Finally alive - Piper - IX- Chapter 15 and Conclusion

Required reading
Finally alive by John Piper (available from Amazon or free on the internet here) - Read Chapters Fifteen and the Conclusion.

My summary
In Chapter Fifteen Piper continues answering the question, 'How can we help others be born again?' 

Firstly Piper explains that God uses people to open the eyes of unbelievers.

Then Piper gives ten encouragements for gospel-telling:
1. Know This: God Uses Clay Pots
2. Get Resources to Share
3. Know that God May Use Many Infl uences
4. Be a Lavish Giver
5. Find People Interesting
6. Invite People to Church
7. Fill the City with Gospel Teaching
8. Use Your Giftings
9. Read Books on Evangelism
10. Pray for Boldness

What grabbed me
It was good to be reminded about the text from 2 Corinthians 4:7 about jars of clay: '“We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” God’s aim is that his own power through the gospel, not ours, be exalted. Which means that if you feel average or less than average in your sense of fitness to tell the gospel, you are the person God is looking for—a clay pot, who simply shares the treasure of the gospel, not the glitzy intellect, not the glitzy eloquence, not the glitzy beauty or strength or cultural cleverness. Then God will do his work through the gospel, and the surpassing power will belong to him and not to us.'

Excusing yourself from evangelism due to inadequacy is not permitted.  In fact, the more fragile you are the more Christ is exalted when he brings people to himself through you.

Next week's reading
We begin our next Saturday Seed Sower book, Soul Winner by CH Spurgeon (Available free here).  The first week's required reading is Chapter 1, 'What is it to win a soul?'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.