The Pastor as Scholar, and the Scholar as Pastor

I attended this event last Thursday night:

Titled “The Pastor as Scholar, and the Scholar as Pastor: Reflections on Life and Ministry with John Piper and D.A. Carson”, the evening will feature hour-long lectures by Drs. Piper and Carson that offer reflection of a theological and personal nature on the work of the pastor and the scholar, respectively.

It was excellent, and a great way to end our time attending The Gospel Coalition conference.

Piper’s manuscript is online. His address was mainly biographical, and had the entire audience (mostly people in their twenties) gripped. Two themes struck me from his talk: the theme of providence, and also that Piper is not “special” even though he has been extraordinarily used by God. He gave hope through his talk, and didn’t leave us feeling like he is one of the gods.

I love the resolution he mentioned from Clyde Kilby:

I shall open my eyes and ears. Once every day, I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a cloud, a person. I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are, but simply be glad that they are. I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of, what Lewis calls, “their divine, magical, terrifying, and ecstatic existence.”

I didn’t envy Carson when he followed Piper, but Carson did a good job of speaking about some of the dangers of theological scholarship when it is removed from frontline ministry.

Desiring God has the video and audio of Piper’s session. Park Community Church has the audio of Carson’s talk (MP3). Definitely worth taking in if you are a pastor or academic.

By the way, the audio of The Gospel Coalition messages are online as well. Justin Taylor has the links.

Update: Desiring God has now posted more of the audio and video from the Pastor-Scholar event.