Jeremy L. Berg

Today was a big day! I walked onto the campus of North Central University with my fancy leather bag with books and lecture notes for my first day in the classroom teaching an introduction to Christian Theology course.

I was nervous. This will be my 3rd school year teaching undergrads at Solid Rock Discipleship School, but that is a more informal affair with a classroom of 5-10 students in a camp setting. Today, I drove downtown Minneapolis, hunted for parking spot, scrambled down a maze of old hallways full of the sounds of youthful banter, and even had an early morning fight with the copier machine. (The copier won, of course.)

At 9:25 I was staring into the eyeballs of nearly 40 students about to climb the Mt. Everest of university topics: the study of God! My nerves were real, but so was my confidence gained through years of learning and years of teaching and coaching students K-12 and undergrad. (Can you really shake a person who has braved sub teaching in a 6th grade band room?) When the silent, non-existent bell rang for class to begin (I wish there was an old school bell), I found myself alive and full of passion.

“In the book of James we learn that demons know God better and shudder at his awesomeness, while churches and classrooms of Christians yawn and fall asleep. Let us stay awake and not let the demons outdo us in theological wisdom!”

That was part of my opening remarks. And I was off to the races!

“In the book of James we learn that demons know God better and shudder at his awesomeness, while churches and classrooms of Christians yawn and fall asleep. Let us stay awake and not let the demons outdo us in theological wisdom!”

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I stuck around afterwards for the chapel service, and holy moly this Assembly of God Pentecostal school did not disappoint in the worship! I am loving getting to know this precious school in the heart of the city, and the vision and mission they have to equip the next generation of Jesus-followers and Kingdom-advancers! I’m giddy with excitement and humbled to be Dr. Berg at their service!

Again, my teaching side-hustles are not taking away from my leadership and pastoral duties at MainStreet Covenant Church; they fire up my engines and fuel my ministry back home. I’m so grateful for this season and these opportunities. I was born for this!