Paul David Tripp
by Hannah Stokes
I. Known For
Paul David Tripp is a world renown Christian author, pastor, and event speaker. Paul has published best-selling and award-winning books and has written over 30 books on what it looks like to live as a Christian. Paul Tripp has planted a church, founded a Christian school, and has written worship songs. His primary goal in life is to “connect the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life”.
II> Biography
Paul Tripp was born to Bob and Fae Tripp, on November 12,1950 in Toledo, Ohio. Bob and Fae had been saved by grace not long before Paul was born, and they were thrilled to raise their child in a Christian home. His parents held a time of family worship each day, and they were at church for every event that was held there. Although his family strived to live in a home that was honoring to God, they went through a few very hard times. Through these hard times, Paul grew a desire to see the gospel play out in a broken world. At the age of nine, Paul understood and grasped the truths of scripture, and was saved by the Lords grace. After years of making friends, going to school, being involved in the church, and doing a variety of different things in Toledo, when Paul went to college, his parents moved to Southern California, therefore, Toledo was no longer home to him.
Paul married his wife, Luella Jackson in 1971, after meeting at Columbia Bible College, where they both studied. In the same year that he married Luella, Paul started his first pastoral position at a local church. After completing college, Paul decided to go back and complete his Master of Divinity degree at what is now called the Philadelphia Theological Seminary. From the time that he and his wife got married, and when he completed his degree in Divinity, Paul and Luella had four children. As Paul grew in his Christian walk, his love for ministry grew also. This caused him to have a desire to help plant a church in Scranton, Pennsylvania through 1977-1987, and during this same time, he founded a Christian school. Another thing that Paul did during his years in Scranton, was becoming involved in music, where he traveled with a Christian band and developed a love for writing worship songs. As time went on, Paul also developed a love for biblical counseling, which resulted in him deciding to enroll in the D.Min program in Biblical Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After going through yet another few years of studies, Paul used what he had learned and joined the CCEF (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation). He also decided to teach at the Westminster Theological Seminary and was a visiting professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Paul, his wife, and children moved to Philadelphia in 1987, where they built the rest of their lives. They are currently and have for years, been involved in their local church (Tenth Presbyterian Church) where Paul preaches each Sunday and leads a ministry that they have that goal is sharing the gospel with people in the inner city. Paul’s children have had joy in the fact that their father and mother have raised them in the church. As a family, they have served together and have been involved in daily devotions, similar to how Paul was raised. Paul’s wife, Luella, manages a commercial art gallery in the city, where she uses her talents to advance the gospel to people who have not ever heard it. Paul as well as his wife, loves painting and has committed himself to using painting as yet another way for him to help people understand the Bible.
In the beginning of June, 2006, Paul started a nonprofit organization named Paul Tripp Ministries, which has reached millions of people across the world. Paul is also the president of this ministry whose goal is to connect the transforming power of Jesus to daily life. A year and a half later, in January 2007, Paul became part of the pastoral staff at the church that he has been preaching and faithfully attending to this very day. Paul is also a Professor of Pastoral Life and Care at a seminary in Dallas, Texas. He also works as an Executive Director of the Center for Pastoral Life and Care in Fort Worth, Texas.
III. Important Theological Views
Tripp’s denominational affiliation is Presbyterian, and although there are many types of Presbyterian, this specific church (Tenth Presbyterian) believes that God’s Word is without error and is the ultimate authority in the Church. They teach that scripture is the only way that we can know who God is, who we are as humans, and how we can be saved. When they said that their church is confessional, they mean that their church subscribes to the ancient Christian creeds and to historic, protestant, and Reformed theology as is taught in The Westminster Confession of Faith. This church is also Presbyterian, which means that they are a church that is governed by elders who are called by God and elected by people in the church. They believe that the governors of the church emphasize the character of the Church as is shown in the New Testament. They preach the truth that humanity is inherently sinful, and that everyone who is living in the world deserves the wrath of God. The church also believes and teaches that Jesus was a real person in history and that He came to the earth to die for his children (those he elected) because he loves us. They believe in the Divine Trinity, and that each member of the Trinity is incredibly important and plays different roles in a believer’s life.
IV. Works/ Publications
Paul David Tripp has written over 30 different books, which are all written on theological views of lifestyle. The most famous of which are; Instruments in The Redeemers Hands, How People Change, War of Words and Age of Opportunity. He writes each of his books with the purpose of encouraging others in different stages of life as they are striving to walk with the Lord.
Bibliography:
“About Paul Tripp” PaulTripp.com
https://www.paultripp.com/about
“Presbyterians: 10 Things to Know about Their History & Beliefs” Christianity.com
“Our Beliefs” Tenth.Org
https://www.tenth.org/about/our-beliefs
“Paul David Tripp” Last.fm
https://www.last.fm/music/Paul+David+Tripp/+wiki
The Encyclopedia of Biblical Counseling 