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

Michael Berg
Michael Berg
03/15/21

Jesus > Moses

If Jesus is better than Moses, then everything changes. If Jesus is better than Moses, then the ultimate becomes the penultimate.
Robert Kolb
Robert Kolb
03/14/21

The Gift of Wisdom and Fairness

Trusting in Christ’s promise of new life and deliverance powers our ability to view the world with perceptive sensitivity and, therefore, to treat others fairly in the way we think and the way we experience life.
David Schmitt
David Schmitt
03/14/21

Gospel: Mark 10:32-45 (Lent 5: Series B)

James and John come before Jesus and request positions of honor in His coming Kingdom. While we may be surprised at their actions, we understand their desires. They are interested in upward mobility.
Jeffrey Pulse
Jeffrey Pulse
03/14/21

Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Lent 5: Series B)

Jesus takes the sins of man upon Himself and carries them to the cross to make our hearts holy and acceptable in the eyes of God.
Scott Davis
Scott Davis
03/13/21

Shawshank Redemption and Confession of Sin

Jesus lives to intercede. So we needn’t bring him our feigned righteousness or our faux rehabilitation.
John W. Hoyum
John W. Hoyum
03/12/21

Repentance According to the Scriptures: Acts 2:37–39

Repentance means being cut down by the law’s declaration of judgment. It’s not an activity we do to prepare for grace, but a point of despair worked by God himself.
Haroldo Camacho
Haroldo Camacho
03/11/21

The Fifth Petition: Forgive Us Our Debts as We Forgive Our Debtors

If we want to see evidence of our Father’s answer to the fifth petition, we need only to look at the cross and the empty tomb.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
03/10/21

We are Known By God

Our ears are opened by the Spirit through the word. Then, faith in Christ is present in us.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
03/09/21

Why Lent Offers us a Curious Kind of Joy

There is joy in Lent, but it is the kind of joy that comes in being made whole.
Mark Mattes
Mark Mattes
03/08/21

Is Jesus the Only Way? Yes and No

It’s not the disciples’ faith that invented the resurrection but the resurrection that gave birth to the disciples’ faith.
David Schmitt
David Schmitt
03/07/21

Gospel: John 3:14-21 (Lent 4: Series B)

Jesus enters this world’s darkness and brings us the life-giving power of God’s light.
John Bombaro
John Bombaro
03/07/21

Epistle: Ephesians 2:1-10 (Lent 4: Series B)

The preacher of this text should follow the logic of the text, the divinely inspired genius of Saint Paul, and get out of the way.
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