Book Review: Brothers, We Are Not Professionals

I’m reading “Brothers, We Are Not Professionals” by John Piper. I’m not exactly certain why I initially purchased it. I remember thinking that I would agree with the general premise; that those who preach the word of God are not professionals. We recognize this in the church I attend, and I thought, it’s high time some Pastors realized it too.

Whatever my reasons were, I was unprepared for the contents of this book. Yes, Piper is a Baptist Pastor. Yes, he’s a Calvinist. And where he stands on Covenant Theology I don’t know. But this is a book that talks of brokenness and repentance and suffering in a way I’ve never encountered. Whether Piper is a Dispensationalist or not, I don’t know. What I do know is that he speaks about the glory of God in an amazing manner. It is one of the 3 major distinctives of Dispensational theology that God’s highest purpose is His own glory. And yet dispensationalists (including myself) tend to state this as a theological point and then move on; Piper dwells on the importance of God’s glory in a way that all Dispensationalists should.

Anyone who teaches the Bible in a church or even a Sunday School should read this book. Elders should read this book. And yes, church Pastors should read this book. Again, you will find material in this book that you will not agree with. Ignore it if you wish, but don’t let the points you disagree with keep you from this book.