This is an excerpt from the introduction of Stretched: A Study for Lent and the Entire Christian Life by Christopher Richmann (1517 Publishing, 2026).
We can bring our troubles, griefs, sorrows, and sins to Jesus, who meets us smack dab in the middle of our messy mob.
Confession isn’t a detour in the liturgy. It’s the doorway.

All Articles

Yes, but. It's a phrase I find myself repeating often in life. When my husband asks for forgiveness, I too often respond, "I forgive you, but…” and then continue with a list of my grievances.
Only the poor are in need of a Savior, and only the dead need faith, hope, and love delivered to them by the hand of the Almighty.
While I was still an over-eager seminarian the professor warned me, “Mr. Riley, this is exciting stuff.
She was the kind of woman in whom I see myself, in whom thousands of us see our own reflections. So often our lives seem pointless, a vain existence in a world that worships vanity.
In an age when the phrase “new and improved” applies to everything from phones to marriages, when we as a nation mimic juveniles, lustily pursuing the next new thing, the worst decision a church can make is to cater to this weakness.
You are made new by the eternal satisfaction for sin in Christ, by the precious treasure at God’s right hand.
History was one of dad’s favorite subjects and he shared his knowledge with infectious enthusiasm.
Good preaching does something for you. It delivers to you a Good Samaritan.
I’ve always been a very passionate person. Adventure is my favorite thing.
The Reformation handed over the crystal-clear Gospel of Jesus Christ on to the next generation.
These teachings are the heart of the Reformation…If it is about you, it isn’t about Jesus.
But where love is necessary we pray for our enemies and bless them in the hope that God will repent and convert them to the Gospel.