Grace and the Illusion of Control
By Ryan Couch
06/22/26
17mins

Grace and the Illusion of Control

The life we are trying to manage, improve, and secure is not something to be mastered. It is something to be surrendered. And this is where everything changes. Because in Christ, the approval we are seeking has already been spoken.
The Turk at the Door: Luther, Islam, and the Fate of Christendom in the 16th Century
Adam Francisco
Adam Francisco
06/19/26

The Turk at the Door: Luther, Islam, and the Fate of Christendom in the 16th Century

It is within this charged atmosphere that Luther’s writings take on their full significance. His responses to the Turkish threat were not merely reactions to military events; they were rooted in a deep theological reflection on the nature of God’s rule over the world, the responsibilities of Christian rulers, and the role of the Church in times of crisis.
AI Can't Save You
Erick Sorensen
Erick Sorensen
06/17/26

AI Can't Save You

Your God is not artificially intelligent, but the source of all intelligence (including yours).

All Articles

Chad Bird
Chad Bird
04/22/25

A Review of The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World

Dave weaves together music, movies, and documentaries to illustrate all the ways we seek relief—and then, full and free, he connects our need to Christ’s gift.
Joey Goodall
Joey Goodall
02/28/25

You Can't Sever the Saint from the Sinner

You cannot sever the saint from the sinner. Christians remain both simultaneously.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
02/20/25

Where Death Becomes Life

In the upside-down wisdom of God, the place of the cross becomes the place of life, absolution, and triumph.
Jason Oakland
Jason Oakland
02/17/25

A Remnant Chosen By Grace

In grace, God chooses to love his people.
Mark Mattes
Mark Mattes
02/13/25

The New Birth as Passive: An Excerpt from Ditching the Checklist

This is an excerpt from Ditching the Checklist: Assurance of Salvation for Evangelicals (and Other Sinners) by Mark Mattes (1517 Publishing, 2025), pgs. 5-7.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/30/25

The Gospel for All

There is no one — not now, not ever — who cannot be included in the family of God through the efficacy of Christ’s saving power.
Ryan Couch
Ryan Couch
01/03/25

New Year, Same You

It's a new year, and you are still the same you: a sinner who is simultaneously perfect in every way because Christ declares it to be so.
Steven Paulson
Steven Paulson
11/13/24

Psalm 4: A Good Night's Sleep

This article is part of Stephen Paulson’s series on the Psalms.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
11/07/24

Flipped Tables, Upended Expectations, and Cleansed Hearts

No amount of ritual, sacrifice, devotion, or money could ever do what Jesus of Nazareth was sent to accomplish.
Wade Johnston
Wade Johnston
11/05/24

Christ: Our Past, Present, and Future

You have real freedom through the gospel of Jesus Christ, a freedom that doesn’t rest on founders, votes, or power plays.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
10/29/24

The Surpassing Certainty of God’s Love

More certain than death or taxes and more certain than “anything else in all creation” is the fact that God loves you.
Scott Keith
Scott Keith
10/16/24

Essential Reading for Lutheran Theology: The Thinking Fellows List

Below is the Thinking Fellows Essential Reading List with contributions from each of the Thinking Fellows hosts.
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