Jeremy L. Berg

15 rollicking songs and two mini-sermons. That’s what the good folks at Founders Ridge got when they came my recent Bob Dylan tribute show.

I’m still struggling to explain my pastoral life to others these days, and still feel insecure or guilty some days that I’m not slaving away 50 or 60 hours inside a church building each week, running programs, leading teams, managing staff and sitting in board meetings like many fellow clergy.

The apostle Paul “became all things to all people” in order to present the good news of Jesus to people of all walks. He was a freewheelin’ apostle. Listen to how Paul describes his flexible, innovative apostolic ministry:

 Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it! (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

I’m a freewheelin’ pastor bringing the music of the Freewheelin’ Dylan to seniors these days. I’m more of a rolling stone than a fixed rock. I might be writing on Monday, podcasting on Tuesday, mentoring youth on a Wednesday, teaching on campus on aThursday, and playing my guitar to someone in hospice Friday. The only constant is you’ll find me leading our church into worship and into the Word on Sunday evenings, concluding at the Eucharistic table.

My son asked me to come to his “career day” at the end of the school year to share what I do for a living. I froze up. I made excuses. I didn’t go. What do I do all week? I’m a simple “sower of the Word”, tossing hope out “there” wherever I find myself each day, and leaving the rest to God. But how do I explain that to a classroom of middle schoolers while sitting on a panel with doctors, lawyers, sales reps and software developers?

Most of my ministry career, I have felt out of sync with conventional ministries and pastoral job descriptions. I just don’t fit the molds offered by modern ‘churchianity.’ On the other hand, I have always felt a special kinship with the ministry style and approach of Jesus and the Apostle Paul. (I’m currently doing a series of podcasts detailing my call to be a “modern apostle” to my hometown. Check it out.)

[Sidebar: my 2025 gig schedule]

Today, basking in the afterglow of two recent music gigs, but second guessing whether or not I am really doing pastoral ministry, I found affirmation in the words of Paul. Like the freewheeling Paul, I can say: “I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life” (1 Cor. 9:22).

Paul said, “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law…so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law…so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak” (1 Cor. 9:20-22).

Likewise, to the student I became a college professor, to win hearts and minds to the kingdom. To the elderly, I became a musician to sing them the gospel. To the young disciple, I became a mentor walking with them along the path. To the politically muddled, I became an ambassador of King Jesus via my writings and podcast calling others to give their full allegiance to Christ; and so on.

Here’s how my freewheeling ministry looked recently at Founders Ridge. After a singing ten songs, I get to Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind.” I pause and ponder with them if the answer to the world’s great problems really is blowing in the wind. Will the answer forever be beyond our grasp, much like trying to grab hold of the evening breeze? Or, perhaps, the Answer IS the blowing Wind that blew through the upper room at Pentecost—the same wind of new birth Jesus told Nicodemus about in John 3.

Then I asked if we are being animated by the Wind of God these days, or are we being “blown about by every wind of teaching and deceit” (Eph 4)? Our weary world is waiting for Christians to be revived and swept up in the renewing winds of redemption and healing. That’s the Answer Bob and others are searching for–whether they know it or not. That was mini-sermon #1 — call it a “60 second special.”

Then I played a few more songs about wandering and searching, lover’s quarrels and blood on the tracks before reaching the climax of the show when I break into “Like A Rolling Stone.” Dylan’s 1965 smash hit changed rock ‘n roll history when he “went electric” at the Newport Folk Festival. The song is angry, defiant, and restless. “How does it feel?” Bob asks repeatedly.

When the song is over, I talk about how as a pastor I feel compassion for all those rolling stones out there who feel, in the words of the famous lyrics,

“all on your own”

“a complete unknown”

“with no direction home”

Three core longings of the human heart are found in these descriptors. We all are searching for belonging, desiring to be fully known and accepted, and trying to find our way back to our heart’s true Home.

What if the answer to these longings is in the song’s title itself? A rolling stone can speak of restless souls always on the move and never putting down roots. But the message of Easter also features a Rolling Stone — the stone that rolled away from the tomb, unleashing New Life into a dying world. That rolling stone makes all the difference. When that rolling stone moved, out walked the One who promises to be with us always so we’re never “on our own” again. He knows us inside and out, and loves us still. And he Himself is the direction or Way home to the Father’s love. That’s mini-sermon #2 — a 90 second night cap to sip on.

Then I closed the show with a pastoral benediction, a slow and contemplative version of “Forever Young” which evokes tears in a room of not-so-young people trying to remain young at heart with the help of the music of their younger years. After this blessing (see below), I packed up my gear and drove home, happy to be a freewheeling pastor sowing words hope in a pretty enjoyable way.

So, “What do you do for a living?” Peter’s class wants to know. Maybe I’ll go next time and just quote the great Apostle: “I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life.” That’s what I do for a living.

By the way, I’m only able to do my freewheeling ministry because of generous donors and the good people MainStreet Covenant Church who support my unconventional pastoral outreaches. Become a partner today.

FOREVER YOUNG (Bob Dylan)

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the light surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young

Amen.