Jeremy L. Berg

Summer has faded in the rear view, replaced by the fresh rhythms and possibilities of a new season. A few highlights to celebrate with friends and financial supporters. Speaking of support, a reminder that I am in a new season of raising my own salary like an overseas missionary to continue leading MainStreet Covenant and all of our outreach ministries. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter of all of our ministries seen in the graphic below. Learn more here.

Jesus Walks Immersive Discipleship

My ministry highlight of the summer was my Jesus Walks with a few young adults and former students of mine. We walked among grazing sheep, observed the birds and wildflowers, discussed identity in a sculpture garden, discussed faith on a boat ride to Goose Island, and more. This is as close to a Jesus-styled discipleship program as I can imagine. Unscripted, unhurried conversations about the Kingdom of God as we walk in nature, letting God’s creation illuminate eternal truths in the company of friends.

MainStreet Covenant is Growing

Last night’s Sunday gathering had our home bursting at the seams, with a handful of new college students checking us out and new friend Karen introducing our church to the practice of Spiritual Direction. We have several musicians among us now, and so we enjoyed folky worship on the deck featuring a violin, banjo and guitar. Kittens and chickens joined our chorus on a spectacular fall weather weekend.

Our fall series we’re calling “Listen Up!” and is on the rich biblical theme of hearing the voice of God. We’ll explore sacred listening in four directions: listening UP for the voice of God, listening IN for the quiet longings of our soul, listening WITH others for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in Huddles or Spiritual Direction, and each Sunday we’ll listen TO another’s faith journey. The fact is many of us are living our daily lives largely deaf to the life-giving guidance and soul-affirming voice of our Abba God. The word “absurd” has at its Latin root surdus, which means “deaf.” We are in danger of living absurd lives with our spiritual ears closed off from the voice of God. Instead, the Bible invites us to tune our hearts to God and “hear and obey” the still soft whisper. Join us Sundays at 5PM at the Berg’s home as we bring a Biblical teaching around these themes.

Back on Campus

After nearly killing myself last year teaching 9 courses at four different schools, I have a much more reasonable teaching load this Fall. I am teaching Tuesdays and Thursdays at Bethel University (AM) and University of Northwestern (PM). We view this as an outreach of MainStreet, sending me out as a pastor-on-mission to plant seeds of the Kingdom in young hearts, and inspire and equip the next generation of leaders to give their lives wholly to the cause of Christ. I try to bring both intellectual vigor AND a pastor’s heart to these students, and we pray for connections that will move beyond the classroom as students join our Sunday night gathering or perhaps join me on future Jesus Walks.

I enjoy taking students through the entire Bible in 15 weeks at Bethel, highlighting major themes and tracing the Big Story that points to Jesus. Even more exciting is the class I teach at Northwestern called “Christian Thinking & Living.” This is a short 8-week course designed to give first year students a foundation in the Christian life. I bring a lot of passion to this class, with an edgy and urgent call for students to meet the moment by adopting a Jesus-shaped, Kingdom faith in the midst of a politically mad and misguided culture-warring approach of many Evangelical Christians.

For example, last week we discussed social ethics and biblical justice by looking at schools of thought ranging from libertarian to cultural marxism (see below), offering biblical critiques of far right MAGA conservatism and far left critical race theory. (You know, light and fluffy topics everyone agrees on.) I try to break through the partisan echo chambers, and let the words of the Old Testament prophets and the kingdom vision of Jesus call all parties to account. These conversations are both invigorating and a bit terrifying, and I have somehow avoided being tarred and feathered. The students have been great!

Senior Ministry at Harrison Bay

Each month my 8-year old Abigail joins me as we go lead a worship service at Harrison Bay Senior Living down the road. We have a small gaggle of faithful attenders who look forward to this service all month, as it is the only service they can attend. We sing favorite old hymns on the guitar, with Abby joining me on “In the Garden” and “I Saw the Light.” Then I share a word from Scripture and we pray for their needs. It’s always a precious time as we get to be a ray of light in a place that can often feel rather dark and lonely.

New Mission Partnerships

This past Sunday MainStreet Covenant announced two new mission partnerships. MainStreet has always committed to giving a tithe (10%) of our giving income back into mission partnerships locally and abroad. Your gift to MainStreet is a gift through MainStreet to these greater Kingdom causes.

#1 – FREE Initiative

Globally, an estimated 4.7 million persons are caught in sex trafficking today. Approximately 250,000–350,000 American children and youth are at risk for sex trafficking each year. The exploitation of those targeted through sex trafficking continues to attack the Imago Dei; marring, and harming trafficking victims, the traffickers, and the communities where economies of sexual exploitation flourish.

The Covenant’s core identity as Mission Friends is rooted in its desire to seek to respond to God’s call in Isaiah 1:17, “Learn to do good, seek justice, and encourage the oppressed” in our world. As a response to this call, we are partnering with FREE, an anti-sex trafficking initiative of the Evangelical Covenant Church that calls the global church to Pray, Learn, Give, and Act to oppose the evil of sex-trafficking both domestically and globally. Learn more at covchurch.org/free

#2 – Advocacy for Victims of Abuse (AVA)

While the world can offer protection and advice, it cannot provide the one thing most needed: Jesus’ healing touch that brings renewal and hope. The Evangelical Covenant Church addresses sexual assault and its related concern, domestic violence, through the Advocacy for Victims of Abuse initiative (AVA). As a church, we acknowledge the reality of brokenness and sin in the world as well as the power of community to heal brokenness through Jesus Christ. Advocacy for Victims of Abuse informs, educates, and raises awareness in our congregations and communities. Learn more at covchurch.org/abuse. 

We Need Your Support

Your monthly support enables us to support causes like these. Your partnerships enables me to be a local missionary pastor leading the MainStreet community, and to go out on mission to reach the next generation on college campuses and to bring hope and comfort to elderly folks trying to finish their race welll. Thanks for your Kingdom partnership! Become a supporter here.