Has the World Confused Evil with Righteousness?When sin is disguised as virtue, the path to cultivating righteousness becomes impossible. Such is the challenge Christians face in the modern age. Not long ago, most people would agree that the seven deadly sins are in fact deadly. But ask them today, and you’ll hear a different answer. Today, “a… Read more…
Has the World Confused Evil with Righteousness?When sin is disguised as virtue, the path to cultivating righteousness becomes impossible. Such is the challenge Christians face in the modern age. Not long ago, most people would agree that the seven deadly sins are in fact deadly. But ask them today, and you’ll hear a different answer. Today, “a… Read more…
The present is more than a place where the past comes to rest.It is more than a staging ground for the future.The present is where God shows up.We live our lives in the present, but often our minds are racing toward the future or overwhelmed by the past. We want to change the past and control the future, but usually all we really do is exhaust ourselves i… Read more…
Can we all just get along?E Pluribus Unum: “Out of many, one.” This motto is emblazoned on the Great Seal of the United States, but it could be the church’s model, too. Unfortunately, the daily experience of many Christians and churches feels like the opposite: out of one, many. We are increasingly aware of what makes us different from o… Read more…
Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Top Shelf Book Cover AwardWe live in a culture that values activity, achievement and accomplishment. Whether in our careers, churches, schools or families, busyness is the norm in our lives, and anything less makes us feel unproductive and anxious. We have to work all the harder, then, to pursue true rest in a 24-… Read more…
Disappointment is a feeling everyone knows well—failed relationships, buyer’s remorse, unmet expectations, and so on. In a broken world, disappointment surrounds us. But Christians know that Jesus will never disappoint us, right? Wrong. John Koessler explains how Jesus disappoints everyone. He never fails, but he does disappoint.We come to Jes… Read more…
When you stand before your congregation, what do you hope to accomplish when you preach the Word? If people have Bibles and the freedom to read and pray on their own—why do they need you? In short, what do you bring to the table?Author, pastor, and professor John Koessler answers those questions and many more. Why does one sermon have a powerful effect on … Read more…
When you stand before your congregation, what do you hope to accomplish when you preach the Word? If people have Bibles and the freedom to read and pray on their own—why do they need you? In short, what do you bring to the table? Author, pastor, and professor John Koessler answers those questions and many more. Why does one sermon have a powerful effect on… Read more…
Growing up the son of agnostics, John Koessler saw a Catholic church on one end of the street and a Baptist on the other. In the no-man’s land between the two, this curious outside wondered about the God they worshipped—and began a lifelong search to comprehend the grace and mystery of God. A Stranger in the House of God addresses fundamental questions a… Read more…
"I can't tell you how many times I have preached and afterward promised God I would never embarrass Him like that again." — Joseph M. Stowell. Unnatural. Supernatural. A gift. Hard work. Exhilarating. Terrifying. These words only begin to describe the challenge and reward each pastor experiences. So what can assist today's pastors in su… Read more…
At various times, some within the Protestant community have compromised core Christian principles to "fit the times". Challenging these truths, many members of the evangelical community have stood up for the key doctrines that, in their view, remain essential to the Christian faith. In Foundational Faith, John Koessler, a professor at Moody Bible Institut… Read more…
Most of us would answer 'No' when asked if we were like Jesus. How do we become more like Jesus? John Koessler believes the answer is by understanding and developing the marks of a true disciple in our lives. In True Discipleship and the Companion Guide, he provides a straightforward presentation of the characteristics Jesus laid out for His discip… Read more…