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
05/30/17

Jesus is the End of Religion

Christianity isn’t about our faith. It’s about God’s faithfulness to His promises.
Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
05/25/17

Our Tainted Acts Of Grace

People have often tended, quite wrongly, to view me as saintly. I attribute that undeserved reputation to the fact I have always had a very strong sense of the kind of person I should be.
Erick Sorensen
Erick Sorensen
05/24/17

Sin Boldly?

The common knock against “grace people” (or to put it another way, “Christians”) is that preaching too much grace will encourage licentious living.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
05/18/17

Singing "Stand Up, Stand Up, for Jesus" While Sitting Down: Disembodied Worship

The church’s worship should boldly and explicitly do two things: confess the incarnation and practice for the resurrection.
Jeff Mallinson
Jeff Mallinson
05/17/17

Why All The Fuss? The Difference between the Reformed and Lutherans on the Lord’s Supper

Even in our principled disagreements, we continue to pray for the unity of all, and invite the world to taste and see that the Lord is good.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
05/15/17

The Faulty Foundation of The Benedict Option

Some form of the Rule of Benedict will not save or reinvigorate the church. The church already has what the church needs to do her work in the world: she has the Gospel.
Joel Hess
Joel Hess
05/04/17

Hey Pastor, Your Church Is Not Healthy (goggles required)

Your church is not healthy. If they were healthy, they wouldn’t need someone to heal them.
Daniel Emery Price
Daniel Emery Price
05/03/17

The Wicked Way We Become More Like Jesus

I'm always surprised to hear people say, “If I could do it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing.” But we’re all sinners and we all sin every day.
Bob Hiller
Bob Hiller
05/02/17

Can I Be a Sinner in Your Church?

You can talk to me about how Jesus is really forgiving and how you want me around, but what happens when things don’t change in a month?
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/30/17

I Would Never Do That: Facing the Lie We Tell Ourselves

We pray for God to deliver us from ourselves. To forgive us, for Jesus’s sake, when we do evil.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/26/17

Christianity Is Not About a Personal Relationship with Jesus

Christianity is not a solo endeavor. Not a private relationship between Jesus and me.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/25/17

The Gospel for Those Angry at God

The angriest people I meet are former Christians.
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.