The preachers that I respect the most usually do not talk about their personal lives in their sermons or writings. John Piper is no exception. But if you want more of an inside look into his marriage than I’ve come across anywhere else, you’ll find it in his sermon last month on “Marriage Lived to the Glory of God” at the SEMBEQ conference. If you prefer to retain an idealized picture, don’t listen. Or read C. J. Mahaney instead.
That’s interesting. I’ve always felt that Piper shared much more about his personal life (at least in his preaching) than most other well-known preachers I’ve heard. Maybe I’ve listened to different kinds of sermons (I haven’t listened to many of his sermons from series at his church). Would you say there’s a connection (even a small one) between how much you respect a preacher and how much he talks about his personal life, or are you saying it’s a coincidence?
Gunner – I think that the preachers I tend to listen to, especially living outside of the U.S., are well known preachers, and that these guys are wise enough (or have had enough bad experiences) to know not to tell too many personal stories, especially about their family. I think it’s a good rule. I think it’s also a point for the value of local preachers at local (not mega) churches, where the pastor can be personal without telling the whole world.
One danger of being personal is that people see your flaws. One view of leadership says that your people need to have a good model to look up to and follow, and sharing your faults would be counter-productive. Piper has not followed that philosophy, at least in this sermon. I’m not sure if I would agree that he did the right thing in being so honest.
Todd, I really appreciated this sermon and I think (coming from a female perspective) that it is important, at times, to share personal things, as Piper did in this sermon. I’ve never thought of being personal as a negative thing, but I do see your point–especially with more well known preachers.
On the other hand, I think it is important for a pastor to show flaws. I don’t mean that he should flaunt his sin, but I think it is too easy for the rest of the congregation to put their pastor on a pedestal. It is important to me to remember that even the men and women who serve as godly examples still have not achieved perfection. They have a lot to learn—as do I—but I can certainly learn great lessons from their wisdom.
Again, thanks for sharing the link!