Christmas is not only about a cradle in Bethlehem, it’s also about a cross outside Jerusalem where salvation was won for us.
A quick recap of some of our best content from 2025. Every year, we publish over 250 articles, release podcast episodes from 20+ unique podcasts, host two conferences (and participate in numerous speaking engagements), and more. This list just scratches the surface of our best of - thank you to everyone who makes this work and much more possible.
The story of your life stretches beyond the dash on the tombstone.

All Articles

Luther’s final thoughts were not meant to bum you out or lead you to despair.
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.
Luther’s famous treatise contains great consolation for Christians struggling with grace, suffering, and hope.
The addict’s condition speaks a hard truth: that we are all beggars before God, every one of us bent toward the grave.
What do we do with Katie Luther? What kind of historical character can we paint her to be?
Wisdom lurks in the outer places. Rich gratitude sprouts from the impoverished and forgotten.
There is a “re” involved with baptism, but unlike the Anabaptists, it’s not a “re-do,” but a “re-turn" or a “re-member.”
Epiphany is one of the most important festivals of the church year, although often sadly overlooked.
The narrative of the Nativity is what Christmas is all about.
This article is part of Stephen Paulson’s series on the Psalms.
The love of God is creative, always giving, always reviving.
While Christmas may or may not have pagan roots, it will certainly have a pagan future if Christians lose sight of what it is all about.