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

Kyle G. Jones
Kyle G. Jones
12/04/19

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Despite its familiarity and frequent usage, the imagery in "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," is often underappreciated.
Philip Bartelt
Philip Bartelt
12/03/19

The Promises of Advent: Born of a Virgin

God does not combat the impending armies of Satan with might and power, but with the weakness of a babe.
Robert Farrar Capon
Robert Farrar Capon
12/02/19

Faith Doesn't Paint Houses

I can only disbelieve you or believe you. If I disbelieve you, I go on being a miserable bore.
Ryan Tinetti
Ryan Tinetti
12/02/19

Setting the Sails: The Canon of Discovery

Through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, you are not so much coming up with something to preach about as you are coming upon it.
Peter Nafzger
Peter Nafzger
12/02/19

Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12 (Advent 2: Series A)

The problem is not that we are unrepentant. The problem is our contrition is too small.
Philip Bartelt
Philip Bartelt
11/29/19

The Church is Hidden, the Saints Concealed

Instead of defining the true church in the way of the law, Augustine approaches the issue pastorally in the way of the gospel.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
11/28/19

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart... How Hard Can It Be?

Thanksgiving is a day set aside for tragi-comic sinners to come together and give thanks for the deliciousness of God's grace in the good news of Jesus Christ.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
11/28/19

Thanksgiving with Capon

We long for the Great Thanksgiving that hasn’t happened yet.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
11/28/19

A Hebrew Twist on Thanksgiving

Any day of thanksgiving is a confessional day—a day of expressing a short creed that sums up our entire existence: God gives, we receive. Thanksgiving as a day of confession becomes very obvious when we look at it from a Hebrew perspective.
Kyle G. Jones
Kyle G. Jones
11/27/19

Give Us This Day Our Daily Thanksgiving

To pray that God’s name is hallowed among us is to pray for the continual proclamation of the gospel in truth and purity that we would hear the word about Christ crucified for sinners.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
11/26/19

We All Sink Like Peter

We are still so much closer to Peter in our flaws than his virtues, and Christ is still our rescue.
John T. Pless
John T. Pless
11/25/19

Revisiting an Overlooked Classic: Franzmann on the Gospel According to Matthew

Franzmann walks alongside of readers of the Gospel according to Matthew like a sharp-eyed and knowledgeable tour guide pointing out features of the evangelical landscape which invite and provoke deeper reflection and, in turn, cannot but help make preaching more interesting and robust.
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