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

Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
06/27/16

Horizontally Challenged

I am not one of those people who can put together a jigsaw puzzle without using the picture on the box.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/24/16

Bible Verses That Haunt Me

The dying words of Jesus were not, “Make it worth it,” but “It is finished.”
Mark Jasa
Mark Jasa
06/16/16

How Do You Measure If Evangelism Is Working?

We all began by hearing the truth, and then speaking the truth and believing the truth. That truth came to us on the lips of another.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/14/16

God's War Animal

No, when the Lord is ready for battle, of all creatures, he commissions Mary’s little lamb.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
06/13/16

God’s Fixed Courtroom

A crisis of faith always occurs when we begin to believe that God has betrayed us.
Scott Davis
Scott Davis
06/13/16

Camouflage, A Convict and A Cross

Have you ever played hide and seek with a 2-year-old? News flash: They’re terrible at it.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/10/16

We Need Less Goliath and More Bathsheba

I became like God’s child David, whom the Lord pardoned of his adultery and murder. I became like Noah, Abraham, Judah, Aaron, Gideon, and so many more wayward children.
Kathy Morales
Kathy Morales
06/07/16

Real Strength

God cannot love me unconditionally without prerequisites, especially after all I’ve done, can He?
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
06/06/16

Banjaxed

Stephen Fry, the English actor, author and game show host once disparaged the “grammar Nazis” who felt it necessary to enforce all the rules of language but who had forgotten, or just didn’t care, about the joy of language.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/05/16

Jesus Is Not a Life Coach

We're of little faith. Or rather, we have big faith, but it’s in something else. Our faith is in our ability to control situations, manipulate them to our advantage.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
06/03/16

Isn't Thirteen Kind of a Big Number?

Can God forgive friends who abandoned Him in His hour of greatest need?
Paul Dunk
Paul Dunk
05/28/16

Thanks, Jesus. I Got This.

I'm in the middle of a series on Paul's letter to the Ephesians.
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.
1517.org
Search
Academy
Donate

1517 grants permission for our free online resources to be printed, photocopied, and otherwise used freely for private and church use. We require that authorship and source (1517.org) are referenced and maintained. These resources may not be sold or included in any publications for sale.