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

Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/13/26

The God Who Gives Us All We Need

His provision always flows downward, furnishing and filling us with his grace and truth right where we are.
Scott Keith
Scott Keith
01/12/26

Christian Self-Defense Isn’t a Dirty Word

There’s a difference between refusing revenge and refusing responsibility.
Russ Lackey
Russ Lackey |
Mark Mattes
Mark Mattes
01/08/26

The Future of Lutheranism Belongs to Builders

The crisis is not merely that people are leaving. The crisis is that we have relinquished what is uniquely Lutheran and deeply needed.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/01/26

The Doctrine of God at Christmas

Christmas is not only about a cradle in Bethlehem, it’s also about a cross outside Jerusalem where salvation was won for us.
Matthew L. Rubinstein
Matthew L. Rubinstein
12/11/25

A Tale of Two Mothers

This ancient “tale of two mothers” concerns far more than theological semantics—it is the difference between a God who sends and a God who comes.
Ryan Tinetti
Ryan Tinetti
12/09/25

Was Jesus Ambitious?

Was Jesus ambitious or unambitious? We have to say that the answer is…yes.
Amy Mantravadi
Amy Mantravadi
11/19/25

A Review of "The Quiet Ambition" by Ryan P. Tinetti

While Thoreau’s Walden is seen as a central text of that most American of virtues—self-reliance—quiet ambition as envisioned by Tinetti is exactly the opposite: dependence on God.
Luke Kjolhaug
Luke Kjolhaug
11/18/25

Why AI Avatars Can’t Conquer Death

The Christian answer to death is not a disembodied app, but a bodily resurrection.
Ryan Matthias
Ryan Matthias
11/14/25

Dangerous Prayer

For the Christian, the iron gate of death was opened by the blood of Christ and the empty tomb.
Ryan Couch
Ryan Couch
11/10/25

Happy Birthday Martin Luther: How a 16th Century Monk Helped Me Rediscover the Gospel

On this, the birthday of Martin Luther, I will pause to thank God for his birth.
John W. Hoyum
John W. Hoyum
11/06/25

Reformation Christians and the Current Catholic Moment

Something Reformation Christians ought to do is familiarize themselves with Roman Catholic theology.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
11/05/25

Mercy Runs Downstairs

The testimony of the Word assures us that God isn’t waiting for us at the top of the stairs, with arms folded and brows furrowed.
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.