The Original Sin of Preaching: The Constant Craving for a Useful God in Pulpit and Pew
By Magnus Persson
03/25/26
12mins

The Original Sin of Preaching: The Constant Craving for a Useful God in Pulpit and Pew

God is not a tool in our hands. He does not exist to serve our goals, our metrics, or our platforms.
Even Chuck Norris Needed a Savior
Russ Lackey
Russ Lackey
03/23/26

Even Chuck Norris Needed a Savior

The gospel isn’t for the strong but people who know they aren’t.
Post-Denominational Lutheranism
John W. Hoyum
John W. Hoyum
03/20/26

Post-Denominational Lutheranism

One great thing about our post-denominational age is that it has opened up opportunities to make common cause with other Lutherans who, despite their differences and eccentricities, can agree on some of the most important things.

All Articles

Russ Lackey
Russ Lackey
03/16/26

The Flock You Didn't Assemble: Pastoral Wisdom in a Non-Monolithic Church

The Church’s unity is not uniformity in every matter of her well-being. It is faithfulness in what constitutes her being.
Luke Kjolhaug
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.
Caleb Keith
Caleb Keith
02/04/26

On Being Made Holy

The Scriptures consistently speak about sanctification as a sure gift for the Christian.
Bradley Gray
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
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.
1517 Guest Contributor
1517 Guest Contributor
09/26/25

Yardwork and the Antichrist

The Antichrist offers another continual presence. It is every whisper that tempts us toward autonomy, that tells us to carry it alone, that insists suffering is meaningless.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
08/20/25

The Child Who Rules the House

Children are not meant to carry crowns. They are not meant to rule. The burden crushes them in slow, invisible ways.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
07/25/25

Grace for Unbearable Days

Instead of offering more details or more information, he does something even better: he promises his very presence.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
06/27/25

Tongues of Fire & Breath of God

The Church speaks not with the cleverness of men, but with the breath of God.
Sam P. Schuldheisz
Sam P. Schuldheisz
06/12/25

Dorothy Sayers and the Trinity

The doctrine of the Trinity is not so much the story of a “who-dunnit” as it is the story of the “who-is-it.”
Ryan Couch
Ryan Couch
06/06/25

Pentecost and the Beautiful Mess of the Church

Every time someone is baptized, every time bread is broken and wine poured, every time a sinner hears, “Your sins are forgiven in Christ,” Pentecost happens again.
Luke Kjolhaug
Luke Kjolhaug
05/13/25

Becoming Better People, An Excerpt from Sinner Saint: A Suprising Primer to the Christian Life

This is an excerpt from Chapter 6 in Sinner Saint: A Surprising Primer to the Christian Life (1517 Publishing, 2025). Sinner Saint is available today from 1517 Publishing.
1517 is a Christian non-profit (501(c)3) multi-media organization. Our mission is to declare and defend the Good News that we are forgiven and free on account of the death and resurrection of Jesus alone.
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