By Adam Francisco

09/15/26

15mins

Josephus on Jesus

Josephus does not tell us that Christianity is true, and Christians do not need Josephus to tell them that Christ is risen. But Christianity makes claims about things that happened in public history under identifiable rulers, priests, and governors. For that reason, testimony from outside the church matters.

Political Polarization and Cultural Christianity

John W. Hoyum

09/18/26

Political Polarization and Cultural Christianity

Today, the longing for cultural Christianity on both the left and the right hearkens back to an older version of Christendom that was a mixed blessing for the church in the western world. The cultural mediation of Christian views on created order has certainly benefitted the civilization we’ve inherited. But the gospel itself isn’t something that can be reduced to cultural mediation either. Instead, the gospel as a message stands apart from all human accomplishments and achievements, no matter how beneficial they might be.

Geography: How the “Where” Impacts the “Why” of the Biblical Story

Mark Duerr

09/16/26

Geography: How the “Where” Impacts the “Why” of the Biblical Story

The student of Scripture should always have a map open next to their Bible as they read. If possible, they should also travel to Israel, not to make a pilgrimage, but to see the context of the land in which these stories took place. These are not fairy tales made up about fictional fantasy lands; these are stories about real people in real places interacting with a real God.

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Amy Mantravadi

08/12/26

The Legacy of Martin Luther's Father, Hans Luther

But while scholars are right to focus on the bond between Martin and Hans, the evidence of Martin’s own words suggests their relationship may not have been as troubled as some suppose. For Hans Luther was not a cartoon villain but a normal human being attempting to make his way in the world and raise his children to the best of his ability.

Adam Francisco

07/14/26

Luther, the Turks, and Islam

Caleb Keith

06/25/26

Remembering and Commemorating the Augsburg Confession

The confessors at Augsburg remind us that every generation of Christians is called to bear witness to the gospel amid the challenges and pressures of its own age. As they confessed Christ before emperors and kingdoms, so the Church continues to confess Him before the world today.

Adam Francisco

06/19/26

The Turk at the Door: Luther, Islam, and the Fate of Christendom in the 16th Century

It is within this charged atmosphere that Luther’s writings take on their full significance. His responses to the Turkish threat were not merely reactions to military events; they were rooted in a deep theological reflection on the nature of God’s rule over the world, the responsibilities of Christian rulers, and the role of the Church in times of crisis.

Scott Keith

05/25/26

Can Theologians, Too, Be Saved?

No one is harder to convert than a religious expert.

Caleb Keith

05/11/26

Don't Sleep On Luther's Early Disputations

Do not disregard Luther’s early disputations, but appreciate their specificity and recognize their pastoral and theological continuity with his later works.

Russ Lackey

04/27/26

Practice Needs Promises: Martin Luther, John Mark Comer, and Christian Spirituality

May we, as preachers, rise and proclaim that Jesus Christ is sufficient for all our spiritual hunger.

Heather Schulz

03/18/26

Blessed Beggars

We can willingly admit the fact that we're just like tax collectors and thieves.

Jason Oakland

03/09/26

Jesus Fights for You

Although the outcome has been decided by Jesus victory, the devil won’t give up without a fight.

Luke Kjolhaug

03/05/26

Getting Over Your “Right” Theology

A rightly-oriented heart and a rightly-oriented love will consistently do what is best for God and best for our neighbor, which is why St. Augustine speaks of sin as a disordered love.

Ryan Couch

03/04/26

Jesus is the Best Thing About Us

While we often talk about our growth, our progress, and what we are doing for the kingdom of God, the reality is that any goodness in a Christian does not originate in us.

Mark Mattes

02/20/26

Preaching to Bound Wills

When we despair of ourselves, we repent of these self-justifying schemes and allow ourselves to be shaped by God, covered in Christ’s righteousness, and reborn with a new heart.

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