The Rev. Dr. Jeremy Berg is the founding and lead pastor of MainStreet Covenant Church in Minnetonka Beach, MN, where he has served since 2010. He is an adjunct professor of Biblical and Theological Studies who has taught classes at Bethel University, University of Northwestern—St. Paul, North Central University, Crown College, and Solid Rock Discipleship School. Jeremy earned a doctorate in New Testament Context under Scot McKnight at Northern Seminary (Chicago). He and his wife, Kjerstin, have three kids, Peter, Isaak and Abigail.
This lectionary reflection on 2 Kings 2:1-15 emphasizes our need for spiritual mentors and role models, like Elijah and Elisha. The text illustrates three key lessons: disciples keeping their eyes fixed on their mentors, mentors leading mentees to important lessons and places, and mentors empowering mentees to overcome obstacles and stay on the Narrow Way. … More Spiritual Orphans and the Gift of a Mentor
Our “congregation” is expanding through Kingdom Harbor outreaches, and the people we are reaching are more scattered than ever. Therefore, I hope to share ministry updates by video on a more regular basis. Please take a few minutes to watch and celebrate our impact this past year. Consider becoming a monthly financial supporter to help me make a living and continue this work. … More Ministry Update – Feb. ’24
Imagine returning home from a night out when traffic suddenly halts. Your eyes are drawn upward to a magic door descending from the heavens, suspended over the city. The mayor and fire department scratch their heads as crowds slowly gather. Soon the entire city is gathered around that mysterious door. It’s cracked a bit, and strange light is piercing the cool evening air. … More Magic Doors & Open Houses
In this week’s lectionary text, 1 Corinthians 9, the Apostle Paul emphasizes his holy obligation and divine calling to proclaim the gospel, representing a countercultural surrender to a higher purpose. I share some of my own experience and challenges of my call to full-time ministry, and conclude by highlighting the current crisis of clergy burnout and offering a call to love and support those who have surrendered their life to full time Christian service. … More The Company of the Summoned
“Isaak, grab a notepad and pen, and go watch Trump’s victory speech. Tally up how many mean things he says about someone else.” Isaak loves counting, and he’s very sensitive to bullying, so he relished the assignment. He caught only the last 10 minutes of the speech, but the photo here shows the result. … More 32 Put Downs in 10 Minutes
This week’s lectionary features a verse I memorized in Greek in college. Paul warns of the danger of knowledge leading to arrogance and division, urging the coupling of knowledge with love. What does it profit a man to gain worlds of knowledge, if he ends up an insufferable jerk? … More All Puffed Up with No Place to Go
Jesus’ powerful and authoritative encounter with a man possessed by an unclean spirit highlights the contrast between genuine spiritual engagement and complacency. This week’s Gospel text challenges Christians to question their commitment to Jesus and be open to his disruptive influence, aiming to stir them from spiritual apathy to vibrant faith. … More An Unclean Spirit and the Un-Spirited Clean
Paul’s strange and even disturbing instructions to believers in Corinth beg explanation. For Paul, every molecule in the universe had been shifted by the Christ Event, and the imminent return of Jesus placed a question mark next to all ordinary things of life. Pastor Paul’s words likely jolted his first hearers awake and raised many questions–questions we do well to ponder again today. … More The End is Nigh (Sort Of)
The ‘gospel’ many have been taught has drifted from Jesus’ original message. Weighed down by a hyper-individualism, we’ve bought a neat little salvation package whereby sinners bow their heads, pray a prayer, pull the grace lever and a bookkeeping angel with big-rimmed glasses moves your name from the Damned column to the Saved column in Heaven’s database. … More The Time is Fulfilled! Change Your Thinkin’!
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. … More MLK’s Dream
Christmas 2019 Christianity Today published a scorching editorial decrying Trump’s immoral character. The Christianity Today website “crashed” from all the traffic swarming to read it. I wondered why so many were caught up in Caesar’s politics the week our focus should be on the new politics born in Bethlehem’s manger. … More Trump, Evangelicalism, and the Kingdom
Whose company do you prefer? A person who keeps their opinions to themselves and has you constantly walking on eggshells, never knowing what they think or where you stand with them? Or a person who can be blunt and brash at times, but who speaks their mind in every situation? … More Guileless Faith
Attention readers! I have rebooted my Anchor Podcast offering short, on-the-go reflections 2 or 3 times a week. If you’re like me, you find yourself LISTENING to podcasts or books more than reading articles in your inbox. These 10 min reflections might fit perfectly into your morning routine. … More My Anchor Podcast is Back!
Let’s talk about hobbits and dwarves, wine barrels and baptism today, asking Paul’s question: “Into what were you baptized?” Like the Bilbo and the dwarves held captive by the Wood-elves, we need to be dunked into the barrel of baptism to rescue us from the bonds of the World, the Flesh and the Devil. … More Barrels Out of Bonds
Whether its the School Year, or Sports Seasons, or fiscal year, or Hallmark holidays, or the four astronomical seasons, we’re all orienting our lives around some temporal rhythm. Are the seasons of our lives marked by orbiting the sun? Or, do our lives find their meaning in orbiting the Son … More Redeeming the Time, Orbiting the Son
“With all the hostility coming toward Christians from secularism and progressive ideology,” he asked, “why not punch Left instead of Right?” Evangelicals “attacking our own side” on such matters will only cause unbelievers to hate us more and Christians to trust their leaders less. … More “Why Not Punch Left?” (Russell Moore)
The Jewish Messianic hope was often contaminated by a nationalist fervor that had God’s people thinking the Messiah was coming to take the country back for God from the unbelieving Gentiles in power, and bring swift judgment on the less zealous and insufficiently patriotic religious compromisers. … More When God’s Glory Appeared & Wept
Kick off the new year at MainStreet with a fireside teaching series called “Kingdom Essentials” Sundays at 5pm taught by yours truly. We’re a small, quirky bunch who are sick of religion and partisan politics, but who desire to understand and follow the teachings of Jesus and share his love with others. Join us! … More New Series: “Kingdom Essentials”
The week between Christmas and New Year’s gets many in the counting mood. Counting how many gifts we need to return. Counting how little money is left in the checking account. Counting how many cookie calories we’ve consumed. Counting how many pounds we need to shed when we hit the gym in the New Year. But it turns out that what we choose to count may tell you a lot about what we value. … More Counting on Christmas
We just finished up a 3-part Advent Series exploring Jesus as the perfect embodiment of Micah 6:8 spirituality that invites us to “do justice, love mercy, and walk in humility.” In between Sundays, I’m on college campuses trying to light a fire in college students to embrace and cultivate this kind of Christianity in the world today. … More Doing Justice to Christmas
We sat in a sacred circle with a chair placed in the center. Myself and about a dozen other pastors were on retreat at St. Mary of the Lake north of Chicago back on October 8-13. We each took a turn sitting in the “hot seat” where we held a candle in our lap and … More God’s Healing Light
In case it has escaped your attention, today is Day 22 at Children’s Hospital with our 10-year old son, Isaak. It was four Mondays ago I rushed him to the ER in stomach pain. Things continue to improve and there is real talk of going home “soon”. I haven’t had the energy or time or … More Divine Bowel Movements
Whenever violence erupts in the Holy Land, I find myself huddled next to Jesus weeping again over a land that has yet to learn His Way of Peace. As we pray for peace in Israel, and watch events unfold there, let me share a piece by N. T. Wright on how Christian pilgrims might approach the complex history and relationships in the Holy Land. … More Weeping & War in the Holy Land
“Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan to build a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.” —St. Augustine … More St. Augustine on Humility
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 … More “Listen Up!” Fall Ministry Update
Jeremy Berg 