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.
“I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we posted Christian memes and Bible verses on our Facebook page, we bashed the demons and online trolls, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking and tweeting about us on social media.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat.” -JESUS … More All Who Have Ears to Hear, Tweet This!
“Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans and Christian bumper sticker cliches and memes…Don’t paste what is holy on people’s pages who are unholy and unreceptive to spiritual things. Don’t throw your pearls and treasured convictions before social media swine! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you with their own strong opinions.” -JESUS … More Pearls Before Social Media Swine
“You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister [on social media] is guilty of murder…Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister [via Twitter] and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.” -JESUS … More Jesus on Social Media
In this 4-part series we ask, “How would Jesus conduct himself on social media?” Listen to this adaptation of Jesus’ most famous teaching — Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7) — applied directly to online interaction. … More Jesus on Social Media – Pt. 1
Every day we find ourselves back in Eden standing before the Tree of Temptation faced with two types of wisdom. Based on what I’m watching and reading in the media, we’ve set up a buffet line at the forbidden Tree. … More Satan’s Urinal & Forbidden Fruit
Let us seek to be a breath of fresh air with our words, not fire breathing dragons. As the wildfires burn uncontrollably across the west, we do well to ponder the fiery wisdom and warning of James on the power of the tongue. … More Don’t Fuel the Fire
“The monastery is a school of love because it teaches us to forget ambition, convenience and self-gratification in order to open our hearts to love.” … More Parenting — Domestic Monastery
Jesus offers more than a small puddle of spiritual refreshment that appears momentarily but vanishes quickly in the afternoon sun. … More When the Waters Stir
“Every step closer to my soul excites the scornful laughter of my devils, those cowardly ear-whisperers and poison-mixers.” -C. G. Jung “We are not unaware of the Devil’s schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11). In 1978, spiritual writer Richard Foster wrote: “In contemporary society our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. If he can keep … More The Enemy of Our Soul
We live in rigid and graceless times. “Cancel culture” is the new fundamentalism, and fire and brimstone is preached from many media outlets. … More New Fundamentalism and It’s Cure
Last night my 5-year old asked, “Daddy, if Jesus lives in Heaven, and he’s going to bring us there when we die, then why did he put us on Earth at all?” … More Our Home in God, His Home in Us
Pop culture’s films and music give you the impression that love and romance is a young person’s game; but the truth is this: Love is like wine, and gets better with time. … More Better Than Wine: A Wedding Sermon
Jesus, the very thought of thee with sweetness fills my breast. But greater still thy face to see and in thy presence, rest.
~St. Bernard of Clairvaux … More A Prayer of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
It is not the sins we are tempted to commit that ought to frighten us, but the acts of justice we are never inspired to attempt. … More More Than Sin-Avoidance (Skye Jethani)
When I find myself revisiting the valley of the shadow of death and making mental mud pies in the pit, the mind of my “flesh” tells me I’m in Enemy territory. The Spirit of Truth reminds me, “The light shines in the darkness.” … More Mining For God
He is the faucet, the spigot, the ever flowing spring. I’m that rusty watering can with a slow leak. … More A Conduit, Not a Factory
This fall I will be writing pastoral letters to my congregation as part of my doctoral program. Seeking inspiration and models, I have been devouring letters from many spiritual writers such as Henri Nouwen and Eugene Peterson. I still love the olde time wisdom packed into Francois Fenelon’s letters (1651-1715). Here’s one written to someone who has … More Olde Tyme Letters Speak Today
Soon the soothing sounds of the gentle breeze and singing birds were drowned out by loud music coming from a vehicle parked ahead by the stream. DNR officials were taking water samples from the stream. The people called to protect the beauty and peacefulness of the natural habitat were checking the water for pollutants while polluting the air with noise. … More Seeking Still Waters Under a Waterfall (1 Peter 2:1-3)
Marvel of marvels, the Living God wants—no insists—on taking up residence in our homes! “I must stay at your house,” he tells Zacchaeus. … More Salvation Lives Here (A Home Blessing)
The Father’s Cabin is an account of Jeremy’s imaginative and prayer-generated journey to a quiet, northern lakefront cabin where the Son of God himself is our host and guide. The Father’s Cabin illuminates scripture and kingdom truths in a creative narrative style that is full of both witty humor and profound insights. This is a trip you’ll never forget! … More A Weekend at the Father’s Cabin
Part 5 of our Revelation series looks at the church’s call to resist the seduction of Empire and worldly power, avoiding the mark(s) of the Beast and bearing the marks of Christlike character. We should fix our eyes on the New City that will someday come down to Earth, and become a here-and-now colony of Heaven in the middle of this groaning creation. … More Apocalypse Now 5: Garden City
This week’s service honors Father’s Day, Keri’s birthday and Conversation #3 on Racial Righteousness with a message by Pastor Jon Tyson of Church of the City, New York, on Jesus, power and privilege. … More Conversation #3: What About White Privilege?
We’ve been taught to see evil and injustice in mainly individualistic terms. The Book of Revelation confronts and exposes oppressive “cultures” and exploitative economies represented by the “Beasts” and “Babylon” and the Harlot. This makes Revelation a very timely book as we expose aspects of American society and our history that has the “marks of the beast.” … More Sermon: Apocalypse Now Part 4 – “Babylon & the Mark of the Beast”
There is no shame in being privileged or being white; it’s whether or not we’re aware of this privilege, understand that privilege often comes at another’s expense, and, most importantly, what we decide to do with our privilege. … More Jesus, Power, and Privilege
When I have been confronted with claims of racial injustice, white privilege, and racism as a ‘social issue’, I was taught to dismiss such thinking as a concoction of liberals and certain black leaders who are still living in the past. … More Confessions of a Responsible, Hardworking White Guy Who Earned His Own Way (cough)
Kingdom Harbor 