them, but the biographies of Judson and Paton are particularly gripping.
February 27, 2023
Best book I’ve ever read I do believe. Does so much to stir my affections for Christ and spur me on towards love and good deeds!
December 20, 2022
What can we learn from the lives of past saints? In 27 Servants of Sovereign Joy, John Piper presents 27 biographies faithful, flawed, and fruitful saints from church history.
Passionate Joy in God
Book 1 begins with Augustine, Luther, and Calvin. Though they are giants in the faith, Piper is able to point to their humanity in their shared, passionate joy in God. In Book 2, Piper shows us Bunyan, Cowper, and Brainerd. I was most moved to read of Cowper’s depression, and the need to repeat the mercies and deeds of Jesus to those who are discouraged. Redeeming love is a worthy theme for all of our lives.
Next, Piper looks at Newton, Simeon, and Wilberforce. Specifically in the life of Wilberforce, Piper’s preoccupation with joy is on full display, and I found a sentence that will stick with me: “If a man can rob you of your joy, he can rob you of your usefulness.” To be an enduring, compelling Christian is to be one marked with joy. From Book 4, three lessons from the life of J. Gresham Machen were especially meaningful to me: (1) Machen’s life and thought issues a call for all of us to be honest, open, clear, straightforward, and guileless in our use of language, (2) Machen’s life teaches ut eh importance of founding and maintaining institutions in the preservation and spreading of the true gospel, and (3) Machen’s experience calls us to have patience with young strugglers who are having doubts about Christianity.
Endlessly Inspiring
William Tyndale caught my attention in Book 5, as his singular passion was “to see the Bible translated form the Greek and Hebrew into ordinary English available for every person in England to read.” While translation is important, I often praise the work without mentioning the goal: so all will be able to read. My favorite part is Book 6: Seeing Beauty and Saying Beautifully, and features George Herbert, George Whitefield, and C. S. Lewis. Their lives, preaching powers, and way with words is endlessly inspiring.
This book is the updated version of 21 Servants of Sovereign Joy, and includes new chapters on Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Jonathan Edwards, Bill Piper, J. C. Ryle, Andrew Fuller, and Robert Murray McCheyne. I found a new preaching role model in J. C. Ryle, who published his sermons and was an avid reader. In terms of his preaching style, he modeled urgency, forcefulness, and penetrating power. The final chapter is on Piper’s father Bill, a beautiful biography of his own flesh and blood. He was stunned by the Gospel, satisfied with Christ, and revealed to be Christian hedonist at the end.
Relevant, Encouraging, and Motivating
This book brings these men alive in a way that only John Piper can. He writes with excitement, and tells their stories with wonder. He gets to the centers of their hearts, and discovers what makes them beat. Relevant, encouraging, and motivating — these are lives for remembering and rejoicing.
I received a media copy of 27 Servants of Sovereign Joy and this is my honest review.
Passionate Joy in God
Book 1 begins with Augustine, Luther, and Calvin. Though they are giants in the faith, Piper is able to point to their humanity in their shared, passionate joy in God. In Book 2, Piper shows us Bunyan, Cowper, and Brainerd. I was most moved to read of Cowper’s depression, and the need to repeat the mercies and deeds of Jesus to those who are discouraged. Redeeming love is a worthy theme for all of our lives.
Next, Piper looks at Newton, Simeon, and Wilberforce. Specifically in the life of Wilberforce, Piper’s preoccupation with joy is on full display, and I found a sentence that will stick with me: “If a man can rob you of your joy, he can rob you of your usefulness.” To be an enduring, compelling Christian is to be one marked with joy. From Book 4, three lessons from the life of J. Gresham Machen were especially meaningful to me: (1) Machen’s life and thought issues a call for all of us to be honest, open, clear, straightforward, and guileless in our use of language, (2) Machen’s life teaches ut eh importance of founding and maintaining institutions in the preservation and spreading of the true gospel, and (3) Machen’s experience calls us to have patience with young strugglers who are having doubts about Christianity.
Endlessly Inspiring
William Tyndale caught my attention in Book 5, as his singular passion was “to see the Bible translated form the Greek and Hebrew into ordinary English available for every person in England to read.” While translation is important, I often praise the work without mentioning the goal: so all will be able to read. My favorite part is Book 6: Seeing Beauty and Saying Beautifully, and features George Herbert, George Whitefield, and C. S. Lewis. Their lives, preaching powers, and way with words is endlessly inspiring.
This book is the updated version of 21 Servants of Sovereign Joy, and includes new chapters on Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Jonathan Edwards, Bill Piper, J. C. Ryle, Andrew Fuller, and Robert Murray McCheyne. I found a new preaching role model in J. C. Ryle, who published his sermons and was an avid reader. In terms of his preaching style, he modeled urgency, forcefulness, and penetrating power. The final chapter is on Piper’s father Bill, a beautiful biography of his own flesh and blood. He was stunned by the Gospel, satisfied with Christ, and revealed to be Christian hedonist at the end.
Relevant, Encouraging, and Motivating
This book brings these men alive in a way that only John Piper can. He writes with excitement, and tells their stories with wonder. He gets to the centers of their hearts, and discovers what makes them beat. Relevant, encouraging, and motivating — these are lives for remembering and rejoicing.
I received a media copy of 27 Servants of Sovereign Joy and this is my honest review.
January 29, 2023
In conclusion, 27 Servants of Sovereign Joy is a splendid book. These are all men you want to know. They will encourage you. They will teach you many things. These short biographies will show you the wide spectrum of what it means to be faithful, some came to faith early, some late, for some their faith bloomed in a short life, some live a good long life of service.
We see here flawed saints. We have depression, loneliness, sexual addiction, pride, it’s all here. Whatever trials and temptations you face, you will find solace in these companions.
And they were fruitful. Some saw their fruits while they lived by God’s mercy, but some never saw any fruits. But how they would wonder to see what amazing things God has done to bring entire nations to faith and inspire missionaries, martyrs and ministers. We thank God that their faith is proclaimed in all the world.
If I had a wish, it would be that Piper would re-write Books 8 and 9. This could have been a much stronger book. A go-to classic for biographies for everyone. If not for the fatal flaws in the last two books. Less is more. 21 is better than 27.
But don’t let that stop you from getting and reading and profiting from this book. You can always stop yourself at 21.
My full review of this 1024 page book is in two parts:
Part 1: 3,100 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
Part 2: 3,300 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
We see here flawed saints. We have depression, loneliness, sexual addiction, pride, it’s all here. Whatever trials and temptations you face, you will find solace in these companions.
And they were fruitful. Some saw their fruits while they lived by God’s mercy, but some never saw any fruits. But how they would wonder to see what amazing things God has done to bring entire nations to faith and inspire missionaries, martyrs and ministers. We thank God that their faith is proclaimed in all the world.
If I had a wish, it would be that Piper would re-write Books 8 and 9. This could have been a much stronger book. A go-to classic for biographies for everyone. If not for the fatal flaws in the last two books. Less is more. 21 is better than 27.
But don’t let that stop you from getting and reading and profiting from this book. You can always stop yourself at 21.
My full review of this 1024 page book is in two parts:
Part 1: 3,100 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
Part 2: 3,300 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
February 11, 2025
I really enjoyed this one; I’m pretty sad it’s over honestly. It’s 27 separate biographies/life-studies, and Piper pulls out different themes from their lives, their historical importance to the Church, and applications to modern day. I was consistently spurred on, encouraged, comforted, or forced to think about new subjects or old subjects differently.
Some of the bios were personally more enjoyable to read than others of course, but most of the bios are fairly short and easy to read, which makes this 1000 pager digestible and fairly new with each chapter. I’d recommend for a chill biography alongside other reading. The entire PDF is free on desiringgod.com
Some of the bios were personally more enjoyable to read than others of course, but most of the bios are fairly short and easy to read, which makes this 1000 pager digestible and fairly new with each chapter. I’d recommend for a chill biography alongside other reading. The entire PDF is free on desiringgod.com
January 31, 2026
Piper leads us on a tour through the lives of 27 tremendous saints, providing, along with brief biographies, parallels that drive home the particular gifts of these men, the fruits of their service, and the lessons on and examples of faithfulness that they offer Christians and the church today. It's a book to read slowly, ponder, and mine for the Godly wisdom that is contained therein. This is an honest look at flawed but faithful churchmen, and the amazing ways God used their lives, and can use ours, to advance His kingdom and, therefore, our flourishing.
December 10, 2022
I love biographies and this was a little treat getting into the lives of 27 great figures from church history. Piper is an odd author for this genre, but I really appreciate taking the time in each of these incredible figures. This book is compilation of 9 smaller books so you don’t have to take on such a large book if you just want a taste.
December 12, 2024
Good book overall, I enjoyed Piper choosing a single aspect of each character and focusing on it. I particularly learned a lot from the entries on Jonathan Edwards and Martin Lloyd Jones.
This was my first book by John Piper. I eventually got annoyed of his wordy writing style. “Why use many word when few word do trick?” (Kevin from the Office).
This was my first book by John Piper. I eventually got annoyed of his wordy writing style. “Why use many word when few word do trick?” (Kevin from the Office).
June 15, 2023
Quite possibly one of the best thorough and helpful biographic compilations I have read to date. Immensely practical as well as informative.
December 16, 2024
Fantastic. Challenging. Invigorating.
Exulting in God through the power of the people He’s raised up in the past
Exulting in God through the power of the people He’s raised up in the past
September 18, 2024
A large tome, but each chapter is broken into subsections, so just a part of it could be read at a time. I read this one very slowly, but I think in doing so, it helped me to ponder about the men that were discussed in this book. Piper does a good job of relating the strengths and weaknesses of each of the 27 men discussed in this book and making applications of their lives that we can emulate or be wary of. I would suggest that this book be available in libraries, especially church libraries. It would make a good addition to a home library also, especially if a person takes his time in reading through the book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews