Ask Pastor John
Religion & Spirituality
About
John Piper answering tough theological and pastoral questions.
Episodes
- When Obedience Is Evil
Pastor John explains how Christians should react when authorities demand sinful actions. He advises respecting earthly institutions while upholding God's word.
- Delighting in a Holy God
In this episode, Pastor John explains that God’s children are set apart as saints who share in Christ’s moral beauty. He discusses how God’s holiness is what draws us to him.
- Suffering for Joy
This episode discusses how Christianity provides enduring joy amidst suffering and offers relief from deep pains, clarifying it's not a solution for all life's trials.
- Ten Seconds After You Die
Pastor John addresses the theological question of whether the souls of believers sleep in the grave or immediately join the Lord after death, focusing on the reasoning behind the resurrection.
- Don’t Let Her Die Before You Say This
Pastor John outlines ten ways believers can demonstrate God's love to a dying, unbelieving loved one, focusing on embodying Christ's love.
- Fur Babies and Pet Stewardship
This episode of Ask Pastor John, titled "Fur Babies and Pet Stewardship," addresses how Christians can responsibly care for pets. Pastor John offers advice on appreciating animals while maintaining appropriate boundaries in their companion…
- Wasted Talents
The episode "Wasted Talents" from "Ask Pastor John" explains that spiritual gifts, even those producing powerful results, function as self-promotion without Christ-exalting love.
- Where AI Fails
Pastor John discusses the significance of emotions in the Christian life. By examining artificial intelligence and the concept of suffering, he clarifies what distinguishes humans.
- Long Sorrows Set the Stage
The podcast episode "Long Sorrows Set the Stage" from "Ask Pastor John" discusses how extended periods of suffering in Scripture highlight God's kindness. Pastor John provides three reasons for these prolonged periods of sorrow.
- The Bondage of Singleness
Pastor John discusses the Christian understanding of true freedom, referencing the apostle Paul's perspective on the experiences of both single and married believers.
- Sex Is Worship
This episode of Ask Pastor John, titled "Sex Is Worship," explores the spiritual significance of sex as outlined in 1 Corinthians 6. Pastor John addresses the scriptural view of sex outside of marriage, explaining why it is considered a si…
- The Wrong Kind of Cross-Centered
Pastor John discusses the necessity of centering sermons on the cross, analyzing the New Testament's linkage between Jesus's death and the holiness of believers.
- Will You Be Happy in a Million Years?
This episode of Ask Pastor John addresses the concept of eternity with God. It questions whether heaven will truly last forever and if humans will remain happy even after a million years.
- Made Lonely by Holiness
Pastor John addresses how to respond when friends embrace worldly entertainment, offering encouragement for loneliness that may arise from personal convictions.
- Dying to Live
Pastor John applies the concept of a 'living sacrifice' from Romans 12:1-2 to the daily lives of believers, explaining how they can present themselves to God.
- Stop Waiting for a Sign
Pastor John addresses whether all believers are called to missions, offering seven factors to guide those discerning a desire for ministry, either locally or abroad.
- Your Only Roadblock to Heaven
This episode discusses how God's sovereign grace is powerful enough to conquer all human sin and rebellion. It explains that this grace changes a person's belief in Jesus from a state of unwillingness to a state of wanting to believe.
- Everything Happens for a Reason
Pastor John examines the biblical basis for the idea that everything happens for a reason, using Romans 8 to address God's purpose within suffering.
- Your Main Calling in the End Times
Pastor John discusses the appropriate Christian response to signs of the end times, emphasizing a biblical approach to awaiting Jesus’s return.
- Five Escapes from Dry Devotions
Pastor John presents five practical methods for Christians to enrich their devotional lives. These practices aim to help believers engage more deeply with the Bible, moving past superficial reading to a more profound connection with the te…
- Why Smart People Reject God
Pastor John explores the reasons why people reject God despite the evidence in creation, discussing how truth is suppressed through internal and external factors.
- Hope for Screwups
Pastor John addresses how individuals who have deeply failed or strayed from God can find their way back. The episode offers hope for those seeking to return to their faith.
- Marks of a Godly Boss
Pastor John discusses the qualities of a godly leader, referencing Jesus's teachings and example to guide leadership in various settings like the home, church, or workplace.
- Waiting Is the Hardest Part
Pastor John discusses the divine purpose behind periods of waiting, explaining that God uses these times to foster a deeper sense of security, introduce new spiritual songs, and establish a greater significance in believers' lives.
- The Gospel of Gorgeous
Pastor John addresses struggles with self-perception, illustrating God's love and wisdom in creation to help listeners find peace with their individual design.
- Regretting the Day I Was Born
Pastor John addresses the difference between faithful lament and sinful complaint, offering five statements to guide individuals in expressing deep pain to God.
- Aging with Joy
Pastor John offers encouragement to older Christians, guiding them on how to maintain faith in Christ amidst the uncertainties of aging and combat feelings of bitterness and fear.
- The Hardest Heart God Can Save
The episode discusses the inherently selfish and God-ignoring nature of humanity. It emphasizes that regardless of how hardened a heart may be, God's sovereign power remains capable of salvation.
- Life Guidance for Sinners
The episode addresses the persistence of indwelling sin in believers, emphasizing that God's mercy is powerful enough to conquer any resulting guilt.
- Learning to Delegate
This episode of Ask Pastor John explores how pastors can manage the administrative demands of their congregations by applying four guidelines from Jethro's advice to Moses.
- Is Sex as Dangerous as Christians Make It Seem?
Pastor John discusses why Christians emphasize sexuality and what godly sexuality reveals about God and Christ.
- Why Is Christianity the Best Religion?
Pastor John provides four reasons why Christianity is considered the best religion. These reasons include the hope offered by the gospel and the distinctive nature of the God-man.
- Why Mental Clarity Arrives at Night
Pastor John explains how God's word can guide our hearts and provide instruction during the night. He discusses the ways God uses nighttime counsel to teach and lead us.
- Three Metrics for Your Fitness
Pastor John explains how to assess if caring for your body is rooted in stewardship or self-glorification by providing three guiding questions.
- Are Raised Hands in Worship Just Showing Off?
This episode of Ask Pastor John explores whether lifting hands in worship is a sign of public faithfulness or mere performance. Pastor John provides three ways to examine one's heart motivations during worship.
- Piper, Did You Miss Something?
Pastor John addresses the question of how to rejoice in God without neglecting to rejoice in our salvation. He clarifies the proper way to rejoice in God and his gifts.
- Maximize Your Daily Bible Reading
Pastor John discusses how daily Bible reading can lead to life transformation. He provides three suggestions focused on experiencing the Spirit's power.
- Make a Life Plan for 2026
Pastor John explains how to create a personal mission statement, helping listeners integrate their life details into God's overarching purpose.
- God Wants Your Resolve
Pastor John addresses how to make New Year's resolutions in a way that honors God, exploring the concept of fulfilling resolves through the strength found in another.
- The Gift Trap
This episode explores how to center joy in Jesus rather than his gifts. Pastor John presents four practical strategies for cultivating love for God amidst blessings.
- What a Fruitful Devotional Feels Like
Pastor John describes the feeling of encountering the living God through the pages of Scripture, offering a glimpse into a profound devotional experience.
- Complacency: A Silent Killer
Pastor John addresses the issue of spiritual complacency, cautioning listeners against treating God as irrelevant in their daily routines.
- When You Get Accused
Pastor John explains how to react when accused, particularly of things you haven't done. The advice focuses on enduring criticism with resilience.
- Loving Aging Parents Well
Pastor John offers guidance on how to care for aging parents during challenging times, drawing from biblical wisdom and his own experiences.
- Keeping Sovereign Grace in Gospel Partnerships
The podcast episode 'Keeping Sovereign Grace in Gospel Partnerships' from Ask Pastor John explains the rationale behind a gospel-driven ministry identifying as Reformed. It asserts that Reformed theology is crucial for protecting and exalt…
- Marriage Survival After Betrayal
Pastor John discusses the possibility of rebuilding trust after adultery, identifying two necessary miracles for a marriage to survive and ultimately thrive.
- The Apostasy of Impatience
Pastor John examines the nature of patience and impatience, addressing whether a Christian can experience impatience without committing sin. The episode delves into the nuanced relationship between these two states.
- Improving the Body Without Fixating on Image
This episode discusses how to improve one's body and appearance as part of stewarding it, while emphasizing the importance of remaining focused on being a whole person rather than solely on physical shape.
- Why Satan Persists
This episode addresses the existence of Satan, with Pastor John explaining four ways God is using him for His glory.
- What False Teachings Should Make Me Leave a Church?
This episode of Ask Pastor John discusses the difference between personal opinions and damaging theology. It addresses what false teachings are significant enough to warrant leaving a church.