When Religion Becomes Obsolete, Christ Does Not
By Russ Lackey | Mark Mattes
01/20/26
19mins

When Religion Becomes Obsolete, Christ Does Not

American religion did not become optional because the gospel failed. It became optional because religion slowly redefined itself around usefulness.
Behold the Lamb
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/19/26

Behold the Lamb

The Passover wasn’t just Israel’s story; it’s ours.
Psalm 12, Part 2: The Saint Fails, The Word Purifies
Steven Paulson
Steven Paulson
01/16/26

Psalm 12, Part 2: The Saint Fails, The Word Purifies

God makes us pure saints by planting us back in the earth we imagined we needed to escape.

All Articles

Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson
04/16/19

Pastor Of Disaster

How are things at your church? Are people getting saved in droves, are there mass baptisms every Sunday, is giving at an all-time high, and are your members model citizens and pillars of the community?
Kyle G. Jones
Kyle G. Jones
04/15/19

A Spirit-Wrought Confession in the Midst of Suffering

In the midst of our suffering, grief, and distress, David gives us words to confess.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/15/19

The Gospel According to Noah

When Lamech named his newborn son Noah—which means “rest”—he said, “This one shall give us comfort from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the Lord has cursed”
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/15/19

What Kind Of God Washes Filthy Feet?

Since God is most high, He can only look down. Nothing is above Him. No one is more exalted than He is.
Jason Lane
Jason Lane
04/14/19

Holy Week Epistles (Series C)

As preachers approach Holy Week, it is sometimes difficult to plan ahead. With a number of sermons to prepare, it can sometimes feel like you’re just trying to keep your head above water, say whatever the given text says for that service, and move on preparing the next.
Peter Nafzger
Peter Nafzger
04/14/19

Gospel: Luke 24:1-12 (Easter Sunday: Series C)

In Luke 24:1-12 we don’t get a carefully constructed theology of the resurrection. The evangelist doesn’t work out all the implications of Easter for our life and faith. He doesn’t offer a logical argument for why we should believe Jesus rose physically from the dead. Instead, he simply describes what happened.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
04/12/19

You Can’t Always Outrun the Pain. That’s OK.

Have you ever read the Old Testament book of Lamentations? It’s not one of those Bible books that tend to make it too often onto devotional lists, sermon schedules or motivational posters.
Valerie Thur
Valerie Thur
04/12/19

The Day of Choosing

This day was a day of choosing. On this day, Jewish households would select their Passover lambs (Ex. 12:3-6). The lambs had to be without blemish, the best of the best.
Scott Davis
Scott Davis
04/11/19

Hunger and Thirsting

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” We hear those words on the lips of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. But, too often we misunderstand what he’s saying.
John W. Hoyum
John W. Hoyum
04/11/19

Church Membership and the Gospel

Being a member of a church connects people to the whole reason the church has for existing: that we might obtain justifying faith in Jesus Christ through Word and Sacrament.
Martin Luther
Martin Luther
04/09/19

The Truly Good Shepherd

You have heard that after his sufferings and death Christ our Lord arose from the dead and entered upon, and was enthroned in, an immortal existence.
Mark Mattes
Mark Mattes
04/09/19

A Q&A with Mark Mattes on Law and Gospel in Action: Foundations, Ethics and Church

The Gospel restores us to our true humanity, embeds us in the body of Christ, feeds us with Christ’s own body, and offers us a community.
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