I’ve not yet seen The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity by Barnabas Piper, which releases today. But having spent a few years as one of 25 or so apprentices at Bethlehem Baptist Church, I’m intrigued by a book which (among other things, I’m sure) gives perspective on what it was like growing up in the Piper household. Today Jonathan Merritt posts an interview with Barnabas. Here’s an excerpt:
RNS: What was the biggest negative you experienced growing up in the Piper household? Greatest positive?
BP: The biggest negative was not connecting with God in a personal way. My dad’s view of, and relationship with, God is so big and so powerful that it looked like the only way to come to God. But it didn’t work for me. It wasn’t until I was out of college and things kind of fell apart for me that I encountered God’s grace and the person of Jesus in a profound way on my own.
There were lots of positives too. The biggest one is that my parents loved me and have always been there for me.
RNS: What is one thing people would be shocked to learn about the Piper household?
BP: Depends on who you ask. Those who are huge fans might be surprised to know that our family has a lot of tensions and quirks. We have dysfunction and conflict. We don’t always get along very well. It’s not the idyllic repository of peace and knowledge they might have painted a picture of in their heads.
Those who see him as a heavy-handed fire breather would be surprised to know that he loves movies like “What About Bob” and is fiercely competitive. He even got a yellow card for berating referee at one of my brothers’ soccer games one time.
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Read the whole thing.