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

John T. Pless
John T. Pless
05/14/18

Preaching Pentecost

The miracle of Pentecost is not obvious; it is the miracle of faith created through the preaching of the word of the cross.
Ted Rosenbladt
Ted Rosenbladt
05/11/18

The Great Physician’s Bedside Manner

This Jesus healed the blind and the lame and the mute and the barren and raised the dead.
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.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/30/18

Seven Words for Us Meddling Christians

Following him will also mean keeping our eyes locked on him so unswervingly that we don’t have the time or energy to be standing on tiptoes, peeping over fences into other people’s troubles and struggles.
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.
Joel Hess
Joel Hess
04/19/18

We Only Baptize Babies

God only baptizes babies. He only saves babies. He only resurrects babies.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/17/18

When Jesus Smashes Our Religious Piggy Banks

When we focus on God's self-giving Word, when we turn our attention to Golgotha, we are shown a wholly different way of viewing the Commandments.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/16/18

How Luther Taught Me to Read the Bible

I’ve always been more at home in the Old Testament than in the New Testament.
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