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

Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
06/27/16

Horizontally Challenged

I am not one of those people who can put together a jigsaw puzzle without using the picture on the box.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/24/16

Bible Verses That Haunt Me

The dying words of Jesus were not, “Make it worth it,” but “It is finished.”
Larry D. Hughes
Larry D. Hughes
06/21/16

The Gospel—Beyond Time and Space

Jesus takes that burden away in the “I forgive you and them” and gives us His “light” burden.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/14/16

God's War Animal

No, when the Lord is ready for battle, of all creatures, he commissions Mary’s little lamb.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
06/13/16

God’s Fixed Courtroom

A crisis of faith always occurs when we begin to believe that God has betrayed us.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/10/16

We Need Less Goliath and More Bathsheba

I became like God’s child David, whom the Lord pardoned of his adultery and murder. I became like Noah, Abraham, Judah, Aaron, Gideon, and so many more wayward children.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
06/06/16

Banjaxed

Stephen Fry, the English actor, author and game show host once disparaged the “grammar Nazis” who felt it necessary to enforce all the rules of language but who had forgotten, or just didn’t care, about the joy of language.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
06/05/16

Jesus Is Not a Life Coach

We're of little faith. Or rather, we have big faith, but it’s in something else. Our faith is in our ability to control situations, manipulate them to our advantage.
Paul Dunk
Paul Dunk
05/28/16

Thanks, Jesus. I Got This.

I'm in the middle of a series on Paul's letter to the Ephesians.
Brian W. Thomas
Brian W. Thomas
05/19/16

What's The Big Deal About The Liturgy? (Part 2: The Dialogue)

The chief verb of the liturgy is the gift of God’s forgiveness for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Steven A. Hein
Steven A. Hein
05/17/16

Tacking to Glory

You cannot fudge Glory in this life. You get there only on the Better Day that is coming and not one day before.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
05/14/16

No Babbling on Pentecost

Today the Spirit whom unfaithful David prayed the Lord would not take from him Pours himself into sinners that they might sing of the faithful love of their Husband.
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