Ask Pastor John

Christians may live in exile, but we still have opportunities to serve and seek the welfare of wherever God has placed us.

Social media often draws out division and gossip — but it doesn’t have to. Christians can use their platforms to encourage and sustain.

The gospel isn’t just a solution to our sin, but a key that unlocks the fullness of life and joy that God desires for all his people.

Jesus Christ not only came to rescue us, but in his humanity, he identifies with his people and paves the way for us to know God’s redeeming grace.

Sin and suffering can set us back and even break our hearts. But in our risen Lord Jesus Christ, we have a hope that shines through even the darkest night.

We may like to think that words can never hurt us, but in fact, Proverbs tells us that “death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

Parenting can feel exhausting and tough. But our homes should overflow with the glorious goodness of God, because that is the ultimate foundation of reality.

God beckons his children to cast every care upon him, and to feel afresh the good news of the gospel in the communion of saints.

The Bible is no mere book. For Christians, the Scriptures are the scepter of the King: how he rules and reigns among us.

Sin not only suppresses the light of the truth, but also exchanges true glory for the false hope of idols — which, in our age, are often found on a screen.

The secret of lasting marriages is the biblical call to "rejoice in the wife of your youth." Remembering the spouse you feel in love with produces thankfulness for who God gave you.

Jonathan Edwards wrote frequently about the “excellency” of God and of Christ. But what does “excellency” mean, and how does it help us understand God?

Our happiness in God never has to contradict our obedience to God because to delight in God is to obey him, and to obey him is to find lasting joy in him.

John Piper has said that, outside of the Bible, Jonathan Edwards has influenced his life and theology most. So, if given the chance, what would he ask his hero in the faith?

We don’t come to Christ simply by making a decision for him. God needs to give us a fresh sight of his infinite, all-satisfying beauty and worth.

Reading serious theology takes time and commitment, but the world needs more people who read deeply to nourish their soul, not just inflate their heads.

If there is no resurrection, then Christians haven’t just wasted their lives. We’ve misrepresented God and falsely taught in his name.

Is permanent birth control a sin? Pastor John draws on principles for marriage, sex, human life, and the sovereignty of God.

Joy is essential to the Christian life, but it’s not the only component. From our hearts’ delight in God flows the desire to please him in the ways we think and act.

Christianity isn’t simply a way of life or a new morality. Christianity is about the best news in all the world that we now herald in word and song.

The New Testament speaks of varying degrees of reward in heaven, but that doesn’t mean there will be any envy or boasting. All will experience fullness of joy in their own capacity.

Injury doesn’t have to impede our ability to grow in and witness to Christ. God wants to use our weakness for his glory.

We may not always know precisely why God does what he does, but we can always trust his infinite wisdom, righteousness, and justice.

The doctrine of election isn’t just a point of theology to study, but a profound truth that awakens amazement for all God has done.

What Jesus Christ offers in the gospel isn’t merely a band-aid for sin, but everlasting joy that outweighs any and every earthly pleasure.

Left to ourselves, we cannot discern or remove the flaws in our thoughts. But God’s word and the Holy Spirit can renew our minds.

When we give money to our churches and to God through them, we need to always remember that every desire and ability to serve and give are themselves gifts from God.

When we feel no joy, when we go to Scripture and walk away discouraged, when God feels distant, what can we do?

Pastor John teaches how the first sin displayed a heart that did not trust nor treasure God.

When we as a church assume that we are owed cultural dominance and prosperity, our otherworldly hope can quickly begin to fade.

Whenever we talk about emotions in the Christian life, like joy, we need to remember that we all experience life differently, and God has grace for all our shortcomings.

When a Christian teen disagrees with their Christian parent, are they both stuck, or is there more to pursue than agreeing to disagree?

Only humans are made in God’s image, and only humans can be redeemed. So do we have any biblical basis for saying our pets will be in heaven?

The past isn’t just a source for nostalgia and fond memories, but a reservoir of God’s grace that empowers our faith in all that God has promised to be for us.

We only have one life on this earth to devote to honoring and glorifying our Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t waste it; make it count.

The content of a pastor’s preaching should connect directly with his text. To preach faithfully is to show your people the truths that are really present in a passage of Scripture.

All men and women should be active in ministry. The question is how. Pastor John explains why God reserves Sunday-morning preaching for men.

Christian police officers have a God-given platform to advocate for positive change in their communities. Pastor John offers four pieces of advice for speaking on race.

Churches are not social action agencies, but Christ does call his community to embody and witness to the power and values of his kingdom.

Pornography and lust may seem harmless at first, but, in the end, they may just cost you the most precious gift in all the universe.

Longing for marriage can be a good, God-given desire. But finding a spouse can never replace our primary life’s passion: seeing and savoring Jesus Christ.

The Church is made of broken people who look to Jesus for satisfaction and joy. Many in the church experienced sexual abuse and struggle in their relationships.

To be ready for a dating relationship, a young man or woman doesn’t only need availability and desire, but a growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Boyfriends should take the initiative to lead their girlfriends in ways that are appropriate outside the marriage covenant — especially when it comes to sexual purity.

Our culture may place a high premium on looks, but what attracts godly people isn’t just the right physical features, but the spirit and character that lay underneath.

The local church is a community for all kinds of people, including every age group. And members should constantly be looking for ways to learn from and serve one another across generations.

Matt Chandler joins the Ask Pastor John podcast to discuss the speed of relationships moving toward marriage, and whether social media has negatively impacted dating.

For Christians, the church is the best context for developing relationships because a local community of faith should provide discipleship and accountability like no other place.

Both spontaneous and prepared prayers can edify the health of our spiritual lives, but whenever we pray, we need to aim for glory, rely on God, and speak in the Spirit.

When God issues his call to awaken new spiritual life in a once dead heart, he create what he commands out of an overflow of his love.