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.
LECTIONARY REFLECTION | Luke 13:10-17; Psalm 71:1-6 “Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, … More Childhood Wounds
‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels . . . I was a foreigner and you did not invite me in.” The Gospel lesson in this week’s lectionary reminds us that Jesus was no lap cat savior but the roaring Lion of Judah. He came … More Welcome the Foreigner: Fiery Words from the Prince of Peace
ISAIAH 5:1-7; PS. 80:1-2, 8-19; HEB 11:37-12:1 “They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground…Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is … More Treasures New & Old
When I began a doctoral degree in New Testament context a couple years ago, I never would have guessed my thesis topic would end up focusing on the role of “Letter Writing” in spiritual formation. Well, here I am reading all kinds of ancient, medieval and contemporary letter correspondences, and really loving it! Along the way … More Letters to a Godson
LECTIONARY REFLECTION| LUKE 11:1-13 NEWS FLASH! JESUS WAS NOT A CHRISTIAN! Most people, Christians and non-Christians alike, recognize that Jesus Christ is the center of the Christian faith. Even the name of our religion – CHRISTianity – reflects the importance of Jesus Christ to us. Christians, as a group, tend to forget that Jesus was a … More Jesus-Shaped Prayer (Mike Fox)
This past year of doctoral studies for me has been focused on two related topics — 1) Slavery in the Ancient World and 2) Race & Ethnicity in the Ancient World — both with an eye to how grasping the ancient past can help better inform our Christian witness in the present day. Along the … More Racialized Religion
LECTIONARY REFLECTION | COLOSSIANS 1:1-14 This week’s New Testament lesson comes from Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae. Read full passage here. Paul does a couple things here that we can learn from and imitate. First, Paul takes the time to say thank you. Paul affirms who the Colossians are right now – “To God’s … More Two Go-To Habits (Mike Fox)
As many of you come to celebrate my 40th and enjoy the deep, soul-full, and just plain fun music of Ben Kyle and Romantica tomorrow night (July 3), I wanted to share a bit of his personal story. Here’s a letter he sent a while back sharing his dark season, and I’m grateful he’s back … More The Man Behind the Music
“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” -RICK WARREN
by Skye Jethani Jean Vanier, the founder of the L’Arche communities who died just a few weeks ago, often used a simple metaphor to explain his ministry with the mentally handicapped. With his hands cupped he would say, “Suppose I have a wounded bird in my hands. What would happen if I closed my hands … More The Space for Growth (Skye Jethani)
LECTIONARY REFLECTION | LUKE 8:26-39 In Western society the scientific method has been the standard for separating fact from fiction, truth from lie since the 1500s. For the last 500 years, anything that can’t be demonstrated in a controlled, repeatable experiment must not be true. Religion, faith, and belief in an unseen, spiritual world has been … More Fighting Demons (Mike Fox)
I’m concerned about the strong river current of ideas we are swimming against and the polluted atmosphere created by the larger cultural narratives we are breathing in uncritically. … More Happiness or Character?
I am just going to say it. I’m going on record. Even though I may need to cash in some “man chips” in doing so, Elton John’s “Your Song” as one of my all-time favorites. Not just Top 10. Probably Top 5. I’m gonna even risk losing friends and the respect of my musical comrades … More My Favorite Love Song
This Sunday I’m preaching a Pentecost sermon on our divided world, and the need for the church to learn, speak and embody a new language. I’m reposting an old seminary essay from 2004 on the same topic. (This one is for the Bible/Theology nerds out there.) “Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just … More The Church as God’s New Language
“These men who are turning the world upside down have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” (Acts 17:6-7) I spent some years as a youth pastor in a larger established church running a big youth program … More Plotting Revolution at Jason’s House
PENTECOST REFLECTION | Gen. 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-21 Can you imagine Facebook or Twitter without disagreement or conflicting viewpoints? Can you imagine a world without political division? Can you imagine a world united by one language and motivated by one grand purpose? We live in a cultural moment of unprecedented division. Some have said our nation … More Our Global Speech Impediment
The most formative influences in my life, after my parents, have been my professors. My life’s trajectory changed 20 years ago after sitting in Professor Holmes’ Life & Teachings of Paul class and Professor Eddy’s Historical Jesus class in college. My view of reality and the Christian faith was revolutionized by a paper I wrote for Professor Scourgie’s Intro to … More Call Me Prof!
Thanks for sharing this, Keri. :)
ASCENSION SUNDAY | Luke 24:44-53 One of the difficulties we have in reading and understanding the Bible is that we often unintentionally plug individual passages and key concepts into a controlling story that is foreign to the Bible. This results in making the Bible answer questions it was never interested in addressing. For example, many … More A Bigger Salvation Story
My amazing wife is giving me the greatest gift I can think of for my 40th birthday: the chance to share the beauty and joy of dancing and swaying, eating and drinking, together with family and friends to the live music of one of my favorite bands. (And my favorite part will be watching my mom … More The Best Birthday Gift is Live Music!
LECTIONARY REFLECTION | Acts 16:9-15; John 14:23-29; 5:1-9 Most of us have seen Warren Sallman’s famous painting Christ at Heart’s Door based on Revelation 3:20 where Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Jesus glows with the light of fresh hope while the dark thorns and thistles of sin threaten to overtake … More Are You Open?
“And a child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6 Our 7-year old, Peter Bjorn, made this precious cityscape that really caught my eye. It reminds me of a passage from Philippians. Followers of Jesus are called to cultivate a countercultural way of life that sets us apart from “a world of corrupt and sinful people.” Paul calls … More Peter Bjorn: Shining Like a Star (and van Gogh)
I’m reposting this from the deep archives as it is a lesson we seem slow to learn. By the way, did you hear about the ‘Preachers N Sneakers’ controversy? Below is an excerpt from a spot-on, timely and utterly devastating articles I’ve read in years about church leadership. I wish it never needed to be … More Dangers of Celebrity Pastors & Megachurch Cultures
by Malinda Fuller May you have clarity of thought and a morsel of sanity today. May you know that His grace is enough. For every season, every tantrum, every question, every failure. It is enough. Always. May you know that you are wildly loved by your Father, just as you are. Not because of what … More Prayer for a Stressed Out Mom
Do you remember a few years back when #Blessed became a wildly popular hashtag on Instagram? Many others concluded it was the most annoying and misleading hashtag on Instagram. … More #BlessedToBlessOthers
Jeremy Berg 