Review: "Stand: a Call for the Endurance of the Saints"

I recently finished reading Stand: a Call for the Endurance of the Saints edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. I can honestly say that this book came along at the right time for me, and I would heartily recommend it for anyone who is pastoring in difficult circumstances and even for any Christian going through difficult circumstances.

This book is a compilation of essays from a 2007 conference and ends with transcripts of two roundtable discussion among the speakers/authors.

The first essay, by Jerry Bridges, is about four essentials for finishing well: “daily time of focused personal communion with God, daily appropriation of the gospel, daily commitment to God as a living sacrifice, and a firm belief in the sovereignty and love of God” (18). Bridges does an excellent job of fleshing these out and calling Christians to live every moment before our God and Savior.

John Piper picks up writing about “getting old to the glory of God.” He references a number of historical figures to show how they did this, and it was reminiscent of his Don’t Waste Your Life.

John MacArthur writes about “certainties that drive enduring ministry” in which he looks at a number of truths that Paul embraced – the overarching theme being that our ministry and our lives are not about us – they are about Jesus and His Gospel. If we are focused there, we will endure.

Randy Alcorn, at the request of the team, tells the story of how he has come to financially run his ministry the way he does. I had never heard the story before, and frankly, it blew me away. I’ll let you read it for yourself if you don’t know it. Alcorn looks at the life of Jesus and shows that, from the mouth of Jesus, we have no right to expect better than Jesus received. That being the case, American Christians have it pretty easy.

Helen Roseveare finishes off the collection presenting her conviction that an enduring ministry must be focused on “one thing.”

If you or your minister ever has need to be encouraged to endure in the service of Christ, pick up this book.