Ask Pastor John

What should a pastor do if he feels discouraged, defeated, and almost ready to quit? Pastor John gives a series of diagnostic questions.

Staying married is not first about staying in love. It’s about keeping a covenant that reflects Jesus’s own commitment to his bride — the church.

Deep study of Scripture yields deep payoffs, but many of us can’t engage in rigorous study every day. So how do we strike a proper balance?

We need to read large sections of Scripture and stop to meditate on short passages. Pastor John recommends a reading plan that allows you to do both.

Retirees, what a glorious exchange it would be to give up our golf game and bridge club for the mission field. But where should we start?

We can say with confidence God does not dwell in a geographic place we could go to in a spaceship. So what can we say about the location of heaven?

Why does Hebrews tell us that Jesus needed to “learn obedience” and “be made perfect” if the Bible also says he never sinned?

Christmas may fall short now, but one day our delight will be full — and it will go on increasing for all eternity. This is what Christmas is all about.

Every good gift we receive comes through the death of Christ. So every gift from God is an opportunity to enjoy God himself.

Jesus is one hundred percent God, one hundred percent man. This union of divinity and humanity may be mysterious, but it’s the only hope for sinners.

Let’s stay close to the heart of Christmas: God took on flesh that he might die to destroy our enemies, deliver us from sin, and give us eternal life.

The key to magnifying Christ in life and in death is to find him more precious and more satisfying than everything we lose in death.

The only kind of sin that does not lead to death is the sin that we confess, repent of, and resolve to fight by God’s grace.

In many cultures, married couples live with the husband’s family. But does “leaving and cleaving” mean they should move out and get their own place?

George Ladd has done more to shape our view of the end times than almost any other theologian. Pastor John explains the man and his influence.

“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required.” Did Jesus intend this warning for believers or nonbelievers?

By default, Christians should submit to public officials. But how should Christians respond to rampant injustice in government?

If Christ died to pay our debt, whom did he pay? Did he pay Satan in order to free us from captivity, or did he pay God to free us from our penalty?

The Bible’s view of human sexuality is a beautiful truth that we should set on a pedestal — even if that means others hate us for it.

We don’t ever outgrow the gospel. So why does Hebrews call us to “leave behind the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity”?

On any given day, innumerable needs surround us that all call for prayer. So how do we navigate these endless needs and decide what to pray for?

If nothing happens outside of God’s control, then why is this world filled with events that clearly oppose God’s revealed will?

Most of us spend at least forty hours a week at work. So how do we leverage our time there to bring honor and praise to God?

Aim to be humble rather than defensive when it comes to criticism. Only then will we be able to listen to their words and change if we’re wrong.

Spreading damaging reports about others feels so good and comes so naturally. But why is this impulse so natural? And how do we fight it?

Under the threat of nuclear war, we could easily start preparing for the worst by stocking up on food and building a bomb shelter. But should we?

Why do some hear of God’s sovereignty and run into the mission field with confidence, while others passively say, “What will be will be”?

What should we do if the thrills of TV, movies, video games, and sports feel more interesting than spending time with God?

Dementia may turn God’s people into frail shadows of their former self, but these saints are sitting on the brink of a glory and power we can’t imagine.

The stakes are high when pastors do not root their points plainly from the text in front of them. Here are six consequences.

The Bible calls husbands to lead their wives. But where should you go for help if you’ve never seen anyone model Christlike leadership in the home?

Even the best churches and friendships can leave us feeling relationally jaded. So how can we persevere in love when others disappoint us so much?

God seeks our worship, not because it meets his need, but because it meets ours. God is the only one beautiful enough to satisfy us forever.

Someone recently claimed that 88% of our happiness is outside of our control. How should a Christian hedonist evaluate this theory?

The Reformation spread when an unknown monk leveraged a rudimentary piece of technology developed by a devout Roman Catholic.

Good biographies expose us to times, people, and thinking outside of our own day. Here are some of the best biographies of Reformation figures.

Choosing which of the five ‘solas’ is most important is like choosing which wing of an airplane matters most. All the ‘solas’ stand or fall together.

Racism, hate, and anger have all erupted in fresh ways this last year. Are we born with these ethnic prejudices, or do we learn them?

The Bible not only recognizes that God controls everything. It also demands that we build our lives around that truth.

What is the difference between God’s holiness and his righteousness? And what does that mean for us?

Is Ephesians 1:18 about God inheriting believers, or is it about believers inheriting God’s glory? Pastor John offers a few defenses for his view.

God did not design marriage for outbursts, verbal putdowns, or raised voices. If this describes your marriage, here’s some advice from Pastor John.

Falling in love is a wonderful gift, but for most the maturity to handle a relationship of that depth doesn’t come in high school.

Anger destroys relationships, but the Bible has a category for righteous anger. So what’s the difference between the good version and the deadly one?

Hearing the word of God is not a mere discipline — it is a matter of life and death. But how can we take in God’s word when reading feels like a chore?

Communion calls to mind the most tragic event in the history of the world and the greatest hope ever offered. Only mature believers can set that tone.

Jesus is clear that abiding in him is not optional. But what does it actually mean to daily remain attached to him?

This slogan became the heartbeat of Pastor John's life and the hallmark of Desiring God’s ministry. So where did it come from?

The ultimate sin in the garden was not eating the fruit. Adam and Eve lost their taste for God’s beauty before they reached for the tree.

We know that God has the ability to control everything, but does he always choose to exercise his full sovereignty?