The Power of Words and the Wonder of God

John Piper, Sinclair Ferguson, Mark Driscoll, and other leaders from Desiring God's 2008 conference examine the life-altering power of our words and their impact in sharing the gospel Words carry immeasurable significance: The universe was created with a word; Jesus healed and cast out demons with a word; rulers have risen and fallen by their words; Christians have worshiped through words of song, confession, and preaching. Even in our technological age, politics, education, business, and relationships center on words. Since the tongue is such a powerful force-for good or evil-we are wise to ask: What would homes, churches, schools, even the public square be like if we used words with Christian intentionality and eloquence? The Power of Words and the Wonder of God seeks to answer this difficult question. In these chapters, derived from Desiring God's 2008 national conference, John Piper, Sinclair Ferguson, and Mark Driscoll team with worship pastor Bob Kauflin, ministry leader Paul Tripp, and literature professor Daniel Taylor to help readers harness their tongues and appropriately command their silences for the glory of God and the ministry of the gospel. Words carry immeasurable significance: The universe was created with a word; Jesus healed and cast out demons with a word; rulers have risen and fallen by their words; Christians have worshiped through words of song, confession, and preaching. Even in our technological age, politics, education, business, and relationships center on words. Since the tongue is such a powerful force-for good or evil-we are wise to ask: What would homes, churches, schools, even the public square be like if we used words with Christian intentionality and eloquence? The Power of Words and the Wonder of God seeks to answer this difficult question. In these chapters, derived from Desiring God's 2008 national conference, John Piper and Sinclair Ferguson team with worship pastor Bob Kauflin, ministry leader Paul Tripp, and literature professor Daniel Taylor to help readers harness their tongues and appropriately command their silences for the glory of God and the ministry of the gospel. Contents......Page 9 Contributors......Page 11 Acknowledgments......Page 13 Introduction (Justin Taylor)......Page 15 1. War of Words: Getting to the Heart for God's Sake (Paul David Tripp)......Page 23 2. The Bit, the Bridle, and the Blessing: An Exposition of James 3:1-12 (Sinclair B. Ferguson)......Page 45 3. Is There Christian Eloquence? Clear Words and the Wonder of the Cross (John Piper)......Page 67 4. How Sharp the Edge? Christ, Controversy, and Cutting Words (Mark Driscoll)......Page 81 5. Story-shaped Faith (Daniel Taylor)......Page 105 6. Words of Wonder: What Happens When We Sing? (Bob Kauflin)......Page 121 A Conversation with the Contributors, Part 1 (Piper, Driscoll, Ferguson, and J. Taylor)......Page 137 A Conversation with the Contributors, Part 2 (Piper, Kauflin, Tripp, D. Taylor, and J. Taylor)......Page 149 Notes......Page 162 Subject Index......Page 167 Scripture Index......Page 171 Desiring God: Note on Resources......Page 175 Since the tongue is such a powerful force -- for good or evil -- we are wise to ask: What would homes, churches, schools, even the public square be like if we used words with Christian intentionality and eloquence? The Power of Words and the Wonder of God seeks to answer this difficult question. --from publisher description John Piper, Sinclair Ferguson, Mark Driscoll and others from Desiring God’s 2008 national conference equip readers to employ their words and appropriately command their silences for the glory of God and the advancement of the gospel.