Barnabas Piper

*I received this book from Bhbloggers in exchange for my honest feedback*

The Curious Christian gives the reader an idea how being curious is a great thing to be and how it may
Make your life more rich by being so.
The author makes you feel as if you are sitting with him drinking an espresso chit chatting about religion, family life, life in general with some clever quotes in between. Not to mention the cover is breathtaking and the writing has a personal feel to it.

No matter if you attend church, don’t believe or have stepped away from church for some time this book is for you.… (meer)

I bought copies of The Pastor's Kid for my two oldest children a few months ago. I also got a copy for myself, which sat unread until just a few weeks back. I'm glad I picked it up.

Barnabas Piper does a terrific job of transporting the reader into the world of the pastor's kid. As the son of famed pastor John Piper, Barnabas has a unique perspective. His writing, however, is not wholly autobiographical. He interviewed many PKs along the way, gathering perspective from them on the trappings of growing up in a ministry family.

As a pastor, parts of this book were heartbreaking to read. I saw my own failures in black and white. Raising kids in a fishbowl isn't easy. The church imbibes a culture that makes the rearing of PKs almost impossible. "The cultural expectations on pastors are mostly unbiblical, entirely impractical, and generally downright stupid" (98). For Piper, pastors are bound to fail in parental obligations; the key is how they will respond. He says the only healthy response is grace. "For many PKs, there is a serious disconnect between what they see from their own dad and what he says about Jesus. Jesus is loving, gracious, forgiving, and sacrificial. Dad is none of those things. Jesus accepts you as you are. Dad demands more. Jesus forgives sins. Dad harps on them. Jesus makes us white as snow. Dad finds every stain. Jesus loves children and is joyful. Dad holes up in his office and keeps a stern countenance" (77-78). The key, Piper says, is "grace. That is what the PK needs to see, to know more than anything" (78).

One of the most helpful sections of the book was his discussion about how to put grace into action. The practical advice included leaving sermons in the pulpit, conversing instead of counseling, and finding a hobby. He also offers advice on how a church can aid in creating a culture that is friendly to PKs. This section alone makes this a worthy book for deacons and lay elders.

The final chapter of the book expresses a hopefulness about the future of PKs. After the gut-punches of previous chapters, I needed this. I saw rays of hope shine through on my children. Their experience in a ministry household is unique. That setting is a preparation ground for great things in their future. Barnabas Piper sees this truth; I hope they will too.… (meer)

Against the post-modernistic moral morass in which we live, I approached Help My Unbelief with a hopeful optimism. What I found was, true to post-modern form, squishy.

Positively, I think Barnabas Piper addresses some important issues. He challenges the cultural christian notion of belief. "Mental assent is not belief. It is part of belief, but not the whole of belief" (47). He clearly confronts the antagonistic spirit in which so many approach Christianity with their endless philosophical questions. "Questions indicate belief only if you actually want an answer. Someone who asks without wanting to learn is not truly asking, but is challenging. Challenging is not believing, but undermining" (34). He argues passionately for mystery to be part of the vocabulary of the church; we don't have to have neat little, pre-packaged answers to everything - especially the truly difficult issues of life.

The part of Help My Unbelief that was difficult for me was Piper's use of the term "believing doubt." As the title of the book indicates, he frequently references Mark 9:20-27 where the a father is struggling with whether or not Jesus can heal his son. In desperation, he cries out, "Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief." Piper dubs this concept of "believing doubt" to express what we, like the man in Mark 9, go through in difficult times of faith.

Honestly, I whole-heartedly agree with much of what Piper offers in response to "believing doubt." He encourages those struggling to root their faith in the character of God, to recognize that they live in the already-but-not-yet state, and to embrace mystery. These are good and wise suggestions. Still, the phrase "believing doubt" is problematic for me. I think a better term would be "imperfect faith." Is is more appropriate for a follower of Jesus to say, "I have doubt, but that doubt isn't destroying me," or "I have faith, but faith has not yet been perfected." I think the latter suggestion is much better and more theologically accurate.

If you are looking for a resource to pass along to a skeptic, this probably isn't it. If, however, you are looking for a book to help you on your journey as a believer who is wrestling with some honest questions, pick up Help My Unbelief. I think you will find Barnabas Piper's transparency refreshing and his writing style very readable.… (meer)