General Archives

Raising Kids to Do Hard Things with Gregg Harris (November 19, 2009) - I'm really excited about this series of conferences that my father is doing for parents. I can't improve on the description that my brothers Alex and Brett shared on their blog: Ever since we started this blog, and especially... ( Keep Reading » )

Bookends of the Christian Life (November 9, 2009) - Yesterday I preached the first message in a new series entitled Bookends of the Christian Life that will carry us through the end of the year. The series, inspired by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington's book by the same name,... ( Keep Reading » )

John Piper on the Ruinous Ethic of Mere Avoidance (November 4, 2009) - I find the following quote from John Piper's book Don't Waste Your Life deeply challenging... One of the marks of this peacetime mind-set is what I call an avoidance ethic. In wartime we ask different questions about what to do... ( Keep Reading » )

Old Navy Mannequins (November 2, 2009) - Last week we were grabbing some clothes for the kids at Old Navy. While we were checking out I looked over and realized the kids were standing amidst the main clothing display acting like mannequins and trying to freak... ( Keep Reading » )

Together for the Gospel 2010 (November 2, 2009) - Together for the Gospel: T4G 2010 Conference from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.... ( Keep Reading » )

Proverbs 31 Sermon (November 2, 2009) - On Sunday I preached the final message in our Proverbs series, "The Woman of Valor," from Proverbs 31. From the text, I focused on four characteristics of the valiant woman, in order of importance: She fears the Lord. She gives... ( Keep Reading » )

The Valiant Wife of Proverbs 31 (October 30, 2009) - I'm preaching this Sunday from Proverbs 31 on the woman who fears the Lord. I found this quote in Bruce Waltke's commentary compelling: "[T]his valiant wife has been canonized as a role model for all Israel for all time. Wise... ( Keep Reading » )

How to Insult God (October 27, 2009) - Sunday I preached from Proverbs 14:31 which states, "Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him." I don't know about you, but over the years I know I've been guilty... ( Keep Reading » )

How to Insult God (October 27, 2009) - Sunday I preached from Proverbs 14:31 which states, "Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him." I don't know about you, but over the years I know I've been guilty... ( Keep Reading » )

A.J. Hamilton's Story (October 24, 2009) - I had the chance to meet A.J. several years ago when I visited Mars Hill in Seattle. I'm excited to hear about the church/campus he's starting and I was deeply encouraged by his powerful testimony. For women considering abortion his... ( Keep Reading » )

Hold That Thought, God. Need to Check My Email (September 30, 2009) - ( Keep Reading » )

Self-Control in a Wired World (September 28, 2009) - Yesterday I preached a sermon about self-control from Proverbs 25:28 that says, "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." I focused on the issue of media, the internet, and today's new technologies. I... ( Keep Reading » )

Praying for Mexico During Drug Cartel Wars (September 25, 2009) - Prayer for Mexico from Covenant Life Church on Vimeo. This video clip is from Sunday when my friend and fellow pastor, Dave Brewer, led us in praying for the nation of Mexico. You might not be aware of the terrible... ( Keep Reading » )

The Sluggard by Isaac Watts (September 22, 2009) - Proverbs' portrait of the sluggard is extreme, even comical. Nevertheless, laziness, in all its subtle forms, has serious consequences. You can listen to a sermon I preached on the subject. And the following is a poem by Isaac Watts based... ( Keep Reading » )

Give Uganda Water (September 5, 2009) - In 2008, a team of men and women from our church traveled to western Uganda to visit and be involved in the work of Kiburara Gospel Centre Church. While in Kiburara they saw the filthy drinking water and learned... ( Keep Reading » )

Proverbs 3:7-Turn Away From Evil (August 28, 2009) - This video is a clip from a sermon on Proverbs 3:7-12 called "Practicing Trust." You can listen to the audio of the full sermon here.... ( Keep Reading » )

Towers Article on Joshua Harris (August 20, 2009) - Article:The newest issue of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's publication Towers features an article by Garrett E. Wishall about my experience as a new pastor. Read the article. Interview:They're also featuring a three-part interview with me: Part One, Part... ( Keep Reading » )

Do Hard Things Tour-Washington, DC, Sept. 19 (August 9, 2009) - Last year our church was able to host the Rebelution conference featuring my brothers Alex and Brett. This September 19th they're coming back to the Washington, DC region but they've moved to a larger venue. If you didn't get... ( Keep Reading » )

Randy Alcorn on Taking Charge of the TV (August 8, 2009) - My old friend Randy Alcorn has written a helpful post about honoring God in your TV-viewing habits. The whole post is worth reading, but here's the list of suggestions that he shares. Obviously, these aren't laws but they're all helpful... ( Keep Reading » )

Proverbs 9 Sermon: Learning to Love Correction (August 6, 2009) - Listen to the audio of the whole message.... ( Keep Reading » )

How Would You Invest $10,000 in Eternity? (August 3, 2009) - In the financial world money managers pick the stocks of the companies they think will turn a profit. What would it look like for Christians to invest their money for eternal rewards with the same intentionality? I thought it would... ( Keep Reading » )

Lecrae: Don't Waste Your Life Video (August 2, 2009) - I've been enjoying Lecrae's album Rebel. It is Christ-exalting and spiritually provoking. This is the video produced by the amazing team at Desiring God for the song "Don't Waste Your Life."... ( Keep Reading » )

You're Only as Wise As Your Next Decision (August 1, 2009) - How could Solomon, a man of such great wisdom and the author of Proverbs have strayed from faithfulness into the folly of idolatry? Consider a few of the compromises that marked his reign. Deuteronomy 17 tells Israel's kings not to... ( Keep Reading » )

Kevin DeYoung's Book on the Church is Better Than Mine (July 27, 2009) - I wrote a book on the church. Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck also wrote a book about the church. I like their book better. I imagine this makes my book feel bad to have its author pick another favorite.... ( Keep Reading » )

Joshua Harris Divorce: Ugly Rumor (July 23, 2009) - Not long after I wrote my first book on relationships and then got married a rumor began to circulate that I'd gotten a divorce. Ten years later we still get emails asking if this is true. One lady told... ( Keep Reading » )

"I Kissed Dating Goodbye" Pros and Cons (July 14, 2009) - The good folks at Boundless Line have done two posts reflecting on the good, the bad and the ugly related to my book I Kissed Dating Goodbye. I think I must be getting more mature (or maybe just tired) because... ( Keep Reading » )

7 Keys to Creating a Great List (July 3, 2009) - 1. Start your list with the number 1 and then go from there. 2. Use original and memorable words to describe your list like "key" and "great." 3. Never at any point give in to the creeping fear that your... ( Keep Reading » )

Regina Spektor "Laughing With" Video, Lyrics and Song Meaning (July 1, 2009) - I listened to Regina Spektor's haunting song "Laughing With" several times today. I don't know Regina's personal religious beliefs, but I think she's written a powerful song. To me the song speaks of the fact that suffering strips away our... ( Keep Reading » )

A Letter from Ray Ortlund to His Family (June 22, 2009) - I came across a letter that the late Ray Ortlund wrote for his family before he went to be with the Lord. His son, Ray Ortlund, Jr., found it in his father's desk and I'm grateful that he and his... ( Keep Reading » )

Resting, Remembering and Enjoying My Family (June 3, 2009) - Tomorrow I'm going on vacation with my family. Very kind friends let us use their place down in Florida. My little girl keeps asking when we're going on "cation." She asks if we'll see whales and sharks. Somehow someone... ( Keep Reading » )

Kevin DeYoung: Defining Discourse Down (June 2, 2009) - Check out this convicting and insightful article by Kevin DeYoung entitled Defining Discourse Down. Here are two excerpts from it... Because I'm proud I get hurt when people disagree with me strongly. Because I'm proud I feel the need to... ( Keep Reading » )

Should We Use Twitter During Church? (May 28, 2009) - In the past year Twitter has exploded in popularity. A USA Today article I read this week said its membership increased 3,000% in the last year. This year at Next 2009 a number of attendees (along with the team... ( Keep Reading » )

Free Sermons from D.A. Carson, Sinclair Ferguson & Kevin DeYoung (May 27, 2009) - And now the audio of the main sessions is available for free download. Bob Kauflin has also shared the song list from the conference. A live recording of the worship will be sold online only in about three weeks.... ( Keep Reading » )

Next 2009: Thank You (May 26, 2009) - To everyone who came, thank you for helping us rent the convention center so we could worship Jesus in downtown Baltimore. Thanks to all the pastors and leaders who brought people. Thanks to the young married couples and people my... ( Keep Reading » )

Going to Next 2009 (May 20, 2009) - This weekend I'm in Baltimore with 2,500 worshipers of Jesus Christ to spend four days considering who Jesus is and what he's done for us. If you're a friend of Next but can't make it this year, make sure to... ( Keep Reading » )

Os Guinness: Life and Ministry Interview (May 14, 2009) - Today I gave my brothers Alex and Brett a ride to the airport. They just finished their first year of college and were headed home (via a trip to Ohio for our cousin's wedding). Anyway, on the way back I... ( Keep Reading » )

Death is Not Dying: Rachel Barkey's Story (May 13, 2009) - After four and a half years of vigilantly fighting breast cancer, Rachel Barkey, a 37-year-old wife and mother of two was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Rachel's story is not unlike what thousands of women around the world have experienced.... ( Keep Reading » )

Sinclair Ferguson on Imputed Righteousness (May 9, 2009) - Here's a short video of Sinclair Ferguson reflecting on the imputed righteousness of Christ, that is, "the simple glory of the Gospel that God counts to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ...not only are our sins forgiven, but the holiness... ( Keep Reading » )

Giving Birth to a Book (May 5, 2009) - The man who helped edit my first book once told me that writing a book is the closest a man comes to giving birth. I try not to share this with women because I've found that it really annoys them.... ( Keep Reading » )

Can You Twitter the Gospel? (May 5, 2009) - The team over at 9Marks invite you to succinctly communicate the Gospel in Twitter's 140 character limit. They're even offering free books to those who do it most effectively. Is this a worthy exercise? Greg Gilbert writes, "we ought to... ( Keep Reading » )

May Issue of the Next Webzine (May 2, 2009) - The May 2009 issue of the Next Webzine is now live. Here's what you'll find inside: Author Spotlight D.A. Carson is one of the foremost biblical scholars of our day and has written or edited more books than you’ve probably... ( Keep Reading » )

Session Passes Available for NEXT 2009 (May 1, 2009) - A number of people have asked if they can attend individual sessions of Next. What if you want to hear Carson or Ferguson but can't get the whole weekend off work or can't afford staying at a hotel? Well... ( Keep Reading » )

A Baptism Testimony: Kristin Hoover (April 30, 2009) - This is the testimony of Kristin Hoover, one of the seven young adults who were baptized last Sunday at our church. I'm so grateful to God for these students and the grace of God in their lives. All of them... ( Keep Reading » )

Twitter Flu: Are You Infected? (April 29, 2009) - Everyone is talking about Twitter and Swine Flu these days. And both seem to be spreading. Two days ago my good friend and fellow pastor Kenneth Maresco caught the Twitter Flu. For me that's the sign of saturation. Whenever Kenneth... ( Keep Reading » )

Come See Pilgrim! (April 29, 2009) - If you're anywhere near Gaithersburg, Maryland, you should come see our church's youth drama, "Pilgrim: A Work in Progress," based on John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress." It is outstanding. Below are some shots from the last performance. Get info on the... ( Keep Reading » )

Final Stretch of Book Writing (April 28, 2009) - For the past two years I've been working on a new book. I'm not at liberty to share details about its title or content right now, but that will be coming later in the year. It's very different than anything... ( Keep Reading » )

Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference (April 19, 2009) - This week I'll be in Chicago for the Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference. I'm going with my dear friends and fellow-pastors Grant Layman, Kenneth Maresco and Corby Megorden. I wish we could have taken our whole team, but budget cuts... ( Keep Reading » )

Tullian Tchividjian: Unfashionable (April 18, 2009) - Time for a friendly plug for my buddy Tullian Tchividjian's book Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different. The book was just released. Check out a few of these rave reviews: D. A. Carson: "It is... ( Keep Reading » )

TIME Magazine: The New Frugality (April 17, 2009) - The cover of the latest issue of TIME states, "The recession has changed more than just how we live. It's changed what we value and what we expect - even after the economy recovers." Nancy Gibbs writes, "[W]e're stripping... ( Keep Reading » )

John Newton and Bob Kauflin "The Look" (April 11, 2009) - Tonight at our Good Friday night of prayer and worship we sang this song: I saw one hanging on a tree In agony and blood Who fixed His loving eyes on me As near His cross I stood And never... ( Keep Reading » )

Scripture for E-Mail, Blogs and Twitter (April 6, 2009) - We've all sent an e-mail and forgotten to include the attachment we promise. But have you ever sent the wrong e-mail to the wrong person? Slate's Michael Agger has an interesting article "Can't Believe I Just Sent That" which describes... ( Keep Reading » )

Kevin DeYoung: Just Do Something (April 2, 2009) - The following is the foreword I wrote for Kevin DeYoung's new book Just Do Something. It is God's will for you to read this book. Yes, I'm talking to you. What are the odds that you would "just happen" to... ( Keep Reading » )

I Pray That God Will Be With You (April 1, 2009) - A good friend who knows I'm neck-deep in the book-revising process sent me an email saying that he would be praying for me. Then he wrote, "My prayer for you is that God would be with you. Not in the... ( Keep Reading » )

April 2009 Webzine in 60 Seconds (April 1, 2009) - The April 2009 issue of the Next Webzine is up. Here’s a 60-second run down courtesy of my friend Ricky Alcantar… Author Spotlight This month we're highlighting work from Kevin DeYoung. We like Kevin because he's a young pastor... ( Keep Reading » )

Cherry Blossoms (March 30, 2009) - Video Description: Today we gave mom some time off and spent a few hours enjoying the Cherry Blossoms in DC. Emma, Joshua Quinn and Mary Kate visit the FDR Memorial, circle the whole Tidal Basin, climb a few trees... ( Keep Reading » )

Preview: Mark Driscoll on Nightline's Satan Debate (March 24, 2009) - Update: The Nightline Faceoff Debate is now online. You can watch it here. Amy Letinsky stopped by the site and let me know that she attended the debate taped last week featuring Pastor Mark Driscoll, Annie Lobert, Bishop Carlton Pearson,... ( Keep Reading » )

Beatbox Chef (March 21, 2009) - (Hat Tip: Richard Wardman)... ( Keep Reading » )

Reflections on the Word "Unchurched" (March 19, 2009) - I think that one of the oddest words in the Christian lexicon is the word unchurched. Have you heard someone use this word? Usually it's spoken by pastors or church leaders talking about the people they want to save. At... ( Keep Reading » )

Professional Athletes Go Broke (March 18, 2009) - As the old saying goes, "A fool and his money are soon parted." The latest issue of Sports Illustrated has a nine-page investigative spread, "Money in Sports - How (and Why) Athletes Go Broke," By Pablo S. Torre, who sat... ( Keep Reading » )

An Interview With Tullian Tchividjian-Part 1 (March 16, 2009) - The following is an interview I did back in 2007. I'm sharing it again here for those have heard about Tullian replacing D. James Kennedy and are interested to learn more about him and his ministry. This interview (part... ( Keep Reading » )

Tullian Tchividjian Replaces D. James Kennedy (March 15, 2009) - Congratulations to my friend Tullian Tchividjian who will become the new Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. Today the members of Coral Ridge gathered for a congregational meeting and voted (91%) to accept their Pulpit Nominating Committee's invitation... ( Keep Reading » )

Christians, Television and Sordid Bible Stories (March 15, 2009) - I received the following question after my post about the new TV show Kings which is based on the life of King David: QUESTION: Hi Josh, I was just wondering whether you could comment on the values you expect of... ( Keep Reading » )

Tim Hawkins: Chick-fil-A Parody Song (March 13, 2009) - ( Keep Reading » )

The New Super-Tiny, Talking iPod Shuffle (March 12, 2009) - You guys know I'm a big Apple fan. I love music and I love my iPhone. Well, Apple has released a new, smaller, "talking" version of its popular iPod Shuffle. Apple writes: "VoiceOver is the exciting new feature that... ( Keep Reading » )

I Feel Like I'm Stealing (March 12, 2009) - Okay, so maybe you all already know about this, but I've only recently discovered that a free preview of the ESV Study Bible is available online for the month of March. After that it will be available for anyone who... ( Keep Reading » )

A Definition of Work, Trade and Finance (March 10, 2009) - Some men wrest a living from nature; this is called work. Some men wrest a living from those who wrest a living from nature; this is called trade. Some men wrest a living from those who wrest a living from... ( Keep Reading » )

Next Webzine: March Issue Online (March 6, 2009) - Read it.... ( Keep Reading » )

How Much is a Trillion Dollars? (March 5, 2009) - Ever wondered? This is really cool. (Hat Tip: Justin Taylor via Matt Perman.)... ( Keep Reading » )

Narnia Version of "Guess Who?" (March 3, 2009) - A few years ago I made a Chronicles of Narnia version of the game Guess Who? for my kids. Have you ever played this game? The object is to guess the name of the other person through a process of... ( Keep Reading » )

The Girl with Purple Hair (March 2, 2009) - Why'd she have to smile? The girl with purple hair smiled at me today. The girl with the purple hair and nose ring and black lipstick passed me on the sidewalk and smiled. Why'd she have to smile? I was... ( Keep Reading » )

Resolved 2009 Conference (February 12, 2009) - Our friends at Resolved have a great conference planned. Here's the trailer...... ( Keep Reading » )

Everything Has an End (February 5, 2009) - I mentioned in another post that our family has been reading a children's book called The Railway Children by E. Nesbit. Tonight, as we finished the final chapters, we read the following quote which I enjoyed. It gives you a... ( Keep Reading » )

New Year, New Journal (January 1, 2009) - Yesterday I ordered a new journal for the new year. For the past six years I've used Paperblanks Journals. They're my favorite. They're sturdy, feel good in your hands and many come with a cool "magnetic wrap" that keeps... ( Keep Reading » )

Happy New Year (December 31, 2008) - My new year will be happy because this is true: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).... ( Keep Reading » )

A Few Prayer Requests (November 19, 2008) - I'd be so grateful for your prayers. Want a list? Here ya go... 1. This week I'm in Orlando for a gathering of Sovereign Grace leaders. Please pray that God would encourage the men gathered and for my family while... ( Keep Reading » )

Five Lessons from Billy Graham: A Grandson Reflects (November 6, 2008) - My friend Tullian Tchividjian wrote a post honoring his grandfather Billy Graham on his 90th birthday. Tullian notes five things he's learned from him:1) Humility: Daddy Bill has always been keenly aware that God is God, and he is... ( Keep Reading » )

Bible Study With the Orioles (September 11, 2008) - Today I had the honor of leading a small Bible study with some players from the Baltimore Orioles. It was a good reminder for me to be praying for Christians who are professional athletes. I had the chance to meet... ( Keep Reading » )

Louie Giglio and Passion Church (August 13, 2008) - Today I got a letter in the mail that Louie and Shelley Giglio sent out to friends of Passion. It was a report of all that God has been doing through the Passion World Tour. It sounds like it's... ( Keep Reading » )

The Rebelution Conference (July 26, 2008) - I am way too tired to write much about the Rebelution Conference that our church hosted today. Suffice it to say that I thought my brother Joel did a great job leading worship, Alex and Brett were fantastic and my... ( Keep Reading » )

A House Made of Dirt (July 2, 2008) - Sunday at church I talked to my friends Kevin and Maureen Hartnett. They're in the middle of building their dream home: a house made out of dirt. Okay, it's not all dirt. But the walls are made of Compressed... ( Keep Reading » )

Things That Don't Make Sense To Me (June 25, 2008) - I enjoyed this post by Jeana over at the blog Days to Come. Even though she's writing from the perspective of a wife/mother I can relate to her list of "Things That Don't Make Sense To Me"... 1. How having... ( Keep Reading » )

Praying for the Chapman Family (May 22, 2008) - I just learned that Steven Curtis Chapman's five-year-old daughter was struck and killed by car yesterday. Please pray for the Chapman family as they grieve the loss of their precious little girl.... ( Keep Reading » )

Drew and Melanie's Engagement (May 1, 2008) - Here's a shout-out to my old buddy, Drew Garfield, who just got engaged to a wonderful girl named Melanie Dillon. Drew and I moved out from Oregon to Maryland together. And he used to travel with me when I did... ( Keep Reading » )

CJ Mahaney at Ligonier (March 15, 2008) - CJ preached this week at RC Sproul's Ligonier Conference. From what I've heard he did a great job. Tony Reinke tells me the sight of CJ in a suit is eliciting a lot humor. "Wish you could hear all the... ( Keep Reading » )

A Theology of Work (March 11, 2008) - In his book Christian Mission in the Modern World, John Stott makes the point that Jesus calls all his followers to ministry. And ministry is service. He says, "if we are Christians we must spend our lives in the service... ( Keep Reading » )

Fairy Tale (February 28, 2008) - I thought ya'll would enjoy a comment that was left on a YouTube clip of one of my sermons:Wow ... This is such a bright engaging speaker. It's too bad he's wasting his life away talking about a fairy tale.I... ( Keep Reading » )

Sarah Brewer (February 19, 2008) - Dave and Jen Brewer are dear friends of ours. We lived next to them for a while, and Dave pastors with me at our church. They have 4 beautiful children, the youngest of which is little Sarah, 18 months... ( Keep Reading » )

Praying for Dr. Mohler (February 14, 2008) - Today, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary posted in a press release that its president, Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr, "will require additional surgery after a scheduled colonoscopy on February 11 revealed a [pre-cancerous] tumor in his colon. ....The procedure is... ( Keep Reading » )

Jonathan Edwards in Charity and Its Fruits (February 13, 2008) - "Do you think the injuries you have received from your fellow-man are more than you have offered to God? Has your enemy been more base, more unreasonable, more ungrateful, than you have to the High and Holy One? Have his... ( Keep Reading » )

CJ Blogs (January 29, 2008) - Glory Hallelujah! CJ has entered the blogosphere with his new blog on the Sovereign Grace site entitled " Sovereign Grace Blog: C.J. Mahaney's view from the cheap seats & other stuff." Check it out. Be part of history and... ( Keep Reading » )

Interview: Professor Robert P. George (January 22, 2008) - Today is the 35-year anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in our country. I encourage you to read Justin Taylor's interview with Professor Robert P. George on the topic of abortion and its politics. Professor George, a... ( Keep Reading » )

John Piper on Martin Luther King Weekend (January 19, 2008) - Today on the Desiring God blog, John Piper writes: Monday is Martin Luther King day. I encourage all pastors and Sunday School teachers to make something of it this weekend. It may be too late to preach on racial and... ( Keep Reading » )

Weeping With Those Who Weep (January 17, 2008) - I wanted to share this article that Jon Smith recently posted on the New Attitude blog. Jon is a friend and fellow pastor who serves on the singles team at our church. Jon writes from his experience of losing... ( Keep Reading » )

For Battling Self-Righteousness (January 11, 2008) - "Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be." - Thomas a Kempis... ( Keep Reading » )

Gift Idea: Journals (December 5, 2007) - Last night we had our annual Staff Christmas Party—always a wonderful time of fellowship and celebrating evidences of God's grace in those we work with. As a gift from the pastors, all the staff received leather PaperBlanks journals. These... ( Keep Reading » )

Relativizing God's Word (November 16, 2007) - In his recent article entitled, "The Feminization of the Ministry—A Milestone in Britain," Al Mohler comments on the increasing ordinations of female priests by the Church of England. His article points to an even more concerning trend—that of playing "interpretive... ( Keep Reading » )

Learning From Mark Driscoll (November 9, 2007) - My first introduction to Mark Driscoll was his book Radical Reformission. I enjoyed it and was challenged by it. So I wrote him a letter telling him that I appreciated the stand he took for biblical truth and the clear... ( Keep Reading » )

Being Christian in Iraq (October 26, 2007) - I was recently reading an article from the Washington Post talking about the persecution of Christians in Iraq. Here's how it begins:BAGHDAD—Nabil Comanny and his family endured the dead bodies left to decompose along the road in their southern... ( Keep Reading » )

Wildfires in California (October 24, 2007) - No doubt you are aware of the massive fires raging in Southern California, with over 650 square miles burnt and nearly a million people displaced. Mark Lauterbach is senior paster of our sister church in San Diego. He, like... ( Keep Reading » )

The New Banner (October 2, 2007) - My friend Beth Altrogge is the photographer behind the new banner for the homepage. We needed something different, and CJ has been bugging me to change it. The old banner was a close-up shot of one of my shirts... ( Keep Reading » )

Machen on the Word of God (September 13, 2007) - "The Christian man...finds in the Bible the very Word of God. Let it not be said that dependence on a book is a dead or an artificial thing. The Reformation of the sixteenth century was founded upon the authority of... ( Keep Reading » )

An Interview with Tullian Tchividjian-Part 3 (September 8, 2007) - This is the third and final installment of my interview with pastor and author Tullian Tchividjian, in which he shares about his new book, Do I Know God?, his testimony, and his thoughts on our generation. Josh: Tell us... ( Keep Reading » )

Mahaney Interviews Dever (September 4, 2007) - 9Marks just came out with their latest leadership interview. Normally Mark Dever serves as the host and peppers the guest pastors and authors with questions. But in the newest interview the tables are turned as C.J. Mahaney interviews Mark... ( Keep Reading » )

An Interview With Tullian Tchividjian-Part 2 (September 4, 2007) - This is the second part of an interview with my friend, pastor and newly published author Tullian Tchividjian (the picture is one I took of Tullian and his wife Kim during the Billy Graham Crusade in New York in... ( Keep Reading » )

Update: Taliban Agrees to Release Hostages (August 28, 2007) - As an update to my earlier post asking for prayer, I wanted to give an update on, Lord willing, the releases of the remaining 19 South Korean Christians. According to various news reports, Afghanistan's Taliban militants have agreed to release... ( Keep Reading » )

Whose Side Are You On? (August 25, 2007) - I recently did a brief interview with Outreach Magazine about the role of the local church in evangelism. Justin Taylor linked to the article and someone left the following comment, which I respond to below: Comment: Harris explains that the... ( Keep Reading » )

Interview: CJ Mahaney and Discipleship (August 23, 2007) - In December 2005, Adrian Warnock interviewed me about my being discipled by CJ Mahaney these last 11 years. As a follow-up to yesterday's post, I thought I'd share it here: Adrian: Josh, first of all welcome to this blog,... ( Keep Reading » )

New Office (August 22, 2007) - CJ just moved downstairs, leaving his Covenant Life Church office for a new one down in Sovereign Grace Ministries. And I've just moved next door to take his. Though he hasn't gone far (same building), it's strange after having... ( Keep Reading » )

Pictures from The Clash (August 11, 2007) - It's good to be home, but I do miss the kids at The Clash. If you're a Clash attendee, please leave a comment. Hope you had a safe trip home.... ( Keep Reading » )

Report from The Clash (August 10, 2007) - I've been having a great time at The Clash. It's been so good getting to know students from Sovereign Grace churches across the country. Every day I'm aware of God's kindness to our little family of churches in giving us... ( Keep Reading » )

Cravings and Conflicts (August 8, 2007) - Conflict is coming your way. The following article, written by my good friend and mentor CJ Mahaney, recently appeared in Reformation 21. It is reproduced here with permission. CJ leads Sovereign Grace Ministries and has served over 30 years... ( Keep Reading » )

Off to The Clash (August 7, 2007) - This week I'm serving as a counselor at the Sovereign Grace-sponsored world view training camp "The Clash." You can read about the camp and the content of its teaching at their web page. I've been really looking forward to... ( Keep Reading » )

Praying (August 3, 2007) - By now, I think most of us are aware of the South Korean Christians being held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Today a friend in Afghanistan passed on some suggestions for prayer, so I post them here for... ( Keep Reading » )

Micah is with Jesus (July 25, 2007) - My heart is heavy today. The three-year-old son of a very dear family in our church has suffered the effects of a brain tumor for more than a year. Our pastoral team and my family prayed for little Micah... ( Keep Reading » )

Photo for our Scrapbook (July 21, 2007) - Life goes by so fast. Too fast. The kids grow. They change in the blink of an eye. That's why our family takes the time to create a family photo album each year. We want to try and capture the... ( Keep Reading » )

Discernment and Ali G (July 12, 2007) - Discernment is the ability to distinguish right from wrong, true from false—to "test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil" (1Thess 5:21-22). On the past two Sundays, I've preached on the topic of discernment. In... ( Keep Reading » )

C.J. T-Shirt (July 3, 2007) - Last month, after preaching at the Sovereign Grace church in St. Petersburg, a guy named Tom presented me with a great gift: a t-shirt with a caricature of C.J. Mahaney and the inscription "C.J. Mahaney is My Theological Homeboy."... ( Keep Reading » )

Today at Creation (June 29, 2007) - Today I'm up in PA speaking at Creation. If you're going to be there, I hope you'll stop by.... ( Keep Reading » )

Turn Off Your Phone (June 28, 2007) - A member of my church named Wes sent this to me and recommended that we play it every Sunday before the sermon. Not a bad idea.... ( Keep Reading » )

Rebelution Conferences (June 26, 2007) - I'm so proud of my brothers, and so excited for the Rebelution conference tour they've got going. They had their latest conference in Sacramento this past weekend, and it sounds like God did some incredible things there. Here are... ( Keep Reading » )

Quote of the Day: Schaeffer (June 8, 2007) - Now the death of the Lord Jesus is absolutely unique. It is substitutionary. There is no parallel death to Jesus' death—his must stand as absolute in our thinking. His substitutionary death on the cross, in space and time in... ( Keep Reading » )

Florida (June 6, 2007) - Tomorrow morning, my family and I depart for a long-anticipated vacation in Florida. While down there, I'll speak at two Sovereign Grace churches: June 10 Gulf Coast Community Church in St. Petersburg June 17 Grace Community Church in Bradenton... ( Keep Reading » )

Home From Na (May 30, 2007) - The Harris family is happily reunited and all wearing our Na t-shirts (including Emma's Samantha doll!) It was great seeing all of you at in Louisville. I can't wait till next year!... ( Keep Reading » )

Packing for New Attitude (May 25, 2007) - My brothers, Alex and Brett, who run The Rebelution are the official live-bloggers for New Attitude 2007. Brett just posted a great little video on packing that pays tribute to all the past Na t-shirts. Check it out... If you're... ( Keep Reading » )

Chewy Peps (May 23, 2007) - Alright, boys and girls. Today we're introducing a new feature on the website: random posts about stuff that I like. Food. Clothing. Furniture. Whatever. These posts will feature products and companies. I'll pretend that I'm important and they are my... ( Keep Reading » )

Simply Christ's Herald (May 19, 2007) - "Paul in his own estimation, was not a philosopher, not a moralist, not one of the world's wise men, but simply Christ's herald. His royal Master had given him a message to proclaim; his whole business, therefore, was to deliver... ( Keep Reading » )

Why Sacrifice? (May 16, 2007) - This month our church is asking the question, "Why sacrifice?" To sacrifice is to give up something valued to achieve a greater goal. Sacrifice isn't a concept most of us are naturally drawn to. Why give up anything that... ( Keep Reading » )

God Wants Your Heart (May 12, 2007) - Today I'm preparing a sermon about sacrificial giving and living for the sake of advancing the gospel. Our church is focusing on sacrifice as we prepare to give to our "Go Forward Fund." This fund was created to accelerate... ( Keep Reading » )

Gray Matters (May 9, 2007) - The team at Boundless is featuring a great little series on discernment by my buddy and fellow pastor and New Attitude guru, Eric Simmons. In the series entitled "Gray Matters," Eric shares five principles of discernment. He kicks off... ( Keep Reading » )

Sovereign Grace Church of Frederick (April 24, 2007) - On Sunday, I had the joy of preaching at our sister church in Frederick, MD, while their senior pastor, Chris Silard, was preaching at Covenant Life. This quick video clip gives a glimpse of this thriving new church that was... ( Keep Reading » )

Praying for Virginia Tech (April 16, 2007) - Please join me in praying for all the families touched by the tragedy that has struck Virginia Tech today. The coming days will be filled with the gruesome details of this mass murder. Let's ask God to keep us... ( Keep Reading » )

Happy Resurrection Sunday (April 8, 2007) - Today I have the honor of preaching about the glorious resurrection of my Lord. I'll preach from John 20:24-29, about his appearance to his doubting disciple Thomas. Studying these verses this past week has increased my love for my... ( Keep Reading » )

CJ's Got Game (April 5, 2007) - CJ was recently at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for a meeting related to Together for the Gospel. During a break one afternoon, he arranged for a basketball game—CJ, John MacArthur, and Thabiti Anyabwile against 3 students. The dream team lost... ( Keep Reading » )

Praying for Godspell (March 23, 2007) - Today I have a little prayer request for you. Members of my church know that tonight our youth ministry is putting on a production of the musical Godspell. They've worked hard and prayed hard under the direction of Cathy... ( Keep Reading » )

Curtis Allen: Gentle Word (March 19, 2007) - This week, the Boundless webzine features an article by my friend and rap artist, Curtis Allen (a.k.a. "Voice"). In it, Curtis tells the story of the brouhaha over his performance at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Instead of lashing out with... ( Keep Reading » )

The Passing of Dr. William S. H. Piper (March 8, 2007) - I learned late Tuesday night that John Piper's father died. A friend emailed me the news. As a result of his father's passing, Piper wasn't able to speak at the Wednesday evening session of the Shepherd's Conference and so... ( Keep Reading » )

Sunnis vs. Shi'ites (March 3, 2007) - Last night I read the cover story from the March 5 issue of TIME magazine entitled "Why They Hate Each Other." Written by Bobby Ghosh, it covers the chasm that has developed between Sunnis and Shi'ites in Iraq, and which... ( Keep Reading » )

Here We Are (February 28, 2007) - Welcome to the new site. From now on, my blog will be located here, along with a number of other pages and resources that I hope you'll find helpful. Nothing too fancy, but hopefully it will make the content more... ( Keep Reading » )

Miscellaneous (in three life-changing points) (February 14, 2007) - Here's some random stuff: 1. Thanks for all the feedback on the Romans 13:14 cartoons. I've been amazed at all the encouragement I've received from these drawings. Several people at my church have communicated something along the lines of "you... ( Keep Reading » )

Feeding the Flesh Cartoons (February 10, 2007) - The following illustrations are included in my book Dug Down Deep. Recently, I preached from Romans 13:14 which says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." In my message,... ( Keep Reading » )

NA Promo Video--Update (January 14, 2007) - Now it's on YouTube: See Friday's post below if your church wants to promote New Attitude.... ( Keep Reading » )

New Attitude Video (January 12, 2007) - NA has posted a new promo video. If you are a church leader who would like to use the video to promote NA at your church, you can request the promo DVD and/or promotional package here.... ( Keep Reading » )

A Year of Grace at Covenant Life Church (December 30, 2006) - Each December, my family tries to sit down and recap the year that is almost gone. We list the big and little events that defined the year. It's a chance to reflect on answered prayers and give thanks for God's... ( Keep Reading » )

Elijah, Baal...Merry Christmas! (December 19, 2006) - I just learned that this past Sunday the lesson plan for the children's ministry had them studying 1 Kings 18:1-39, the story of the prophet Elijah (who I happened to dress up as for this year's Harvest Party...see picture). One... ( Keep Reading » )

"Why me?" to "Why you?" (November 8, 2006) - Last month, my friend Kenneth arrived a little late to his son's soccer game only to find him lying on the field writhing in pain. While playing goalie, Chris had collided with two other players, flipped in the air, and... ( Keep Reading » )

How Many Points Have You Earned? (November 2, 2006) - In his book Holiness by Grace, Bryan Chapell retells a humorous old tale of a man who died and faced the angel Gabriel at heaven's gates: Said the angel to the man, "Here's how this works. You need a hundred... ( Keep Reading » )

Slight & Short (October 6, 2006) - This month, the magazine Christianity Today featured a cover story on young, theologically reformed pastors. I was anxious to read it because I'd been interviewed for the article and, if they quoted me, I hoped that I would come across... ( Keep Reading » )

Piper and Driscoll are Friends (October 4, 2006) - I'm grateful that Pastor Mark has posted this note and email exchange showing the unity between these two men. I hope the people who appreciate both of them will rejoice in and reflect this gospel partnership. (HT: JT)... ( Keep Reading » )

Follow Up on Piper/Driscoll (October 2, 2006) - I didn't get to attend the final session of the conference because I was speaking at the local Sovereign Grace Church in Minneapolis. But I have heard that it was the best message of the conference. I'd love to have... ( Keep Reading » )

Desiring God 2006: Day Two (September 30, 2006) - The weather in Minneapolis was beautiful today. C.J., Jeff and I had a great time on the second day of the Desiring God conference. Tonight in my hotel lobby I ran into Tim Challies who is live blogging the conference.... ( Keep Reading » )

Interview with Voice (July 7, 2006) - Stop by Justin Taylor's blog Between Two Worlds for the interview he conducted with Curtis Allen (aka Voice) a talented, humble and Christ-centered rapper who is a friend and member of my church. You can learn more about Voice and... ( Keep Reading » )

Back From Seattle (May 13, 2006) - I spent the past week in Seattle at Mark Driscoll's Reform and Resurge conference for pastors. Six of us flew out early Tuesday and returned via red-eye on Thursday night. (Lord willing, I will never fly a red-eye flight... ( Keep Reading » )

Interview for Driscoll Conference (May 2, 2006) - Next week I'm flying to Seattle, Washington, with several of my fellow pastors for Mark Driscoll's Resurgence Conference for pastors. Here's an interview I did about the conference. If you're going to be there, please come say hello.... ( Keep Reading » )

More Thoughts on Wedding Day Modesty (April 29, 2006) - I don't normally draw attention to comments posted on the site, but the following by a young lady named Juli who wrote in response to someone who disgreed with the previous post was particularly insightful. She writes, Dear sister, your... ( Keep Reading » )

Modesty on Your Wedding Day (April 19, 2006) - If tackling the topic of modesty weren't brave enough in and of itself, my sisters over at Girltalk have opened a much-needed conversation about modesty in wedding attire. No, men, your rented tuxedos and plastic shoes are not the source... ( Keep Reading » )

Redemption Requires Self-Knowledge (April 3, 2006) - In a recent sermon I quoted David Powlison from an article he wrote for the Fall 2005 Journal of Biblical Counseling. In the article Powlison notes that the change and redemption we all long for requires self-knowledge. "Diagnosis precedes cure,"... ( Keep Reading » )

Update on "The View" (March 31, 2006) - I didn't get to see the show myself, but I've been told that the briefest of brief mentions was made of I Kissed Dating Goodbye by the guest host, Myrka Dellanos, who is evidently both an Emmy Award winning Latino... ( Keep Reading » )