Last week I put up a video on the life of Charles Spurgeon and actually heard back from someone that he watched the whole thing! Well, such encouragement makes me try for even more. Here is a lecture by John Piper at Reformed Theological Seminary talking about the life and ministry of Spurgeon. Christians should be lovers of history and there are not many places for believers to fuel that interest than in the life of Spurgeon – especially if one is a Christian of the Baptist variety. Piper begins his lecture, at a non-Baptist seminary, by noting that there are things more important than denominational agreement. It is a good comment on Christian unity and the importance of the Gospel. I hope you can spare the hour that watching this will take. Lord knows we waste more than that on lesser things.

I hope you find this helpful.

Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/64724035 w=400&h=300]