John Stephen Piper (born January 11, 1946) is an American theologian and pastor in the Reformed Baptist tradition.

[13] Before Piper was one year old, his family moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where he spent the remainder of his youth, graduating from Wade Hampton High School in 1964.

"[26] In the fall of 1966, Piper caught mononucleosis, and during this infection, he listened to the Pastor Harold John Ockenga on WETN, his college's radio station.

[33] Piper received his Doctor of Theology degree in New Testament studies at the University of Munich, Germany (1971–1974) under Leonhard Goppelt.

Upon completion of his doctorate, Piper taught biblical studies at Bethel University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, for six years between 1974 and 1980.

A candidate to succeed him was announced in March 2012,[4] and on May 20, 2012, Jason Meyer was voted in (784 yes to 8 no) to be the next pastor for preaching and vision, replacing Piper.

Following his retirement from the active pastorship of his church, Piper has occupied himself with online work through his Desiring God ministries.

He additionally works on a video series called "Look at the Book" ("LAB") in which he annotates some portion of Scripture and goes through in-depth exegesis.

[42] In 2024, a condensed book version of the Ask Pastor John podcast (adapted by its host, Tony Reinke) was released.

[44] In 2010, a Festschrift was published in his honor, entitled For the Fame of God's Name: Essays in Honor of John Piper, including contributions from Don Carson, Sinclair Ferguson, G. K. Beale, Thomas R. Schreiner, Wayne Grudem, Al Mohler, C. J. Mahaney, Mark Dever, John MacArthur, and Bill Mounce.