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

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.
Scott Davis
Scott Davis
04/26/18

Reading Paul With A Southern Drawl

How should we read Paul, ya’ll? Why reading the Bible like a Southerner makes sense of confusing passages.
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.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/14/18

How Much Sleep Did You Lose Over the Syrian Children?

From the untouchable living on the streets of India to the millionaire in Manhattan; from the farmer in Germany to the escort in Vegas; from the missionary in Argentina to the bartender in Ireland—they are all in the love zone of the Lord. Every. Single. One.
Mariah Coward
Mariah Coward
04/11/18

The Gospel & Hard Times

As a woman who has suffered years of abuse, there have been times in my new life when I have found myself living out Psalm 6:6.
Craig Donofrio
Craig Donofrio
04/11/18

The Suffering Servant

Jesus, Who is truly God, became a regular Joe (or Joshua as the case may be) for us.
Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
04/09/18

Not Under Law… Say What Now?

There is just something about the idea of not being ‘under Law’ that sets off all kinds of alarms in the minds of many Christians.
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