Let the Nations Be Glad! by John Piper is a compelling and deeply theological call to recover the God-centered purpose of missions. First published in 1993 and now in multiple editions, the book has become a modern classic in missional theology, challenging readers to see that the ultimate goal of the church is worshipand that missions exists because worship doesnt.
At the heart of Pipers thesis is the bold assertion that missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesnt. With this statement, Piper reframes the Great Commission not as a man-centered humanitarian effort but as a God-centered pursuit rooted in the glory of Christ. For Piper, the fuel and goal of missions is the joy-filled worship of God among all peoples.
Drawing richly from Scriptureespecially from the Psalms, the Prophets, the Gospels, and RevelationPiper explores the biblical foundations for global missions. He emphasizes that the supremacy of God in all things must be the foundation for our missionary efforts. This leads to an impassioned defense of Gods sovereignty in salvation, the necessity of proclaiming Christ to unreached peoples, and the reality of eternal joy or eternal judgment.
Piper addresses key questions such as: Is Jesus the only way to salvation? Why is suffering often integral to missionary work? What role does prayer play in the advance of the gospel? In answering these, he draws from both theology and the lives of missionary heroes like William Carey, David Brainerd, and Adoniram Judsonfigures whose passion for God's glory drove them to extreme sacrifice.
The book also explores the controversial issue of whether people who have never heard the gospel can be saved without hearing about Jesus. Piper responds firmly and biblically, affirming that faith in Christ is essential and that this urgency should motivate missionary zeal.
What makes Let the Nations Be Glad! enduring is not just its theological depth, but its passionate tone. It is a book written not only to inform the mind but to ignite the heart. It calls readerspastors, students, missionaries, and laypeople aliketo embrace a life that is radically oriented toward the glory of God and the spread of His name to the ends of the earth.
