The Future of Lutheranism Belongs to Builders

By Russ Lackey | Mark Mattes

01/08/26

16mins

The Future of Lutheranism Belongs to Builders

The crisis is not merely that people are leaving. The crisis is that we have relinquished what is uniquely Lutheran and deeply needed.

Bradley Gray

01/07/26

A Psalm for the Desperate

The ethos of the church’s worship is found in poor, needy, and desperate sinners finding solace and relief in the God of their salvation.

1517 Staff

01/06/26

Our Best Epiphany Articles

This year, we wanted to ensure you have all the resources you need to learn about and reflect on the revelation of Christ.

All Articles

Russ Lackey |

Mark Mattes

01/08/26

The Future of Lutheranism Belongs to Builders

The crisis is not merely that people are leaving. The crisis is that we have relinquished what is uniquely Lutheran and deeply needed.

Bradley Gray

01/07/26

A Psalm for the Desperate

The ethos of the church’s worship is found in poor, needy, and desperate sinners finding solace and relief in the God of their salvation.

Russ Lackey

01/05/26

Wake Up Dead Man: A Word Worth Saving for Lent

Wake Up Dead Man is not ultimately a story about mystery, exposure, or even justice. It is a story about what happens when mercy speaks to death—and death listens.

Adam Francisco

12/03/25

Did the Church Replace Israel?

The unity of God’s people is grounded not in lineage nor land but in the promise of the coming Christ.

Steven Paulson

11/24/25

Psalm 10: Why Do You Hide Yourself, O Lord?

Why would David write this psalm for all to read when he was no longer God’s greatest king, but rather God’s greatest sinner?

Russ Lackey

11/17/25

The Word That Will Not Shut Down

Every age has its emergencies, and the church must never ignore them. Yet, our response cannot be one of panic or propaganda.

Luke Kjolhaug

11/11/25

Seamless Fig Leaves

When we fail, our first impulse is the same as that of our spiritual ancestors: to sprint headlong into the bushes.

Scott Keith

10/14/25

An Introduction to the Bondage of the Will: In Bondage to Sin

This is the third installment in our article series, “An Introduction to the Bondage of the Will,” written to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Bondage of the Will.

Donavon Riley

10/08/25

When Churches Are Abused by Their Pastors

When a congregation is abused by its pastor, it loses more than a shepherd. It loses its threshold place; that fragile seam between earth and heaven.

Bradley Gray

10/07/25

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

We can lay down our sledgehammers of moralistic performance, which aren’t effective anyway, and we can trust that we are his and his life is ours.

Bradley Gray

10/02/25

The Consuming Fire and the Holiness That Comes Down

He doesn’t consume us, even though that is what we deserve. Instead, Jesus comes down to us and consumes all our sin by taking it on himself.

Donavon Riley

10/01/25

When Pastors Are Abused by Their Congregations

This article is the first part of a two-part series. The second part will take a look at when pastors abuse their congregations.

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