Ask Pastor John

Pastor John gives counsel to a young woman who fears her relationship with her boyfriend is idolatrous.

Guest, Don Carson, focuses on the implications of Creation in the first two chapters of Genesis.

Pastor John discusses physician assisted suicide.

Jesus is not dead, boring, or predictable as John Piper explains from the conversion of Paul.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Oprah missed the most important part of the verse: God himself.

Life lessons from Jerry Bridges, who passed away at the age of 86.

Pastor John shares why sin is part of God’s ultimate plan.

Guest, Vern Poythress, explains why casinos don't lose money.

Guest, Vern Poythress discusses chance and the sovereignty of God.

In this sermon excerpt, Piper recounts when he discovered his desire for Christ was too weak.

Why did Jesus cry out, “Why have you forsaken me?” if he already knew why? Pastor John gives three reasons.

Pastor John extends biblical counsel to those who struggle with sexual sin and worry that they may be beyond repentance.

Many profess, but not all believe. Pastor John offers seven ways to approach someone who does not display the fruits of the Spirit.

Pastor John counsels Christians, in wisdom, to share their weaknesses with unbelievers.

In this sermon excerpt, Pastor John preaches that "the cross was not a tragic event God turned for good. It was a loving event God planned for good.”

When the burdens and monotony of life in a fallen world cloud our view of Christ, where can we turn and what can we do to see more clearly again?

The authentic Christian life is the obedient Christian life. Pastor John shares an acronym that helps him to walk in the power that God supplies.

Can a complementarian and an egalitarian ever get along in a marriage? Or is the difference of belief too fundamental to for the relationship to work?

Romans 1 tells us that the existence of God, along with his attributes, are evident to everyone. Does this mean that even atheists have some knowledge of God?

Every believer is written in the Lamb’s book of life. That’s not just a privilege for eternal life later but a humble, happy, and satisfied life now.

Putting practicing homosexuals to death belonged to a particular season in the history of God’s dealings with his people.

Christians should tolerate other belief systems not because we think we are all correct, but because we desire people to come freely — not under coercion — to understand the truth.

If we are going to understand specific parts of the Bible, then we need to understand the flow of redemptive history. Special guest, D.A. Carson, walks us through the entire Bible in half an hour.

Opportunities abound for Christians to give money and resources, but should we prioritize giving to our churches first and foremost?

The song of the redeemed will resound forever in heaven because of the Lamb whose slaying was planned before the foundation of the world.

If Christians have the freedom to gather and worship on any day of the week, why have we traditionally assembled on Sundays?

Fasting is a way of saying with our stomach and our whole body how much we need and want and trust Jesus.

Romance can neither ground nor sustain a good marriage. We need something deeper, and much more steadfast to stand on.

Awe is an important principle for parenting. We can cast most of our struggles with our children as helping our kids redirect their awe to the proper place.

We should never keep our awe in God to ourselves. So how can we—especially ministry leaders—experience a depth of awe that overflows others?

Diets and quick-fix programs for weight loss don’t work because weight loss is actually a spiritually battle that requires us to get our hearts right first.

God’s astounding glory and majesty should awe us. If we don’t live with a fearful sense of his glory, then we miss one of our greatest paths to intimacy with God.

We all need constructive criticism to help us grow and mature. But how do we respond to feedback that seems harsh, and perhaps downright rude?

God has granted us his word and his Spirit to guide us into all truth. Does that mean we don’t really need anyone to teach or instruct us in the ways of the faith.

The Bible speaks not only about joy but “inexpressible joy” and “glorified joy.” Is it really possible for us to experience such bliss on this side of heaven?

Christian ministries often spend significant amounts of money on conferences, marketing, and other things that can seem excessive. Do such expenses align with a wartime lifestyle?

We all know the call to make disciples of all nations, but where do we start? And how do we know if we have actually succeeded?

Scripture is sufficient, and yet there is a lot that we can learn from natural revelation. How do we evaluate those truths not contained in the Bible?

If Adam and Eve sinned in the paradise of Eden, how do we know we won’t sin in the next paradise of the new heavens and the new earth?

In a 2015 message, Pastor John preaches that the gospel brings life, and in this life comes sensitivity to reality, and there is great sadness in reality.

Several passages in Scripture mention being blotted out of the book of life. Does this mean genuine believers can lose their salvation?

We do not have ultimate self-determination, but we will all give an account to God for our choices.

Jesus clearly stated that he needed John to baptize him. But why would Jesus need to go through the waters of baptism if he had not sinned?

In a pluralistic world, Christianity faces all sorts of backlash against its exclusive claims. How can we respond well to the claims of other religions?

Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega. He never had a beginning and will have no end. He is fully and completely God.

Sometimes it’s too easy to question others’ motives, especially if we think they want something from us. How do we fight that tendency to suspicion?

Husbands take their cues from Christ, who gave himself up for the church. How can Christian men serve their wives and kids while leading them?

Can a believer ever be called to a lifelong career that they do not enjoy? Pastor John explains why we should ask a different question.

When seasons of waiting make you feel aimless and without purpose, what truths from Scripture can keep you moving forward.

Which spiritual discipline can help awaken our appetite for God, but is rarely practiced well today?