About

I grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago, heard the gospel for the first time when I was 17 years old, and attended a worship service for the first time that same year. After graduating from high school I was converted by the grace of God and things have never been the same. I am a graduate of Moody Bible Inst. in Chicago (where I met my wife!) and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, and the Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in St. Charles, IL.

This blog is a collection of my thoughts on theology, church, culture and life. I am husband to Jen, dad to Katherine Elizabeth, Elias Keach, Madeline Ember, and Kilian Atticus.

In 2011 my first book Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself was released through Crossway/ReLit.

Speaker Requests

If you are interested in having me speak at your conference or gathering please fill out this speaker request form and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Book Promotion

I only promote books on the blog that I believe are genuinely profitable. Sometimes publishers offer to send me books, asking me to review or promote them.

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  • Joe Levesque

    Hey brother,
    I saw your site here and book. I am very proud of you. Keep moving forward. I have really been looking at the Acts 29 stuff.
    Congratulations on the book.
    Hopefully we can talk some time.
    God Bless
    Joe Levesqu

    • Joe Thorn

      Thanks, Joe. It’s been a while. Good to see you online.

  • Dean

    Hi Joe,

    I am new to your blog, courtesy of Buzzard Blog having a comment on your new book, Note to Self. Looks like a must buy.

    Please share with me the posters you have behind your picture on the Contact page. They look interesting and informative.

    Thanks,
    Dean

    • Joe Thorn

      Dean, over my left shoulder (right side of your screen) are the 95 theses of the Reformation by Luther. Over my right shoulder is an oder of salvation and damnation by John Bunyan. I’ll see if I can find a digital copy of it.

      • Dean

        Thanks Joe.

        Dean

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  • http://www.baldreformer.wordpress.com David Steele

    My review of Note to Self – http://www.baldreformer.wordpress.com
    Thanks for the excellent resource!

  • Adrianonazareth

     Hi, brother, greetings from Brazil.
    I decided to visit your blog after have received yesterday, through The Gospel Coalition blog, your suggestions on how to use ‘The Valley of Vision’, a book which particularly I adore. My sincere congratulations. Is there a way to subscribe your blog via email? Blessings.
    Adriano Nazareth, pr.
    Igreja Batista Cidade Nova (New City Baptist Church)
    Cáceres-MT
    BRAZIL

  • John Cordero

    Mr. Thorn,
     
    I recently purchased a copy of your book “Note to Self.” I thank God you wrote the book and pray God would continue to pour his grace upon you so that the church would continue to be blessed by the fruit of your fellowship with our Father, his Son, and the Holy Spirit. I’d like permission to copy and hand out several copies of the introduction of your book at a fellowship breakfast on 15 June. I’m a Christian who is currently stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. The topic for discuss at the next fellowship breakfast is “preaching the gospel to ourselves.” Your book introduction would be an excellent handout for the group. Unfortunately, being in Japan I can’t quickly purchase print copies of your book to hand out, and the last time I will be able to meet with the group is 15 June because I’m transferring back to the states, which is why I’d like permission to make copies. I appreciate your consideration and hope permission will be granted. Whether or not I receive permission to hand out copies of the introduction, I will discuss your book at the meeting and highly recommend it.
     
    SDG,
    John Cordero
    rom832@gmail.com

    • http://www.joethorn.net Joe Thorn

      John,

      I passed on your info to Crossway, and they will be getting back to you on that stuff. Thanks for the word, and the work you’re doing.

      • John Cordero

        Mr. Thorn,
         
        Thank you for the quick reply and your assistance in getting permission. Grace be with you, brother.
         
        SDG,
        John Cordero

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  • Benjamin Schmidt

    Dear Joe,
    I´m Benjamin, working for a German evangelical Scripturemission called “Herold Schriftenmission” (engl. “Herald Scripturemission”). We have a monthly non-commercial Paper with short Sermons of Revival, Holiness and Spiritual Growth. I´d like to ask for the permission to translate your article “killing moralism” into German for a release in our Paper.
    Am glad for any respond!

    May God bless you and your family with his grace in his ministry.

    Your brother in Christ,
    Benjamin Schmidt

    • http://twitter.com/joethorn Joe Thorn

      Feel free to translate it, brother. Blessings!

      • Natalia Oliveira

        I would ask the same as Benjamin. I’d like to ask for the permission to translate “your procrastination is sin” into Potuguese and post it in our youth’s blog. :) God bless!

      • http://twitter.com/joethorn Joe Thorn

        Sure thing, Natalia. God bless.

      • Natalia Oliveira

        I would ask the same as Benjamin. I’d like to ask for the permission to translate “your procrastination is sin” into Potuguese and post it in our youth’s blog. :) God bless!

      • Natalia Oliveira

        I would ask the same as Benjamin. I’d like to ask for the permission to translate “your procrastination is sin” into Potuguese and post it in our youth’s blog. :) God bless!

      • Natalia Oliveira

        I would ask the same as Benjamin. I’d like to ask for the permission to translate “your procrastination is sin” into Potuguese and post it in our youth’s blog. :) God bless!

      • Benjamin Schmidt

        Thanks Brother!
        I pray, that it will help others as much as it helped me!
        God Bless.

  • Sarah Horton

    Hello Joe, my name is Sarah Horton and I’m a brand evangelist for Beliefchangers (and a member at Bridgeway w/Sam Storms). You may remember receiving a message from me a few weeks ago. I’m wondering if you’ve had a chance to introduce yourself to Beliefchangers via the links I sent.

    Beliefchangers is an organization dedicated to helping people discover the reality of a moment-by-moment abiding relationship with Christ.

    Spreading the message of Christ is why I’m writing you today. Beliefchangers has over 200,000 active Facebook fans (http://www.facebook.com/beliefchangers). Daily, we provide our fans with spiritual content to help advance their Christian lives.

    Most of the written and video content we offer originates with the Beliefchangers’ team. I’ve been reading your blog and feel that exposing our audience to your writings might encourage them in their faith.

    I’d like to discuss the opportunity of getting your message in front of our growing audience, (we are adding over 10,000 new Facebook fans per month).

    I’ll include the links again in case you haven’t had a chance to check out Beliefchangers. Would you take a few moments and get to know us?

    (Our Founder’s blog)

    http://beliefchangers.com/site/

    (Facebook page)

    http://www.facebook.com/beliefchangers

    (Free Abiding Life Course)

    http://www.facebook.com/beliefchangers?sk=app_7146470109

    (Twitter Account)

    http://twitter.com/#!/beliefchangers

    (Youtube Channel)

    http://www.youtube.com/user/Beliefchangers

    I hope the time you invest getting to know Beliefchangers will begin building a foundation from which we can work together to advance the message of Christ.

    Call or email me anytime with your thoughts or comments. My contact info is below.

    Thanks for your consideration.

    Abiding in Christ,

    Sarah Horton
    Brand Evangelist, Beliefchangers
    sarah.horton@beliefchangers.com
    405.513.1267

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  • Chrisd85

    Hey, I came across your site after buying The Valley of Vision and was looking for the best way to read it. I was wanting to follow your plan but have run into some problems and wanted to make sure I’m actually reading what I’m supposed to be. This is the plan for the paperback version (which is what I own): On the 2nd Friday in the plan for 12pm it says page 173, when that is a page for chapter 8, and no prayer on it. And then on the right side of the plan, 2nd week on that side, Wed 9am says page 222 and my book only goes to 220. Do I have a different version of the book this plan was designed for or are these simple errors and I should just pass over them and skip that reading? Thanks for any information! 

    Chris 
    Chrisd85@gmail.com

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  • http://www.facebook.com/casuallymdxv Byron Buchannan

    I am starting a company called Casually Debonair. Creating products for bearded men. I was wondering if I could post your profile on my site. So men will know that there are some good people who wear beards. Trying to knock down negative stereotypes about beards.

  • Rev. Dave Ficken

    I just read your article “Your Toughest Audience” in the Winter 2012 Leadership Journal.  WOW.  As a new Pastor (4.5 yrs), preaching is a major challenge for me and people have left the church because of my preaching.  Thanks for sharing.  I thank God for His work in and through you!  What a blessing.