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

John W. Hoyum
John W. Hoyum
05/29/24

Predestination and the Legacy of Lutheran Pietism

Lutherans have a unique heritage that makes teaching predestination doubly difficult.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
05/28/24

The Mega of Megachurches

This is an excerpt from Chapter 7 of Your God is Too Glorious: Finding God in the Most Unexpected Places by Chad Bird (1517 Publishing, 2023).
Gage Jordan
Gage Jordan
05/14/24

In The Wild: Church for Those People

The gospel is for sinners – both the tax collector and Pharisee, both in need of the Great Physician.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
05/03/24

Good News for those with Mental Illness

For you who are struggling to navigate grief, to cope with pain, or breathe through anxiety, the gospel announces that there is a person whose heart throbs for you.
Wade Johnston
Wade Johnston
04/29/24

A Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd doesn’t leave the sheep to fend for themselves.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/25/24

Tell the Story And Preach It

A Christian story untethered from the reality of Christ and his mercy toward sinners becomes a mere fable, while a sermon disconnected from the hearts of its listeners remains a hollow oratory.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
04/10/24

Unforeseen Sympathy

Jonah’s biggest blunder was a failure to understand that God’s grace is always undeserved and always falls on those who are unworthy of it.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
04/03/24

God's Home-Word Stories

Don’t get in the habit (or, if you already do it, get out of the habit) of saying, “I could never talk about these things the way my pastor does.”
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
03/18/24

Commemorating the Feast of St. Patrick

Patrick's breakthrough came when he began to leverage his knowledge of the native language and customs to build a bridge between Irish lore and the Christian mythos.
Wade Johnston
Wade Johnston
03/12/24

A Robe that Won’t Weigh You Down

Sin is a heavy thing to bear. Its jacket is shame, its medals are guilt.
Jason Oakland
Jason Oakland
03/11/24

Clarity Under the Cross

The love of God in Christ Jesus never changes. That love is for you.
Sam P. Schuldheisz
Sam P. Schuldheisz
03/05/24

The Lenten Road

Jesus has gone ahead of you on the road, and promises to be with you still.
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