Today will be a bit different than the other Newton posts. With us celebrating New Year’s and on the heels of Christmas I don’t expect reading Newton to have been huge on your list.
We were to have read Piper’s biography of Newton for this week. Here are a few questions to consider as you get caught up on reading.
What was the root of Newton’s “Habitual Tenderness”?
We will dedicate a month to some of these themes throughout the year. One of these will be Newton’s encounter with Thomas Scott. What can we learn from his approach to Scott? How should this shape our own interaction with those we disagree with?
Piper asks a great question when he asks, “Did Newton strike the right balance of a patient, tenderhearted, noncontroversial pattern of ministry and a serious vigilance against harmful error?” Do you agree with Piper’s assessment?
Consider this statement on Newton’s preaching: “Newton’s preaching was often not well prepared, nor careful or ‘graceful’ in delivery”. But Newton made a great impact because of his affection for his people. What lessons should preachers learn from this?
Next week this will be formatted differently and we will summarize and engage the text a bit more. When you read the Newton biography feel free to engage these questions in the comments.
Happy New Year!
I’ve enjoyed Piper’s bio of Newton. The best thing about choosing to read about Newton is that most people already have a basic outline of his life happenings, so that when we look at his theology we have some context. I love that he called himself a “well-wisher” to the souls of the unsaved.