John Newton: The Tough Roots of his Habitual Tenderness by John Piper is a free eBook taken from the 2001 Bethlehem Conference for Pastors. John Newton, the wayward, debauched slave trader who came to Christ and wrote the beloved hymn "Amazing Grace," was much more than an example of God's saving power. He pastored congregations in Olney and London for 43 years and was a personal friend of many of England's leading politicians and clergy, including William Wilberforce and John Wesley. Piper finds in Newton such a striking example of a tough defender of the faith and a tender pastor of his flock that he hopes all Christians could learn from this incredible man.

John Piper, Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, since 1980, is a respected theologian and author. He is the author of over 30 books, of which more than two million copies have sold.