Ask Pastor John

What might Scripture say to a woman who desperately wants to become a man? Pastor John offers six reasons why attempting to “de-gender” is a tragic act of sin.

Are Christians who have the opportunity to vote obligated to do so — or can we abstain from the whole process for righteous reasons?

Seven times in the book of Hebrews, the author captures the heart of Christianity in a simple, wonderful command: draw near.

No angel, no saint, and not even Mary herself can improve the access to God we already have through Christ and his finished work.

In 1 Timothy 1:15, the apostle Paul claims to have been “the foremost” of sinners. Is Paul speaking in hyperbole here, or was he really the world’s worst sinner?

How can we become bolder in evangelism? Pastor John shares a story of his stumbling attempts to love a neighbor, and God’s patient persistence through it all.

When we look with eyes of faith on our pre-conversion life, we find abundant reason to thank God for his mercy, and abundant reason to give others hope.

The jealousy of God shows his zeal for his own worth — and it also shows his zeal for our deepest joy.

The biblical mindset puts God and his glory, not man and his desires, at the center of the universe. And grasping this blazing center unlocks the greatness of the gospel.

Is there any hope for the recovery of a shipwrecked faith? Pastor John offers four reasons shipwreck need not be final.

Should we speak of Christians as saints or sinners? Pastor John explores why Paul addresses Christians as saints dozens of times — and as sinners almost never.

What drove the apostle Paul to win people to Christ? He longed to taste the joy of the gospel not only in his own heart, but in the hearts of countless others.

Sound preaching comes from those who live in the presence of God-centered glory and long to echo his infinite worth.

“The law is good, if one uses it lawfully,” Paul says. But how can we tell if we are using the law in the way that God intends?

How can we guard against drifting in the Christian life? By looking and looking and looking at Jesus.

You do not need to walk in sinless perfection in order to have a good conscience. You just need to walk in the light.

The apostle Paul strongly warned Timothy and Titus against the “myths” of his day. What might he have to say about the fictional stories in our own day?

If we’re going to listen to Jesus and not drift away from him, we likely will need to turn down the noises that capture so much of our attention.

Where should pastors and other Christians draw lines for ministry partnerships? Pastor John shares the degree of unity he has pursued in six ministry settings.

Does Numbers 5:22 suggest that women guilty of adultery were punished with miscarriage? And if so, how does this passage speak to the pro-life position?

If we don’t have a plan for when, where, and how we will read the Bible, our devotions will probably fall before the demands of the day.

Every pastor receives criticism. But at what point might criticism become so serious or sustained that a pastor should consider stepping down?

Everyone passes through seasons of despondency — seasons when the soul is troubled and hope feels thin. But when does despondency become sin?

How can we push the truth of the Bible from our heads to our hearts, so that our times of daily Bible reading become times of daily worship?

Given the pain of this world, the joy of salvation, and the glory of God, what kind of tone should a pastor seek to set on Sunday morning?

Some people find intermittent fasting helpful for losing weight. But is fasting for merely physical purposes a sacrilegious use of a spiritual gift?

The psalmists show that darkness and discouragement are part of the normal Christian life. And they also show a crucial strategy for finding the light again.

Pastor John, like the rest of us, has his likes and dislikes. From movies and soft drinks to breakfasts and songs, here are twelve of his favorite things.

If a hospital asks a Christian nurse to participate in a “gender-reassignment” surgery, should she agree — or should she take her nursing skills elsewhere?

Strong Christians read the Bible, memorize the Bible, meditate on the Bible, and live on the Bible. They make intentional plans for the word to be their daily bread.

A desire to do good can easily become a desire to look good. So how do we put away our hunger to be praised by other people?

The best gift anyone can receive at Christmas is deliverance from our two greatest enemies: sin and Satan.

A good musical worship experience involves head and heart, truth and affections. It will lead people to know their God and to embrace him with joy.

“Though he slay me, I will hope in him.” Why has Pastor John barely mentioned these remarkable words of Job throughout his decades of preaching and teaching?

Does God save the lost through visions today — or does someone need to hear the gospel to be saved?

Pastor John discusses personal and ministry highlights from 2022, including podcasts, books, global outreach, and a new goal for ‘Look at the Book.’

How can we find freedom from living for the opinions of people? Pray for and pursue a big vision of God. Find a firm identity in Christ. Look to your eternal reward.

Casting your cares onto God begins with believing that he really is the infinitely powerful, all-wise, always-good God he reveals himself to be.

Satan may oppress you, attack you, and rage against you. But if you are in Christ, he holds no power to finally destroy you.

How can leaders prevent the pressures of running an organization from squeezing out opportunities for face-to-face work and ministry?

Scripture is clear that Satan is not ultimately sovereign — God is. But under that sovereignty, in what ways can Satan still harm God’s people?

Outside of Christ, the fear of death is a slave master that holds everyone in bondage — even those who seem unaware of their chains.

Our churches grow in wisdom and maturity when the young honor the old, the old listen to the young, and all clothe themselves with humility.

Suffering may be the price of Christian love, but it is not the aim of Christian love. Our aim is to do as much good as we can on the lowly path of service.

How can we aim to be done with anxiety and enjoy peace in any circumstance? By bringing every circumstance to God in prayer.

If God saves his people through faith alone apart from works, why does Peter say that baptism now saves us?

In 1 Peter 3:19, we read that Christ “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey.” What might Peter mean?

There is no distress that puts you beyond the good news that God brings — not even the distress caused by your own sin.

Thirty years after ‘Let the Nations Be Glad!’ was published, Pastor John reflects on the book’s beginnings and its lasting legacy.

Paul and Peter charge Christians to use our spiritual gifts for the good of the church. But what if we don’t seem to have any spiritual gifts?