Ray C. Stedman

When I was starting out as a young, green pastor, in the providence of God, I discovered the expositions of Ray Stedman. He was a preacher who needed no gimmicks to build one of the most successful churches in America. He built the Peninsula Bible Church of Palto Alto, California, upon solid and consistent exposition of the Word. His down to earth applications were relevant to the issues my young church family faced at that time. Every time I opened one of Ray’s commentaries, I uncovered practical and powerful principles to share with my people. Below are some of the bite-sized truths that flowed from the heart of this man of the Word, Ray Stedman.

From- Expository Studies in 1 John:

When you are confident in yourself, all that you accomplish is what you can do. But when God is at work in you, you not only accomplish what you can do but far more than you can’t see.  You change lives. People are affected permanently and you leave behind an impression that is not forgotten. 18

Jim Elliot: From "Shadow of the Almighty"

We focus our attention on a man who never wrote a book. He did write a diary and what a powerful testimony it is! No book, other than the Bible, has affected my life than the one entitled, “Shadow of the Almighty.” It is a compilation of the prayers and meditations of the young missionary, Jim Elliot, composed by his wife after his martyrdom, in 1956. His life was short on quantity but long on quality. When you read it, you cannot help but be stunned by the passionate faith and love this young man has for the One who gave all for him. This one declaration characterized the way he lived and the way he died: “He is no fool who give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” The following is the first of several presentations of the quotes from the heart of this young disciple of Jesus. Get ready to be blessed and challenged.

John Stott has been a leader and scholar in the evangelical world for over thirty years. He was the chairman of the committees that produced the Lausanne Covenant [1974] and Manila Manifesto [1989]. He has written fifty books and his classic, Basic Christianity, has been translated into over fifty languages. If you want your mind stretched and your heart warmed, pick up and read one of John Stott's books. Now, listen to his wise and Christ-honoring words found in his book, Contemporary Christianity.  

John Piper gives you a banquet of delicious choices that are fit to challenge us in every facet of discipleship. His overarching theme can be summed up in these words: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” All of his writings are wrapped around that simple but profound statement. Here are some of the books he has written: The Pleasures of God is the place where he sets out his theological vision of God’s purpose for creation and redemption. In God’s Passion for His Glory, Piper draws from the writings of one of his theological mentors, Jonathon Edwards, to further his conviction that rejoicing over the glory of God is the central theme and purpose of life.