
Ask Pastor John
2,335 episodes — Page 27 of 47

Campus Ministry and the Local Church — Do They Work Together?
When parachurch campus ministries are an extension of the local church, they can strategically reach and disciple the lost together.

How Do Finite Beings Worship an Infinite God?
God does not require finite man to love him infinitely. But he does require total and supreme love.

Was Calvin a Christian Hedonist?
Because John Calvin loved the glory of God and our pursuit of happiness in him, John Piper believes he would have been a Christian Hedonist.

Should Christians Vacation to Religious Shrines?
It is a terrible sign of spiritual obliviousness to visit religious shrines and not feel heartbreak and caution for demonic powers of deception.

My Parents Say Missions Is a Waste of American Blessings
If your parents think pursuing missions is a waste, win them to your vision and show them that Christ is sufficient to satisfy your soul.

What’s the Appeal of Heavenly Rewards Other Than Getting Christ?
Christ is our reward — as is everything else that more fully reveals him and more fully enables us to enjoy him.

Should We Baptize the Dead?
Baptism demonstrates and symbolically reenacts our spiritual death, burial, and resurrection in Christ. But it does not save anyone.

I’m Confused — Are We to Pray with Few Words or Without Ceasing?
Pray to God at all times, but don’t think you can twist God’s arm by repeating your requests. He seeks heartfelt, authentic fellowship.

How Can My Difficult Marriage Glorify Christ?
A faithful, covenant-keeping spouse can display the truth of Christ’s covenant with us — even after a failed marriage.

Do We Really Need Musical Worship?
Qualified leaders should help God’s people come together to express his infinite value by lifting their voices and hearts in song.

When Should Christians Use Satire?
While satire, irony, sarcasm, and ridicule all have their place in exposing evil and harm, Christians should patiently seek to win others in love.

Why Does the New Testament Cite Extrabiblical Sources?
Sometimes biblical authors drew in material from outside the Bible in order to strengthen their points for their audience.

What Is Revival and Where Do We Find It?
Revival is a concentrated work of God where Christians in various churches earnestly desire more of Christ, boldness in witness, and commitment to missions.

The Benedict Option and American Politics: 12-Minute Audio with Don Carson
Christians are called to be different from the world, but engaged with the world. That’s not comfortable, but it is essentially Christian.

Why I’m Baptist
First, be a Bible-guided Christian. Second, embrace the Bible-rooted doctrines of grace. Third, come to your convictions on baptism.

My Prodigal Left Home — Should I Give Him Money?
If you have a prodigal, immerse yourself in the Bible and pray with your spouse for wisdom, love, boldness, and joy.

Is God Ever Surprised?
God is never ignorant about the future or about anything. He is never uncertain about what is coming. He is God.

What If Life Turns Out to Be Pointless?
Christianity and nihilism are exclusive, because God himself is the meaning and purpose and value of human existence.

Am I Really Ready for Heaven?
Receive Christ, the one who did all the doing that had to be done as the foundation of our acceptance with God.

Does God Know the Exact Day I Will Die?
God determines when everybody dies. He decided so before the world existed.

How Soon Is Christ’s Return?
If Christ’s millennial reign comes after his second coming, Jesus could come very, very quickly.

Can We Ever See God or Not?
There are some senses in which God’s people can see him, and other senses in which they cannot.

Will Every Jew Be Saved?
Not all Israelites will be saved, and no Jews who are waiting for a Messiah but rejecting Jesus while they wait will be saved.

How Many Bible Versions Should I Read?
Use multiple Bible translations for increased general understanding, and use one main translation for meditation and memorization.

Is Pain Punishment for My Sin?
The purpose and design of God’s justice in punishment is infinitely different than his purifying discipline in pain.

Do Pets Distract the Christian Life?
While pets, like other good things, can distract us from the glory of God, they can also provide God-saturated fascination and joy.

Never Send Nude Selfies: Seven Reasons
Nudity belongs in marriage, and nowhere else — not in dating, not in engagement, and certainly not on your phone. Pastor John gives seven reasons why.

How Do I Pray the Bible?
Praying the Bible keeps us from focusing on our immediate private concerns to the exclusion of God’s larger purposes.

Was Jesus a Christian Hedonist?
Jesus lived to glorify his Father by enjoying him as the sustaining power for all his life, including his greatest suffering.

Can I Be Faithful to God and Popular at School?
Imitate Christ and ask yourself, “How can I serve somebody today?” not, “How can I get somebody to like me today?”

Will Some People in Heaven Have More Joy Than Others?
The greatness of our rewards in the age to come correspond with the life of obedience that we have lived here.

Grape Nuts — Hot or Cold?
The secret to enjoying Grape Nuts is so special, John Piper wrote a limerick to explain.

Can Loved Ones in Heaven Look Down on Me?
Although we don’t know how much our loved ones in heaven can watch us, we do know that they would encourage us to fix our eyes on Jesus.

Was Any Biblical Writer Aware He Was Inspired?
The Bible is God’s word not simply because the authors said so, but because of the way God’s glory shines through it.

What If I Ruin My Kids?
When God calls a woman to be a mother, it is a glorious calling, and such women should consider and embrace those glories.

John Piper’s Prayer for President Trump
Listen to John Piper’s heart and Godward hopes for the 45th presidency of the United States.

Christ Reigns over All: Biblical Survey of God’s Kingdom
The ultimate hope for all Christians is the new heaven and the new earth, where everyone will see God as King over all.

Help! My Teen Is Abandoning Christ
If your child has turned from Christ, don’t despair. God loves to hear your prayers and can meet your situation with power.

What Does It Mean That God Will Glorify Me? And How?
If you find praise from other people more satisfying than praise from God, you will not be able to believe on Jesus.

Are Men Superior to Women?
With every difference between men and women, there is a kind of counterpoint of indispensability.

I’m Exhausted — How Do I Recharge My Body Without Neglecting My Soul?
If you are a weary pastor, ask God to protect you from wasted leisure and to help you pursue God-honoring refreshment.

Don’t Waste Your Engagement: How to Prepare for Marriage
Engagement is a golden opportunity for men to set patterns of spiritual leadership and talk with their ladies about biblical and spiritual realities.

Did John the Baptist Advocate Divorce?
Some people use Matthew 14:4 to justify divorce. But Piper shares three uncertainties in the text that should keep us from doing so.

Am I Holy Enough to Take Communion?
If you are a member in good standing at your local church, renounce sin, and treasure Christ, then you should eat the Lord’s Supper with hope.

Will I Be Single for the Rest of My Life?
God promises to give his single children an everlasting monument and name better than sons and daughters.

Is It Sinful to Seek Fame Online?
We must not find satisfaction in the praise of men, but in God himself and in helping others find that same satisfaction.

Why Are Women More Eager Missionaries?
More single women serve in missions than single men, but God is able to give grace for every circumstance.

How Does a ‘Man’s Man’ Sing to a ‘Beautiful’ Jesus?
When we see all of Jesus’s virtuous capacities and magnificent achievements, it is natural, not awkward, to call him beautiful.

The Sacrifice of Christ in the Season of Christmas
We must see how sacrifice works as a theme in all of the Bible in order to fully appreciate the cross of Christ.

John Piper’s Favorite Hymn
And it’s a rather obscure German hymn you’ve probably never heard — until now.