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

Cindy Koch
Cindy Koch
06/21/18

Christ Alone! Yes, But Now What?

No worry, no fear. Nothing she can do can separate her from the love of Christ!
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
06/20/18

New Trees In An Old World

All the verbs of our salvation are passive. God calls and gathers people to him through his Gospel.
Joel Hess
Joel Hess
06/20/18

What To Tell People Who Already Know the Gospel

Jesus is in the business of proclaiming such a beautiful redundancy.
David Rufner
David Rufner
06/18/18

Community in the Worn and Used

And your life, weary and broken as it is, is hidden by God in Christ—tucked away in God’s enduring and eternally given Word, in Jesus.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
06/14/18

The Paradox of Pastoral Preaching

At times, evangelical Christianity can be a paradox. For as much as Protestants have spurned Roman Catholicism, they’re much more Catholic than they’d ever like to admit.
Daniel Emery Price
Daniel Emery Price
06/11/18

Grandma Joy and Psalm 139

My Grandmother recently lost a long battle with cancer. Her name was Joy, and a name has never been more fitting.
Scott Keith
Scott Keith
06/11/18

Preach Christ, Not About Christ

There is a difference between preaching about Christ and preaching Christ.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/10/18

False Guilt and the "What-If" Game We Parents Play

We need a God who can heal us of true guilt and false guilt. We need a Christ who not only removes the shame we feel for what we’ve done, but who washes away the shame that others have smeared upon us.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/03/18

The Mute Optimist at the Open Grave

Hope doesn’t bury its head in the sand but stares, open-eyed, into the truth of this life’s worst horror, and says, “I know the God who went through something even worse, and came out on top.
Bob Hiller
Bob Hiller
06/01/18

The Real Threat to Our Preaching

Many Christians are worried—perhaps legitimately—that the state is a short step away from turning the Law of God into hate speech and silencing the legal preaching of God’s Word.
Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
05/29/18

It Gets Better Than You Ever Hoped

As I was reading Romans 7 today, I was reminded of a pivotal scene in one of my favorite movies, As Good As it Gets.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
05/29/18

Two Theologies, One Way into God's Kingdom

Nicodemus, like us, does not really have phantoms and dragons in his head. He has just one demon, one virus, one malady: he lives in fear.
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