A Different Kind of Word
Since the law is our mother-tongue, we naturally assume it’s the only language that exists; this ceaseless, damning voice reminding us that we are not all that we should be.
Contributors
Luke Kjolhaug
Luke Kjolhaug is the pastor of Bunker Hill Lutheran Church in Princeton, NJ. He is a husband, a father, a terrible chef, a mediocre basketball player, and an aspiring blogger. He also impersonates a theologian from time to time. He holds undergraduate degrees from Wheaton College and the University of Minnesota, and earned his MDiv. from Lutheran Brethren Seminary (Fergus Falls, MN). A native Minnesotan, he enjoys canoeing, novels, and deep theological conversations.
Christ Hold Fast
Most Recent
Rationing Mercy
As human beings, we usually think that mercy should have limits; that it should never exceed its confines. This attitude is rooted deeply in the human heart.
God is Not an Abacus
Salvation is not simply transactional; it is fundamentally relational. Not anemic, but full-blooded. Not disembodied, but bodied.
Haunted by the Light: A Poetic Narrative
The child was sleeping deep within the manger, sod, & hay.
His tiny cries raised a heavn’ly din, on this most sacred day.
The Power of the Swipe
When your identity is tied up in the judgment of others—you're in deep trouble. Because, however well-curated and photo-shopped your life may be, sooner or later someone is going to look at you, they'll swipe, and they'll move on.
Pass the Gospel, Please
The Gospel is gift, pure and simple. It is backwards. It is upside down. It is foolish. And as long as people are sinners, it is as relevant as ever.
Christus Victor Saved My Life
We don’t just need someone to bear our guilt and die for us. We also need someone to defeat all of the forces of sin and darkness and anxiety and depression that overwhelm us.
Gods of the Garden
There is no comfort in naked sovereignty. A bully may be said to be “sovereign” over the elementary school playground, but that doesn’t bring much comfort nor does it promise security. We need something more than a God who is in control.
God of the Springtime
The true miracle of springtime isn't simply its beauty, but in the way it foreshadows the sprigs of life that spring forth when God creates faith from the fallow ground of dead sinners.
Absolution and a Crying Baby
In our search for absolution, human beings leave no stone unturned. We’re desperate to have our uneasy consciences soothed.
Embracing Our Limits
No matter how fast we run—the little Pharisee on our shoulder is still standing there, arms crossed, shaking his head, and telling us we could have done more. We could have done better.
I Found Jesus in the Copier Toner
As I sat there in the dark, empty church with my hands buried in the guts of a copy machine I was powerless to fix, I couldn't help feeling sorry for myself.
Knights of Faith
The question is this: Is it possible to truly believe God will give us a desirable answer to our prayers, and at the same time be OK if He doesn't?
In Praise of Gifts
With every bone in our bodies, we declare war on grace. We declare war on the gift.
The Gelded Gospel
The gelded Gospel is shiny and attractive and compelling, and we can perform the procedure in any number of ways.
The Secret to Happiness
Happiness is a slippery term. We all want it. We're all supposed to pursue it. But nobody seems to know how to obtain it.