What happens when a preacher saturates himself with the Scriptures, walks into a pulpit, and overflows with a God-entranced vision of all things? Is John Piper popular because he makes Christianity look intelligent? It’s an interesting question — one I certainly didn’t see coming, but one that has now arrived in the inbox from a listener named Gene. “Dear Pastor John, I was recently watching a few atheists online go back and forth, trying to answer the question, ‘Why is John Piper so popular?’ As you can imagine, the interchange proves that none of them really knows you or the gospel you preach. Nevertheless, one point from their comments back and forth did strike me. One of these atheists said, and others quickly agreed, that your popularity is owing to the fact that you make Christianity look intelligent.
“That’s an interesting point. I’m wondering how much you think this is true. I think we can all name ample examples of professing Christians online and on television that do and say really dumb and immature things. But you actually do make Christianity look appealing to the intelligent. What concerns would you have for people who follow you because you make Christianity look smart?”
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