John Bunyan and Suffering

John Piper spoke on the life of Bunyan at the 1999 Pastor's Conference. The lecture is entitled To Live Upon god that Is Invisible: Suffering and Service in the Life of John Bunyan and can be found on the Desiring God website.

The message is challenging and inspiring. It is available through desiring God as both a MP3 and a Manuscript. I hope this further fuels your enthusiasm for the conference.


Grace in Christ,

Jonathan

"Pilgrim's Success"

"Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, first published in 1678, is both the most printed and most translated English book, according to ABC News. Since the Bible was not originally written in English, it’s not the English language leader, but with over 6 billion estimated copies “sold” (there is no way to know the exact count), it is by far the best-selling and most translated book in the world."
The Christian Post 7/4/07
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I ran across this little blurb from Christian Post and thought I would share it with you in light of the upcoming conference. The picture to the Left is one of the story versions with pictures that Avia and I purchased to read to Rebekah when she is older.

Who Is John Bunyan?

He wrote 58 books, including the world’s best-seller next to the Bible, The Pilgrim’s Progress, translated into over 200 languages. A metal worker, he had no seminary training, no college degree, nothing more than an elementary school education, yet, the Dean of Christ Church Seminary and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University went often to hear him preach, saying that he would give up all his formal education to touch hearts with God’s Word as well as this Baptist pastor.

In addition to being the pastor of his village Baptist church, he was a husband and a father to four children. Imprisoned for preaching without a license from the Anglican Church, he could have been freed to be with his beloved family with a promise not to preach. But, he considered freedom without preaching as a worse prison and so he refused and remained in limited confinement and under the constant threat of execution.

Directions

From Mobile: Take I-65 North to Exit 15, turn left at the light (west) on to Celeste Road. Go 1 1/2 miles to Lafitte Road. Turn left and the church is 1/4 mile on the left.

From Points North: Take I-65 South to Exit 15, turn right (west) on to Celeste Road. Go 1 1/2 miles to Lafitte Road. Turn left and the church is 1/4 mile on the left.

Map Quest Directions

Conference Speaker: Dr. Phil Newton

Dr. Phil Newton received his undergraduate education at The University of Mobile, his MDiv from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and earned his DMin from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is a pastor, professor, and author. After pastoring three churches, Dr. Newton founded South Woods Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, where he has pastored since 1987. In the past he served as an adjunct professor at Crichton College in Memphis and the Institut Theologique de Nimes in France. He has also served as a member of the State Board of Missions with the Alabama Baptist Convention, and enjoys leading foreign mission trips annually. He and his wife, Karen, were married in 1975, and have five children and four grandchildren. They enjoy discussing biblical issues, reading, walking, traveling, and taking care of their children, three of which are grown and two remain at home. Dr. Newton also enjoys writing and is the author of THE WAY OF FAITH, and ELDERS IN CONGREGATIONAL LIFE, and articles which have been published in several journals.