A life of letters, then a local church.

A high-school Bible classroom, a decade climbing the spine of Crossway, then a call he did not go looking for: the church down the road, already home.

1. 2001–02

   Teacher, 12th Grade Bible

   The Master’s School, West Simsbury, Connecticut

   Acts in the fall. Galatians in the spring. The first classroom.

2. 2002–05

   Teaching Assistant

   Covenant Theological Seminary

   For Philip Douglass, C. John Collins, and Zack Eswine.

3. 2006–07

   Writer and Grant Editor

   Covenant Theological Seminary, Advancement Office

   Under Bryan Chapell, then president.

4. 2007–10

   Teaching Assistant

   Wheaton College Graduate School

   For Douglas Moo, while writing the dissertation.

5. 2010–11

   Senior Editor, Bible Division

   Crossway

6. 2011–12

   Director of Bible Publishing

   Crossway

7. 2012–13

   Vice President, Bible Publishing

   Crossway

8. 2013–15

   Senior Vice President, Bible Publishing

   Crossway

9. 2015–19

   Executive Vice President, Bible Publishing

   Crossway

10. 2019–20

    Chief Publishing Officer, Bible Publisher

    Crossway

    The top of a ten-year climb through the ESV and the books beside it.

11. 2020–

    Senior Pastor

    Naperville Presbyterian Church

    Ordained 4 October 2020. Summoned by the church the family had belonged to for thirteen years.

Alongside

• 2014–17 / 2017–ESV Translation Oversight Committee — Adjunct member, then member.
• 2013–20Associate Book Publisher, Crossway
• 2014–19Biblical Theology Committee, Evangelical Theological Society
• 2011–16Book Review Editor, Ethics and Pastoralia, Themelios

Schooling

• 2010 · Wheaton College

  Doctor of Philosophy, Biblical Theology / New Testament

  Dissertation: “Zeal without Knowledge: Paul’s Theology of Zeal in Romans 10, Galatians 1, and Philippians 3.” Supervisor: Douglas Moo. Kenneth Kantzer Doctoral Fellowship, 2007–10.

• 2007 · Covenant Theological Seminary

  Master of Theology, New Testament

  Summa cum laude.

• 2005 · Covenant Theological Seminary

  Master of Divinity

  Magna cum laude. One of five graduating students invited to preach in chapel.

• 2001 · Wheaton College

  Bachelor of Arts, Biblical and Theological Studies

The book that traveled

1.5M

copies of Gentle and Lowly in its first eighteen months, now being translated into more than fifteen languages — a window onto the heart of Christ for sinners and sufferers.

1. 2026

   Finally Home

   The Christian Hope of Heaven

   Crossway

2. 2024

   The Heart of Jesus

   How He Really Feels about You

   Crossway

3. 2023

   Ministry in the New Realm

   A Theology of 2 Corinthians

   Crossway · New Testament Biblical Theology, eds. Tom Schreiner and Brian Rosner.

4. 2022

   Is Hell Real?

   9Marks Church Questions

   Crossway

5. 2021

   Deeper

   Real Change for Real Sinners

   Crossway

6. 2021

   How Does God Change Us?

   Crossway · A concise edition of Deeper.

7. 2021

   In the Lord I Take Refuge

   150 Devotions on the Psalms

   Crossway

8. 2020

   Gentle and Lowly

   The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

   Crossway · More than 1.5 million copies in its first eighteen months. Translated into 15+ languages.

9. 2020

   2 Corinthians

   ESV Expository Commentary

   Crossway

10. 2016

    2 Corinthians: A 12-Week Study

    Knowing the Bible

    Crossway

11. 2014

    Edwards on the Christian Life

    Alive to the Beauty of God

    Crossway · Foreword by George M. Marsden. Runner-up, World Magazine’s 2015 Accessible Theology Book of the Year. Translated into Portuguese.

12. 2013

    Mark: A 12-Week Study

    Knowing the Bible

    Crossway

13. 2012

    Zeal without Knowledge

    The Concept of Zeal in Romans 10, Galatians 1 and Philippians 3

    T&T Clark · Library of New Testament Studies 472. The published dissertation.

14. 2011

    Surprised by Jesus

    Subversive Grace in the Four Gospels

    EP Books / 10Publishing

15. 2011

    Defiant Grace

    The Upside Down Message and Mission of Jesus

    Evangelical Press

16. 2008

    A New Inner Relish

    Christian Motivation in the Thought of Jonathan Edwards

    Christian Focus

Twenty-seven peer-reviewed articles, mostly on Mark, Paul, and the Reformed recovery of the heart. Plus a quiet decade of editorial work that put other people’s books in other people’s hands.

1. 01

   The Feeding of the Five Thousand (Mark 6:30–44) as Eschatological Recapitulation of Psalm 23

   Presbyterion 47/2 (2021): 33–40

2. 02

   On Words, Meaning, Inspiration, and Translation: A Brief Response to Bill Mounce

   Themelios 45 (2020): 98–107

3. 03

   “From Glory to Glory”: 2 Corinthians 3:18 in Biblical-Theological Perspective

   Calvin Theological Journal 54 (2019): 11–33

4. 04

   The Demonic in Mark and Its Eschatological Significance

   Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology 36 (2018): 160–77

5. 05

   What Does It Mean to Cast a Mountain into the Sea? Another Look at Mark 11:23

   Bulletin of Biblical Research 28 (2018): 218–39

6. 06

   History’s Dawning Light: “Morning” and “Evening” in Mark’s Gospel and Their Eschatological Significance

   JETS 63 (2018): 493–511

7. 07

   What Does It Mean to Fall Short of the Glory of God? Romans 3:23 in Biblical-Theological Perspective

   Westminster Theological Journal 80 (2018): 121–40

8. 08

   Mark’s Emphasis on Jesus’ Teaching, Part 1: Exploring a Neglected Motif

   Bibliotheca Sacra 174 (2017): 327–42

9. 09

   Mark’s Emphasis on Jesus’ Teaching, Part 2: Eschatological Significance

   Bibliotheca Sacra 174 (2017): 412–23

10. 10

    Reflections on Handling the Old Testament as Jesus Would Have Us: Psalm 15 as a Case Study

    Themelios 42 (2017): 74–88

11. 11

    “Rising” Language in Mark and the Dawning New Creation

    Criswell Theological Review 13 (2016): 27–46 · invited

12. 12

    Inaugurated Glorification: Revisiting Romans 8:30

    JETS 57 (2014): 111–33

13. 13

    “Darkness Over the Whole Land”: A Biblical-Theological Reflection on Mark 15:33

    Westminster Theological Journal 75 (2013): 221–38 · with G. K. Beale

14. 14

    The Old Testament Background and Eschatological Significance of Jesus Walking on the Sea (Mark 6:45–52)

    Neotestamentica 46 (2012): 319–37

15. 15

    “Created Over a Second Time” or “Grace Restoring Nature”? Edwards and Bavinck on the Heart of Salvation

    The Bavinck Review 3 (2012): 9–29

16. 16

    Is Jeremiah 33 a “Center” to the Bible? A Test Case in Inter-canonical Hermeneutics

    Evangelical Quarterly 84/2 (2012): 119–38

17. 17

    “A Benefit No Mind Can Fully Comprehend”: Bavinck’s Doctrine of Justification

    Calvin Theological Journal 46 (2011): 249–67

18. 18

    Phinehan Zeal: A Consideration of James Dunn’s Proposal

    Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha 20 (2011): 299–315

19. 19

    “Zeal without Knowledge”: For What Did Paul Criticize His Fellow Jews in Romans 10:2–3?

    Westminster Theological Journal 73 (2011): 23–38

20. 20

    “And Their Eyes Were Opened, and They Knew”: An Inter-canonical Note on Luke 24:31

    JETS 53 (2010): 717–28

21. 21

    “Power Is Made Perfect in Weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9): A Biblical Theology of Strength through Weakness

    Presbyterion 36 (2010): 86–108

22. 22

    Sanctification by Justification: The Forgotten Insight of Bavinck and Berkouwer on Progressive Sanctification

    Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology 28 (2010): 43–61

23. 23

    The Insanity of Faith: Paul’s Theological Use of Isaiah in Romans 9:33

    Trinity Journal 30 (2009): 269–88

24. 24

    Christocentrism—An Asymmetrical Trinitarianism?

    Themelios 34 (2009): 309–21

25. 25

    Justified by Faith, Judged according to Works: Another Look at a Pauline Paradox

    JETS 52 (2009): 323–39

26. 26

    The Longing of Love: Faith and Obedience in the Thought of Adolf Schlatter

    Themelios 33/2 (2008): 34–47

27. 27

    Truthfulness in Usefulness: Stanley Fish and American Literary Pragmatism

    Themelios 33/1 (2008): 29–38

Editorial

• 2016–20 · Managing Editor

  ESV Bible Expository Commentary

  Crossway.

• 2014– · Co-editor, with Miles Van Pelt

  Short Studies in Biblical Theology

  Crossway. Volumes by Goldsworthy, Ray Ortlund, Hamilton, Schreiner, Alexander, Patrick Schreiner, Greidanus, Waters, Beale, and others.

• 2013–18 · Co-editor, with J. I. Packer

  Knowing the Bible

  45 volumes. Crossway. The series is being translated into Korean.

• 2010– · Managing Editor

  ESV study and devotional Bibles

  Crossway.

From the pulpit

• September 2021Themes from Gentle and Lowly, main stage — Sing!, Nashville
• April 2021Gentle Savior, Gentle Shepherds — The Gospel Coalition, Indianapolis
• 2011–20Occasional preaching, then the call — Naperville Presbyterian Church
• 2007–Occasional preaching — Immanuel Church, Nashville — his father’s pulpit
• 2011, 2016College chapel — Wheaton College
• 2018Theologians on the Christian Life — Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis

A longer preaching log — college chapels, men’s retreats, PCA gatherings — lives in the downloadable PDF.

The first priority is always Naperville. The invitations have still carried him farther than a pastor’s week would suggest.

1. May 2019

   Manila

   Preaching and teaching

   Philippines
2. July–August 2018

   South Africa

   Bible teaching and training

   Africa
3. February 2018

   Across the country

   Bible teaching, training, and preaching

   India
4. June 2017

   Amsterdam

   Greek exegesis of Colossians, Tyndale Theological Seminary

   Netherlands
5. December 2016

   Across the country

   Bible teaching, training, and preaching

   India
6. October 2016

   Ghana

   Bible translation lectures and chapel preaching

   Africa
7. November 2015

   Across the country

   Bible teaching, training, and preaching

   India
8. July 2015

   Cambridge

   ESV Translation Oversight Committee, Tyndale House

   England
9. May 2014

   Brisbane

   Colossians, Queensland Theological College

   Australia
10. May 2013

    Ndola

    The four Gospels, Theological College of Central Africa

    Zambia
11. 2006

    Zurich

    Seven weeks of German study; preaching at the International Baptist Church

    Switzerland
12. 1980–84

    Aberdeen

    Four years of childhood. The first ocean.

    Scotland

Honors

• Kenneth Kantzer Doctoral Fellowship, Wheaton College, 2007–10
• Summa cum laude, Th.M., Covenant Theological Seminary, 2007
• Magna cum laude, M.Div., Covenant Theological Seminary, 2005
• Selected as one of five graduating students to preach in chapel, Covenant Theological Seminary, May 2005
• Edwards on the Christian Life, runner-up for World Magazine’s 2015 Accessible Theology Book of the Year
• Gentle and Lowly, widely acknowledged across Christian publishing in its first years

Formed by

Martin Luther · John Calvin · Thomas Goodwin · Jonathan Edwards · Herman Bavinck · C. S. Lewis · Richard Gaffin · Ray Ortlund Sr. · Ray Ortlund Jr. · Tim Keller · Greg Beale