
Ask Pastor John
2,304 episodes — Page 46 of 47

Can We Reconcile Creation and Evolution?
Is it possible to combine evolution with Christianity? Should we even try?

How Does It Glorify God to Predestine People to Hell?
In the final judgment, God’s justice will be fully vindicated, his grace and mercy will be underlined, and our worship will be intensified.

My Faith Is Driving My Family Away — What Do I Do?
The tension arising from believing the gospel in an unbelieving family can be severe. Pastor John has this to say to Christians feeling the pain of family division because of their faith.

Does It Bother You People Are Entertained by Your Gestures?
What is Pastor John's response to people who are amused by his movement and gestures behind the pulpit?

What’s with All the Preaching Gestures?
Pastor John is well-known for his movements behind the pulpit. What role do those gestures play in preaching, and how much thought goes into them?

A Response to the First Republican Senator to Support So-Called Same-Sex Marriage
Pastor John what are your thoughts on Republican senator Portman's editorial supporting so-called same-sex marriage?

Do You Ever Doubt God’s Existence?
The more we consider the world around us and the Jesus of our Bibles, the more we can see that God is real.

Why No Pastor Lives Up to What He Preaches
If a pastor is preaching properly, he will regularly fall short of his own preaching. How can pastors avoid becoming overwhelmed by this reality?

Care for Couples Struggling with Infertility
What might be said to couples dealing with the deep pain of childlessness? Pastor John identifies some pillars of hope for those grieving over infertility.

How Do I Know If I’m Being Disciplined by God?
God’s discipline could come through suffering or a cool breeze on a sunny day. If God’s discipline comes in various forms, how can we know if we’re being disciplined?

What Oppressive Governments Cannot Do
Paul wrote that “rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.” But rulers sentenced Jesus to death, so how should we understand Paul’s words?

Does Romans 13 Prohibit All Civil Disobedience?
Paul says to submit to the government God has established. Does this include evil and unjust governments?

Biblical Womanhood in Five Minutes
What does it mean to be a woman? Here are four ways the Bible defines womanhood.

What’s the Connection Between IQ and Holiness?
The Bible requires us to use our minds to grow in holiness. Does this mean that smarter people have a leg up on holiness?

Do You Conduct Funerals for Non-Christians?
Christian pastors should never conduct a generic funeral for unbelievers. There is always something hopeful for us to say at funerals.

How Can I Help My Friends Stay Satisfied in God?
Christians help their friends be satisfied in Christ by speaking God's promises to each other, and by filling our own wells of joy in God.

God Hears My Prayers, So Why Should I Pray for Things Twice?
Jesus tells us to repeat our prayers with persistence, but he also says that God disregards vain repetition. So how do we know when to repeat ourselves?

A Theology of Prayer in Three Minutes
Regardless of how God answers our individual prayers, he loves to hear them, and he will use them to establish his kingdom once and for all.

How Can I Live More Like an Evangelist?
If we want to become more evangelistically-minded, we should constantly ask, “What is God doing here?”

Why Pastoral Professionalism Isn’t Enough
Pastor John gives his thoughts on the 2013 Conference for Pastors, “Brothers, We Are Still Not Professionals.”

Why Your Pastor Needs Your Prayers
One of your pastor's greatest needs is for you to pray for him.

The Spirit Lives in Me, So Why Do My Affections Waver?
If God is the source of the Christian’s joy, and God lives in us, why are there times when we don’t feel joy?

Should Missionaries Intentionally Lie?
Is it okay for missionaries to lie in order to do ministry in closed countries?

How Do Rape, Incest, and Threat to the Mother’s Life Affect Your Pro-Life Stance?
Should the difficult circumstances of some pregnancies affect our pro-life position?

Three Levels of God-Glorifying Emotion
Is God glorified in our desire to enjoy him? Or can we only glorify God when we're actually delighting in him?

A Theology of Art in Five Minutes
What role should art play in the church and the Christian life? A Christian theology of art considers God as an artist who commands creativity from his creation.

Should a Joyless Pastor Preach Joy in God?
How do you preach joy in God when you have almost no feeling of it? Pastor John gives some helpful counsel for pastors struggling to experience joy in the Lord.

Fighting for Joy in Pastoral Ministry
Pastor John offers counsel for pastors and others challenged by spiritual dryness and burnout.

Must Bible Reading Always End with Application?
What are you looking for in your Bible reading? Do you hope mainly to glean life principles or to be shaped by what you see of God's glory?

What Is Leadership?
What does godly leadership look like? Christian Leadership is acting and speaking to create a following toward a goal, all defined by the Bible.

Writing Poetry: Where Do I Start?
Pastor John offers practical help for Christians who want to write poetry but don’t know how to start.

What Is Definite Atonement, and Why Does It Matter?
Pastor John introduces definite atonement, the doctrine that Christ’s death accomplished a real salvation for a definite group of men and women.

Priorities for Youth Pastors
What are the fundamental truths that youth leaders and pastors should drill into the hearts of young people today?

What Does Christian Hedonism Offer the Depressed?
Our joy does not only glorify God when we feel happy and carefree. God is also glorified when we cling to his supreme worth in the midst of pain.

How Active Should We Be in the Pursuit of Joy?
Should Christians pursue joy in God, or should they wait for God to simply give it to them? Pastor John clarifies our call to rejoice in the Lord.

Does God Ever Withdraw His Presence from His Children?
Christian Hedonists affirm that we ought to be happy in God. Often, we are not. What should our response be to seasons of spiritual darkness?

Fighting Porn Addiction with Grudem’s Systematic Theology
Heaven and hell are at stake in the fight against pornography. When we recognize that, using every weapon at our disposal won’t feel extreme.

We Are Makers — Lessons on Vocation from Dorothy Sayers
Christians should think of themselves as being made new in Christ to be makers with God.

Interpreting the Miracles of Jesus
To understand the significance of Jesus’s miracles, we should begin by simply slowing down and asking, “What does this say about Jesus?”

Why False Doctrine Can Make You Happy
Does doctrine matter so long as we feel happy in God? Pastor John explains why only a true view of God can glorify him and satisfy us.

Why John Piper Recycles
Why should Christians care about this earth if we are waiting for a new one? Ultimately, it is because we love our neighbors.

The Essential Warfare for Holiness
We don’t add happiness to holiness in the Christian life. Our happiness in God is an essential piece of what it means to be holy.

Exercising the Body (For the Sake of the Soul)
God cares about what we do with the bodies he’s given to us. We should govern our eating, sleeping, and exercise to maximize our life and soul for the kingdom.

What Is the Difference Between Right Risk and Wrong Risk?
All Christians are called to risk. But how do we know when the risk is worth it and which risks we should take personally?

Safety Is a Myth
Risk is unavoidable in life. It is better to risk rightly, for the sake of Christ’s glory, than to try avoid all danger.

Arrests and Imprisonments in Opposing Abortion
Pastor John shares his experiences of being arrested for anti-abortion demonstrations and offers some principles for civil disobedience in opposing abortions.

Leadership Lessons from Martin Luther King
Despite his flaws, Martin Luther King, Jr. was an effective leader because he was courageous, brilliant, and a visionary.

What Are Your Takeaways from Passion 2013?
After preaching to 60,000 students at the Passion conference, Pastor John discusses the movement and its core desire for God’s name and renown.

What Is It Like Preaching to 60,000 People?
Pastor John recently preached to 60,000 at Passion. He talks about the unique temptations and mercies of speaking on such a large platform.

Why Adam Matters for Global Missions
Whether we believe in a historical Adam or not will affect more than our theology. For instance, his existence is one powerful tool in world missions.