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

Gerhard Forde
Gerhard Forde
10/11/19

Grace Abounding

The law does not end sin, does not make new beings, it only makes matters worse.
Martin Luther
Martin Luther
09/26/19

"Your Sins Are Forgiven" Is Christianity

The kingdom of Christ is realized where nothing but comfort and the forgiveness of sins reign not only in words to proclaim it, which is also necessary; but also in deed.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
09/24/19

Faith, Depression, & Clinging to the Rumor of Grace

Whatever theoretical or conceptual ideas to which we surrender in despair, the Christian faith offers something wholly different. It offers a person.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
09/19/19

Squandering Grace

Squander. What a great word. It so perfectly captures the pitfalls of backsliding in all areas of life. It's the utter self-ruination of good things.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
09/10/19

The Futility of Balancing Grace

Perhaps the most poisonous venom to afflict the gospel is the notion of "balancing" grace.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
08/29/19

When a Christian is Pushed into Atheism

What do we say when a Christian admits the church has driven them to atheism? And they don't mean ideologically.
Dan van Voorhis
Dan van Voorhis
08/21/19

Christmas in August and Handel's Messiah

On this Day Handel Begins Composing Messiah, and 5 Things We Can Learn From It
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
08/08/19

Salvation and the Silly Summit of Some Great Thing

Overcrowding on Mount Everest betrays what our culture worships. We bow down at the altar of the impossible to be seen as the conquerors, the champions.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
08/07/19

My Grace-Covered Memory

My past, littered about this tiny island, resurrects itself when I draw near, but it never does so alone. It is always accompanied by the Savior.
Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson
07/26/19

When to Pass on a Baptism Candidate

Everything was perfectly teed up to move the needle on the baptism metric, but I just couldn’t do it. I told her she shouldn't get baptized.
Dan van Voorhis
Dan van Voorhis
07/24/19

Happy Birthday, John Newton! Hymn Writer and Slave Trader (Or, what to do when our heroes turn out to be scoundrels)

John Newton was a scoundrel, a pirate, and a slave trader.
Steven A. Hein
Steven A. Hein
07/11/19

When You Can't Forget

In truth, forgetting transgressions has little to do with forgiving others who wrong us.
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