Taylor Swift, John Piper, and Worship

I met John Piper this weekend. Ever since my freshman year in college, John Piper's books, podcasts, sermons, and articles have deeply impacted me. Christian Hedonism has upended my life, driving me to see the meaning of, "In your presence there is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Ps. 16:11). Piper's solid, triumphant biblical exposition has benefitted my Bible reading greatly. And his big-God theology (especially in the doctrines of salvation, sovereignty, and suffering) have helped to place God at the center of my universe.

I am not alone. Millions of Christians have read his writings and listened to his sermons, and many have expressed their gratitude for his teaching. Indeed, the size and impact of his ministry makes him something of an evangelical celebrity. His 50+ books have sold millions upon millions of copies. DesiringGod.com, which he founded, racks up millions of visits per month (8.7 million in May, according to similarweb). John Piper either founded, co-founded, or greatly influenced, "the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (1987), Desiring God (1994), the Passion conferences (1997), The Gospel Coalition (2005), Together for the Gospel (2006), Bethlehem College & Seminary (2009), and the CROSS Conference (2014)" (TGC). His name inevitably surfaces in churches, Christian YouTube channels, and theological coffee-shop conversations around the globe. At T4G 2022, which I attended, the line to greet him stretched all the way across the front of the massive convention center. 

On Saturday, I met him. He was leading a prayer time outside the largest Planned Parenthood in Minnesota. With a group of about thirty, we prayed together for God to save the abortionists, change our nation's view of sexuality, and put an end to the unchecked murder of innocent babies. 

The focus was radically not on John Piper. The focus was on God's holiness, wrath, love, grace, and power, and we came together to praise Him for his grace and to plead for His mighty hand to move. 

On that same Saturday, Taylor Swift held a sell-out concert in U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. Over two separate nights, Swift attracted more than 120,000 eager fans to this, the 14th installment of her internationally-acclaimed Eras tour. Just for the weekend, Mayor Jacob Frey ceremonially renamed Minneapolis "Swiftieapolis." Roads were closed and the Metro was slammed, as several of our team members can well attest. For two days, Taylor ruled the city.

Everyone was coming to see her. To praise her. To scream and yell. To lift hands in the great congregation. Just to see her whom the masses praise.

In that same stadium, every couple Sundays in the fall, the masses gather to scream and yell. To see and praise. To lift hands in the great congregation.

To glorify.

As I pondered my weekend with its contrasts, I was struck by the meaning of worship and celebrity. 

I met John Piper, not to behold him, but to labor alongside him in prayer. I love John Piper, not because he is great, but because God has endowed him with a gift of pointing to God's greatness. I thanked John Piper, not because he is glorious, but because he has effectively preached on the God whose glory surpasses all. John Piper is a man. Imperfect. Fallen. 

God is great, and greatly to be praised. His beauty and glory outshines the sun. No one can declare all his praise. No one can plumb the depths of his love. No one can measure the worth of his grace. No one can weigh his holiness. 

Why do we flock to men and women, to gape and shout and praise? Why do we seek fame? Why do we want to be noticed? Why do we worship others, and ourselves? 

Do we forget the bigness of God? From top to bottom, side to side, the whole expanse of galaxies, stars, black holes, nebulas, planets, comets, asteroids, and all were created by Him. He made starfish and seahorses and jellyfish and sharks and coral and turtles. He made lions, tigers, bears, bison, ducks, flamingos, giraffes, zebras, cougars, tamarins, orangutans, gorillas, and all. He made you. In wisdom, He made it all.

Do we forget the beauty and power of God? He sent His Son to die to redeem us from our sin (how great is His love!). He raised His Son from the dead, defeating death forever (how great is His victory!). He sends out His Spirit, His own Presence, into the hearts of all who believe Him. 

How close He is.

If you are a Christian, how often does the incomparable glory of God lie on your shelf, gathering dust, while you join with the teeming masses to praise some artist, some singer, some spectacle? Perhaps even, some preacher?

If you are a Christian, you have entered into the fellowship of the Son. And you want to know someone famous? You are known fully by the Creator of the universe, and you want to be known by someone famous? To be praised?

This is the battle we face. I faced it that morning as we drove up to the Planned Parenthood. How foolish, how irrational, how wrong it is that my heart would be focused on Piper in the face of baby murder. We were there to cry out to God! Not to be star struck. We must constantly battle the irrational lie called idolatry. 

Endless joy and sufficiency and love and glory has already been given to us. Behold Jesus. Look at Jesus. Worship Jesus. He is infinitely greater than Taylor Swift, John Piper, and the Minnesota Vikings.

If you're not a Christian, you can enter this fellowship. It is a satisfying fellowship. You can praise this One with the nail-scarred hands - He's the only One worthy. Repent of sin and believe in Christ, and you will find true glory and worship.

The human heart has a deep capacity for praise. We can praise singers and preachers and talk-show hosts and animals and food. But the only praise that will last, quite literally as a song forever, is praise to the One who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.