This extraordinary and well-known work by John Piper, widely used as a missions textbook in seminaries and Bible institutes, and of which nearly 200,000 copies have been sold to date, is based on key biblical texts to demonstrate that the ultimate and primary purpose of the church is worship, and appropriate worship drives missionary action.
Piper makes a biblical defense of God's supremacy in all things and provides readers with a solid theological foundation for missions. He examines and debates whether Jesus is the only way to salvation and makes a passionate plea for Christ-centered missionary work, seeking to clearly define and foresee both the scope of the task and the means to carry it out and reach "all nations."
It is a key book whose reading is indispensable for all who in some way participate in or prepare to work in missionary endeavors, whether directly or indirectly. It also offers a fresh perspective on the topic of missions to young people who feel called to dedicate themselves, as well as to those who need to advise them: pastors, teachers, counselors, and youth leaders.
Since its publication in 1993, revised and expanded twice, this book has become one of the best theological references on the subject of missions, for pastors, missionaries, and seminary students, as well as for all believers in general who are interested in missions.
Piper openly admits that, unlike other books, his purpose is not to promote a method or methodological application of missionary work, but to provide the necessary biblical and theological reflection on the subject, which is the most important thing, because if it fails, any methodological proposal will fail and crumble irremediably. Drawing on Old and New Testament texts, Piper thoroughly reviews the topic of missions and its relationship to the mission of the Church and believers in the world.
He does not shy away from difficult topics, such as the reality of hell and the need for conscious faith in Christ to avoid it, but rather addresses and debates them masterfully, always basing his answers on biblical texts. Nor does he ignore the topic of suffering often experienced in the world of missions, demonstrating that it is suffering worth enduring. He also does not avoid the necessary debate about whether Jesus is the only way to salvation. In addition to supporting his ideas with biblical texts, he quotes other authors abundantly, especially the Puritans, giving the book a global approach that goes far beyond the concepts of the author's Baptist-Calvinist background.
Undoubtedly one of the best biblical-theological books on missions ever written and available on the market. It does not exhaustively cover all of the Bible's teaching on missions, but it summarizes and clarifies the main themes and provides answers to the most pressing problems.
