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Rethinking Retirement: Finishing Life for the Glory of Christ
John Piper challenges fellow baby boomers to forego the American dream of retirement and live out their golden years with a far greater purpose in mind.
They say it's a person's reward for all those years of labor. "Turn in your time card and trade in your IRAs. Let travel plans and golf-course leisure lead the way." But is retirement really the ideal? Or is it a series of poor options that ignore a greater purpose-and will kill a person more quickly than old age?
John Piper responds: "Lord, spare me this curse!" And his resounding message is for anyone who believes there's far more to the golden years than accumulating comforts. It's for readers who long to finish better than they started, persevere for the right reasons (and without fear), experience true security, value what lies beyond their cravings, and live dangerously for the One who gave his life in his prime. With this brief book, Piper is sure to spur fellow baby boomers in their resolve to invest themselves in the sacrifices of love-and to grow old with godly zeal.
They say it's a person's reward for all those years of labor. "Turn in your time card and trade in your IRAs. Let travel plans and golf-course leisure lead the way." But is retirement really the ideal? Or is it a series of poor options that ignore a greater purpose-and will kill a person more quickly than old age?
John Piper responds: "Lord, spare me this curse!" And his resounding message is for anyone who believes there's far more to the golden years than accumulating comforts. It's for readers who long to finish better than they started, persevere for the right reasons (and without fear), experience true security, value what lies beyond their cravings, and live dangerously for the One who gave his life in his prime. With this brief book, Piper is sure to spur fellow baby boomers in their resolve to invest themselves in the sacrifices of love-and to grow old with godly zeal.
29 pages, Paperback
Published March 27, 2009
96 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
John Piper
603 books4,661 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 - 30 of 44 reviews
January 22, 2025
Sobre não viver a aposentadoria de uma forma que faça este mundo parecer o verdadeiro tesouro. Muito bom
September 16, 2024
Superb! A biblical view of retirement as opposed to the one our culture offers us. But very short!
September 14, 2012
This is a message all Christians need to take to heart. The new heavens and the new earth is our rest from our earthly labours, not retirement. The concept of retirement can't be found in Scripture. It is instead part of the "American dream". Certainly a person may labour for the Lord in their later years in a way different from their regular career or vocation, but those years are not for leisure, they are for kingdom expanding, discipling, God-glorifying work. A Christian receives their sweet rest in the next life, not in this one, and the Lord's Day is the regular rest we have in the present to sustain us and give us a taste of the rest we will one day have. There are going to be many people who don't like hearing this message but if we are serious about following Christ and imitating the great saints of Scripture and church history, the church must separate itself from the world in this area of thought and life.
October 4, 2021
Short and right to the point! John Piper as his finest. In keeping with Piper’s Sea Shells sermon this is Piper pointing to the truth of God’s Word in contrast to the world’s views. Highest recommendation
August 21, 2018
Is Retirement Sinful?
I deeply respect Dr. John Piper for his teaching and faithful ministry through long years. I would not say that I can fully agree with His point in the book. What I suspect he is really trying to say is, "Stay active for God to the very end." What some will understand, I fear when they read this brief book is that a pastor should die in his pulpit rather than step aside to other service for God. I have unfortunately see and heard such pastors who were destroying their congregations by refusing to step aside (retire from that place of service). I determined long ago that I would not be one of these pastors who could not step aside. I have done that. People call me retired. But, I am as active as before, just in different ways.
I deeply respect Dr. John Piper for his teaching and faithful ministry through long years. I would not say that I can fully agree with His point in the book. What I suspect he is really trying to say is, "Stay active for God to the very end." What some will understand, I fear when they read this brief book is that a pastor should die in his pulpit rather than step aside to other service for God. I have unfortunately see and heard such pastors who were destroying their congregations by refusing to step aside (retire from that place of service). I determined long ago that I would not be one of these pastors who could not step aside. I have done that. People call me retired. But, I am as active as before, just in different ways.
July 26, 2014
This little (literally - it takes 10-15 minutes to read) book addressed some thoughts I had been having as I approach retirement age. Being without a spouse, I am in a different place than most couples when it comes to thinking about retirement. I have more freedom, yet planning ahead when you are alone is not easy either. I had wondered about SERVING when I retired - putting myself out there to be used by God in a way I could not be as I was raising my son. Exciting and scary, but Piper has such a great way of conveying his message. This book confirmed the directions my thoughts had been taking me.
January 11, 2026
This book is a must read every single year. They trap for the Christian will always be to think that our greatest pleasure is in this momentary world. To think that we can live a certain amount of years work hard, and then take the rest of life off.
This book challenges, the believer to rethink retirement to use the last years that God has given us, knowing that we are nearer to seeing our King face-to-face than ever before. May this book and books like this ignite a passion for Christ and the glory of his name as we use the years that others waste away in momentary pleasure to point to an everlasting treasure that can never be taken from us.
This book challenges, the believer to rethink retirement to use the last years that God has given us, knowing that we are nearer to seeing our King face-to-face than ever before. May this book and books like this ignite a passion for Christ and the glory of his name as we use the years that others waste away in momentary pleasure to point to an everlasting treasure that can never be taken from us.
October 7, 2021
I guess this would be a bit too long to be called a pamphlet, but as a book, it's pretty short. Since it's short, it gets right to the point without much fluff: the majority view of retirement in our current culture is not a Biblical view. This book reinforced my feelings on the subject.
July 1, 2018
Powerful in rethinking retirement from one of rest and relaxation to what it means to glorify Christ in our lives until the end of our lives. The book urges a total re-envisioning of how to spend our retirement years - to look up and focus on heaven and not to waste our lives on fleeting things.
August 13, 2023
Some good points to ponder. Could have been a longer work with more examples, but it was to the point!
February 14, 2026
I remember it well. I was coming up on 62 years old and still employed in my second career as a high school Art/Graphic Designer/Commercial Art/AP teacher.
I was tired. I’d been working since I was nine years old. After college I worked at first as a commercial artist and then as a school teacher.
After almost 11 years as a teacher I was worn out, tired of teaching and ready to throw in the towel and retire.
I liked my job, but the daily grind of making up lesson plans, tests, instructions and trying to keep up with technology had taken their toll on me.
I talked to my wife and we decided I would retire at the end of the school year when I turned 63. And that’s exactly what I did.
It was a relief and for about the first year I rested-or tried to. Unfortunately my body was still wired to get up at 5 AM. and my mind was still in teacher mode.
It took me almost three years to finally wind down. I kept busy-drawing, writing, working around the house and trying to keep up with my wife’s ‘honey do’ list.
But, something was missing. I felt as if I was going nowhere and I wondered why.
Then it struck me, I may have retired, but God was not through with me yet. I resisted at first-I still do occasionally. But eventually I got more invested in my church, helped around the campus and did what I could. I still have a way to go.
In author John Piper’s and Crossway’s new book: Rethinking Retirement, the author examines the myth of retirement as it pertains to the Christian life.
While it is normal to slow down as we grow older, it’s unwise to just stop and do nothing.
God still has plans for the elderly and retired. Learn how to finish your life for the glory of God. Several excellent examples are given along with some sage advice. It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
Retirement does not mean the end. It means the beginning of a whole new way to serve God. God has a dream for your retirement life-take up the challenge and learn that retirement does not mean you stop serving God-it is only the next step.
Revelation 21:4 - And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
I was tired. I’d been working since I was nine years old. After college I worked at first as a commercial artist and then as a school teacher.
After almost 11 years as a teacher I was worn out, tired of teaching and ready to throw in the towel and retire.
I liked my job, but the daily grind of making up lesson plans, tests, instructions and trying to keep up with technology had taken their toll on me.
I talked to my wife and we decided I would retire at the end of the school year when I turned 63. And that’s exactly what I did.
It was a relief and for about the first year I rested-or tried to. Unfortunately my body was still wired to get up at 5 AM. and my mind was still in teacher mode.
It took me almost three years to finally wind down. I kept busy-drawing, writing, working around the house and trying to keep up with my wife’s ‘honey do’ list.
But, something was missing. I felt as if I was going nowhere and I wondered why.
Then it struck me, I may have retired, but God was not through with me yet. I resisted at first-I still do occasionally. But eventually I got more invested in my church, helped around the campus and did what I could. I still have a way to go.
In author John Piper’s and Crossway’s new book: Rethinking Retirement, the author examines the myth of retirement as it pertains to the Christian life.
While it is normal to slow down as we grow older, it’s unwise to just stop and do nothing.
God still has plans for the elderly and retired. Learn how to finish your life for the glory of God. Several excellent examples are given along with some sage advice. It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
Retirement does not mean the end. It means the beginning of a whole new way to serve God. God has a dream for your retirement life-take up the challenge and learn that retirement does not mean you stop serving God-it is only the next step.
Revelation 21:4 - And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
October 25, 2021
Could have been more …
What’s not to like about Piper. He draws on God’s Word and deftly applies it to the Christian life. But sometimes he’s just a bit lofty for me. He does an outstanding job of warning of the traps of modern retirement and the dangers of false security but offers only two examples of Christian life for Seniors and those, while excellent, are distant in time and experience.
I much prefer the work of Dr. Hal Habecker of Finishing Well Ministries, Plano TX. His Six Essentials course and workbook covers practical steps for Seniors to contribute to the church and future generations. He is as Scripturally sound as Piper but more completely shows the path for fulfilling Senior years.
Michael Smith
Eden Prairie, MN
What’s not to like about Piper. He draws on God’s Word and deftly applies it to the Christian life. But sometimes he’s just a bit lofty for me. He does an outstanding job of warning of the traps of modern retirement and the dangers of false security but offers only two examples of Christian life for Seniors and those, while excellent, are distant in time and experience.
I much prefer the work of Dr. Hal Habecker of Finishing Well Ministries, Plano TX. His Six Essentials course and workbook covers practical steps for Seniors to contribute to the church and future generations. He is as Scripturally sound as Piper but more completely shows the path for fulfilling Senior years.
Michael Smith
Eden Prairie, MN
December 30, 2022
This was a good antidote to the self-centered idea that is prevalent in our culture that I “deserve” a life of leisure in retirement. So as someone who is "retiring" from my role as a lead pastor, I appreciate Piper's admonition to make sure that I keep Jesus as my treasure.
However, most of the examples that Piper cites seem to preclude the idea that "ministry" can have different seasons at different times in our lives. From my own personal experience I would argue that it is healthy for a church when the lead pastor steps back from that role to allow for younger leadership. I really wish that Piper had pursued some of those ideas more fully.
However, most of the examples that Piper cites seem to preclude the idea that "ministry" can have different seasons at different times in our lives. From my own personal experience I would argue that it is healthy for a church when the lead pastor steps back from that role to allow for younger leadership. I really wish that Piper had pursued some of those ideas more fully.
June 26, 2018
A valuable reminder, a call to non-conformity that champions and at one time described my generation.
We began as a generation born to post world war parents. We were non-conformist. We brought blue jeans from the common laborer to fashion street NYC. We proclaimed peace and love as the preferred climate for living. We challenged our government and corporate America. We birth the Jesus Movement in the face of a specialized church. Simplicity was our mantra. What now? Will we die as gluttonous consumers? I hope not.
We began as a generation born to post world war parents. We were non-conformist. We brought blue jeans from the common laborer to fashion street NYC. We proclaimed peace and love as the preferred climate for living. We challenged our government and corporate America. We birth the Jesus Movement in the face of a specialized church. Simplicity was our mantra. What now? Will we die as gluttonous consumers? I hope not.
January 28, 2019
I'm not a huge fan of Piper but this little booklet is a good "thought provoker". It's exactly what the title suggests and provides some very good kindling for rethinking these important years.
Piper's Calvinism shines through but it's not overpowering and I can agree with his train of thought, especially the conclusion.
Piper's Calvinism shines through but it's not overpowering and I can agree with his train of thought, especially the conclusion.
July 29, 2024
Very short, but encouraging...
Retirement is a goal for many, but shouldn’t be for the Christian. That’s Piper’s thesis. And he succinctly gives the reader the why behind the thesis in this short “book” that can be read in 30 minutes or so. A good reminder to finish well in a world that tells us to take our foot off the gas.
Retirement is a goal for many, but shouldn’t be for the Christian. That’s Piper’s thesis. And he succinctly gives the reader the why behind the thesis in this short “book” that can be read in 30 minutes or so. A good reminder to finish well in a world that tells us to take our foot off the gas.
July 31, 2025
this book is short! thank you. but I was hoping for some actual life advice on retirement. you won't get that here, what you will get is high ideal that we will take our Sabbath (retirement) when we get to heaven. now how we die and how we live before we die. (immediately before is important) should reflect where our treasure is. I find it challenging, as I find most of John piper's writings.
July 20, 2019
Nothing I didn’t already know. Should not even be called a book, more like a pamphlet. Used martyrs from the 1300’s and earlier as examples. Hard to identify with that. I get the point but it was poorly done.
April 21, 2020
Short, but some good thoughts
This book was pretty short, but included some pretty inspiring stories and encouragements to not waste our retirement years, but to live them for Christ!
This book was pretty short, but included some pretty inspiring stories and encouragements to not waste our retirement years, but to live them for Christ!
May 11, 2023
Good but could use some illustrations and explanations of how to be faithful to Christ in your retirement years apart from martyrdom like Polycarp or writing a book a year from your 60's to your 80's like Oswald Chambers.
March 26, 2024
Though he never mentions it, this little booklet is essentially a double click on Piper’s thoughts around the seashell illustration pertaining to retirement. All of life, including the end of life, should be lived unto the glory of God, and not thinking about ourselves.
September 10, 2024
A good, brief read that encourages satisfication in Christ to overflow in service to him & love for others. A helpful exhortation applicable to Christians of any stage of life to do all we can while we can.
June 1, 2025
This is not the typical book on retirement! It is a terrific short book from the inimitable John Piper encouraging Christians to live their “retirement years” for Christ. That is, it is a call to finish strong for the Gospel.
March 21, 2018
A good explanation about how the current American idea of retirement isn't Biblical, and what we should be doing with our "golden years."
August 19, 2018
As always, Piper challenges us to exalt Jesus Christ in all we do. A short, but inspiring book.
November 27, 2018
Concise
Being a 65 year old minister, I plan to "retire " in two years. But I have some ambitious plans for the sprint to the goal line.
Being a 65 year old minister, I plan to "retire " in two years. But I have some ambitious plans for the sprint to the goal line.
March 9, 2019
A quick read to encourage Christ followers to persevere with and through God through all ages until the end of life.
June 9, 2023
I agree with the points made in this book,
it only seemed a little bit too American and short.
it only seemed a little bit too American and short.
Read
July 26, 2023Brief. Helpful. Worth the read if you find it in the wild.
May 28, 2024
Biblical perspective on retirement and finishing the race for the glory of God. May the Holy Spirit uphold me to do likewise.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews