John Piper's Answers to Hundreds of Questions about Ethics, Theology, the Bible, and More

Navigating the Christian life in a secular world will inevitably stir questions in the lives of thoughtful believers. Motivated by the need for sound biblical advice, Ask Pastor John was created, a podcast featuring pastor-theologian and bestselling author John Piper's answers to audience-proposed questions about life's toughest topics. Podcast episodes have been played over 230 million times and have become a staple in the lives of Christians around the world.

In this unique book, Ask Pastor John host Tony Reinke summarizes and organizes ten years of their most insightful and popular episodes into accessible, thematic sections. Readers will be able to quickly and systematically access Piper's insights on hundreds of topics including Bible reading, dating, social media, mental health, and more. We discover afresh how asking good questions strengthens faith and grows our understanding of God's word.

• Based on John Piper's Well-Known Podcast Ask Pastor John: Questions and answers are distilled by journalist, author, and host Tony Reinke
• Widely Accessible: Appeals to new believers, seasoned Christians, church leaders, and young adults alike
• Useful Reference Tool: Great for looking up commonly questioned topics related to life, Christianity, and the Bible

Do You Control Your Phone--Or Does Your Phone Control You?

Within a few years of its unveiling, the smartphone had become part of us, fully integrated into the daily patterns of our lives. Never offline, always within reach, we now wield in our hands a magic wand of technological power we have only begun to grasp. But it raises new enigmas, too. Never more connected, we seem to be growing more distant. Never more efficient, we have never been more distracted.

Drawing from the insights of numerous thinkers, published studies, and his own research, writer Tony Reinke identifies twelve potent ways our smartphones have changed us--for good and bad. Reinke calls us to cultivate wise thinking and healthy habits in the digital age, encouraging us to maximize the many blessings, avoid the various pitfalls, and wisely wield the most powerful gadget of human connection ever unleashed.

Qué piensa Dios acerca de la tecnología? Muchos cristianos se sienten confundidos por la tecnología moderna. Los nuevos iPhones y plataformas de redes sociales, los autos automáticos y la ingeniería genética demuestra que la innovación humana no se detiene para nadie. Pero a medida que las tecnologías se multiplican y nuestra vida se vuelve más compleja en esta era, las preguntas se vuelven más contundentes y constantes: Qué piensa Dios acerca de la tecnología humana? Se siente amenazado por todo su poder? Está tratando de desmantelar Silicon Valley? En su último libro, el periodista Tony Reinke aborda estas y otras preguntas difíciles desde una perspectiva bíblica. Al recurrir a nueve pasajes clave de la Biblia y dialogar con varios teólogos y pensadores, Reinke busca desmontar doce mitos comunes que los cristianos a menudo tienen sobre la tecnología, ayudándoles a comprender la historia de dónde provino la innovación humana y a abrazar el papel esencial de la iglesia en ella.

What does God think about technology? Many Christians need clarification about modern technology. New iPhones, social media platforms, self-driving cars, and genetic engineering prove that human innovation continues for everyone. But as technologies multiply and our lives become more complex in this age, the questions become more compelling and constant: What does God think about human technology? Does He feel threatened by all that power? Is he trying to dismantle Silicon Valley? In his latest book, journalist Tony Reinke addresses these and other difficult questions directly from the Bible. By drawing on nine key Bible passages and engaging with various theologians and thinkers, Reinke seeks to debunk 12 common myths Christians often have about technology, helping them understand the history of human innovation and embrace the essential role of the church in it.

True happiness isn't found. It finds you.

We think of our chase for joy as a fundamental right--and it's no surprise. By nature we are pleasure-seekers, though chronically unsuccessful at finding the type of joy that will endure for more than a passing moment.

But what if long-lasting joy isn't found at all? What if the deepest and most durable happiness breaks into our lives, overcomes our boredom, and ultimately finds us? What if true joy is out of our reach, but reaches for us?

• What if joy goes deeper than the flimsy foundations of organized day planners, thinned-out closets, freshly painted walls, or a perfectly followed gym routine?
• What if joy is not found at the end of a to-do list?
• What if joy is not governed by the personality assigned to me by the lottery of my genetic heritage?
• What if Aristotle, when he said my happiness depends on me, was fundamentally wrong?

To say it another way: What if I told you someone else was more concerned for your joy than you could ever be? What if this person has been planning your joy since before you were born? Would you believe me, or would you write me off as a well-meaning but ignorant religious optimist?

If you'll hear me out, I want to share with you a true story of inescapable happiness.

The Joy Project is a story that reminds us we are characters in God's unfolding cosmic story. God has written our joy into a script, and what he planned for us we can hardly imagine. The Joy Project is the heartbeat of Scripture. Neglect the Bible, and you neglect God's Joy Project, and you neglect your own joy. The Joy Project is the boldest story ever told. It will shock you, then it will bewilder you, and then it will plunge you into an ocean of divine love.

What Does God Think about Technology?

Many Christians remain perplexed about modern technology. New iPhones and social media platforms, self-driving cars, and genetic engineering all prove that human innovation is not slowing down for anyone. But as technologies multiply and life in this age becomes more complex, the questions become more stark: What does God think of human technology? Is he threatened by all its power? Is he trying to dismantle Silicon Valley?

In his latest book, journalist Tony Reinke addresses these and other hard questions head-on from the Bible. By turning to 9 key passages and engaging with several theologians and thinkers, Reinke seeks to dismantle 12 common myths Christians often hold about technology, helping them understand the story of where human innovation came from and to embrace the church's essential role in it.

• Biblical, Informed Look at Technology: Written by the author of 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You and Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age
• Gathers Ideas from Industry Experts and Theologians: Interacts with Christian and non-Christian sources on technology and theology including John Calvin, Herman Bavinck, Wendell Berry, and Elon Musk
• Educational: Discusses the history and philosophy behind major technological innovations

I love to read.
I hate to read.

I don't have time to read.
I only read Christian books.

I'm not good at reading.
There's too much to read.

Chances are, you've thought or said one of these exact phrases before because reading is important and in many ways unavoidable.

Learn how to better read, what to read, when to read, and why you should read with this helpful guide from accomplished reader Tony Reinke. Offered here is a theology for reading and practical suggestions for reading widely, reading well, and for making it all worthwhile.

Thirty years after Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death, this book takes the impact-analysis of modern media to a new level.

--John Piper, Founder and Teacher, desiringGod.org

What images should I feed my eyes?

We often leave this question unanswered-- because we don't ask it. Maybe we don't want to ask it. But viral videos, digital images, and other spectacles surround us in every direction--competing for our time, our attention, our lust, and our money. So we let our lazy eyes feed on whatever comes our way. As a result, we never stop to consider the consequences of our visual diet on our habits, desires, and longings.

Journalist Tony Reinke asked these hard questions himself--critiquing his own habits--and now invites us along to see what he discovered as he investigated the possibilities and the pitfalls of our image-centered world. In the end, he shares the beauty of a Greater Spectacle--capable of centering our souls, filling our hearts, and stabilizing our gaze in this age of the digital spectacle.

John Newton is famous for his legendary hymn Amazing Grace. Many have celebrated his dramatic conversion from a life in the slave trade to his eventual work to end it. But often overlooked are Newton's forty years as a pastor ministering to parishioners and friends unsettled by the trials, doubts, and fears of life.

Newton is perhaps the greatest pastoral letter writer in the history of the church. He took up his pen day after day to help others fix their eyes on Christ, which, he writes, is the underlying battle of the Christian life. Through a careful study of scores of letters, Tony Reinke brings together Newton's brilliant vision of the Christian life in one accessible place.

Widely recognized as a pillar of 20th-century evangelicalism, J. I. Packer has had a profound impact on millions of Christians living today. Now in his late eighties, Packer still exerts an enormous influence on pastors and laypeople around the world through his many books, articles, and recorded lectures--works that overflow with spiritual wisdom related to the Christian life. In the latest addition to Crossway's growing Theologians on the Christian Life series, well-known pastor Sam Storms examines Packer's legacy when it comes to the Christian and sanctification. Whether exploring Packer's insights into prayer, Bible study, the sovereignty of God, or the Christian's fight against sin, this accessible book offers readers the chance to learn from the best of Packer's thinking on what true godliness really entails.

The importance of Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck to Reformed theology is difficult to overstate. Bavinck's comprehensive four volume systematic theology, Reformed Dogmatics, is a modern classic that has influenced countless pastors and theologians over the past 100 years. In Bavinck on the Christian Life, scholar John Bolt brings the great Dutch theologian's life and work to bear on following Jesus in the 21st century. By practically applying Bavinck's systematic works to the Christian life and looking at the life of the man himself, this book shows the direct connection between robust theology, practical holiness, and personal joy.

John Owen is widely hailed as one of the greatest theologians of all time. His many works--especially those encouraging Christians in their struggle against sin--continue to speak powerfully to readers today, offering much-needed spiritual guidance for following Christ and resisting temptation day in and day out. Starting with an overview of Owen's life, ministry, and historical context, Michael Haykin and Matthew Barrett introduce readers to the pillars of Owen's spiritual life. From exploring his understanding of believers' fellowship with the triune God to highlighting his teaching on justification, this study invites us to learn about the Christian life from the greatest of the English Puritans.

Part of the Theologians on the Christian Life series.

Holy Week is not an obligation. It is an opportunity. In the chaos of our increasingly fast-paced and hectic society, the annual coming of Holy Week each spring is a reminder to pause and ponder, to carefully mark each day, and not let this greatest of all weeks fly like every other. It is a chance to walk with the church throughout the world and throughout time as she accompanies her Bridegroom through the eight most important days in the history of the world. And it is an opportunity to focus our minds on, and seek to intensify our affections for, the highest and most timeless realities in the universe. We have assembled a team of eleven pastors and scholars to walk us through Holy Week as we walk together with our Lord. This collection of short meditations includes readings for each morning and evening from Palm Sunday to the triumph of Easter.