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

Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
05/08/18

Despite Our Messes, It's All Gift

Our Father works through us to meet the needs of others and to meet our need for Savior Jesus.
Larry D. Hughes
Larry D. Hughes
05/07/18

The Death of Death

There in that moment, the waters of baptism reached down deep into the forsaken path of the grave with a man whose body and mind could no longer hold onto any reality otherwise.
Joel Hess
Joel Hess
05/03/18

Only Christ Treats Us Like Human Beings

Some lie and tell us that to sin is to be ourselves. But it is not. Sin is not natural to humanity.
Ryan Couch
Ryan Couch
05/03/18

Why Do We Go to Church?

For most of my Christian experience I was taught and I taught others that church was primarily a place to go to serve, to use your gifts, to bless others.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
05/01/18

Baptism, Not Our Religiosity, Is The Thing

Jesus is the end of religion.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/26/18

Getting Out from Under the Law

God’s Law is a death sentence for us sinners. There is no winning beneath the Law of God.
Steven A. Hein
Steven A. Hein
04/25/18

God’s Last Word

The Gospel predominates when hearers receive the saving gifts of Christ as God’s final word to them.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/25/18

No Other God Than The Crucified God

In Martin Luther's Small Catechism he borrows a line from St. Augustine about what defines a "god."
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/24/18

Playing The Game...Or Not

Whatever we call “god,” how we act out our “religion,” what we call “living,” if its name isn’t Jesus, it’s a sham.
Valerie Thur
Valerie Thur
04/20/18

Of Werewolves and Worldviews

We are called to proclaim the life, death, and resurrection of the Answer incarnate, Jesus Christ, and in love respond to the questions that inevitably arise against it.
Joel Hess
Joel Hess
04/19/18

We Only Baptize Babies

God only baptizes babies. He only saves babies. He only resurrects babies.
Jake Allstaedt
Jake Allstaedt
04/19/18

We Are Nicholas

Pictures of God’s grace for us in and through His Son, Jesus, can be found in the most unlikely places. Recently, I witnessed one such picture of God’s grace during WrestleMania 34.
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