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.
Recently, I experienced the beauty of Christian friendship and fellowship. Some friends and I sat together in a basement and shared our joys and struggles as we strive to “grow up into Christ.” I was deeply refreshed by our time together. So, like the Apostle Paul, I couldn’t resist pulling out my modern-day papyrus and … More A Contemporary Epistle
Dear MainStreet friends, On the eve of Thanksgiving 2011, Keri and I have much to be thankful for. The past year has been perhaps the most difficult and most satisfying year of our lives. One year ago, I was unemployed and scrambling to raise seed money to start planting MainStreet. We had just found out … More A Thanksgiving Letter
From churchmarketingsucks.com: Picture this scene. You’re in your pew. The worship is amazing, almost transcendent. The song ends in a moment of awe-filled silence. It’s just you and God. And then—train wreck; you are catapulted from a state of ethereal wonder to an awkward announcement about the church cookie bake-off or a video that never … More Church Announcements
This is the transcript/notes from a sermon preached at MainStreet Covenant Church on November 13, 2011, as a rally cry to mobilize a community to join us in furthering the mission of MainStreet in Mound. This was the 3rd monthly preview service before beginning regular weekly worship in 2012. Nehemiah chapter 3 is misleading if … More NEHEMIAH 6: Chapter 4 Sermon Transcript
Bloomberg Businessweek thinks so… Hey, I didn’t turn out half bad. ;-)
Our prayers reveal our priorities. The requests we bring before God give a window into our heart’s greatest concerns at any particular moment. Sometimes they are petty and selfish: “Lord, help me find a good parking spot” or “Help me pass this test I didn’t study for.” Often they focus on more urgent immediate needs … More EPHESIANS 6: Paul’s Prayers & Priorities
The Lord is my pacesetter, I shall not rush. he makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals, He provides me with images of stillness which restore my serenity. He leads me in ways of efficiency, through calmness of mind, and his guidance is peace. Even though I have a great many things to accomplish … More Psalm 23 Remixed for a Rushed Society
Paul is my hero. Explain his lengthy portfolio of sufferings away, you who dare propagate the demonic prosperity gospel leading so many astray today! One clear promise of the Bible, straight from the lips of Jesus, is that “in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world” (John … More The Sufferings of the Apostle Paul
Hi friends, Much of our church planting adventure thus far has been casting vision — or, in other words, telling a compelling story of what God has called us to do and why its a cause worth joining and/or investing in. There’s no better way to tell a story than through video. One of my … More The MainStreet Journey on Video
I was raised Lutheran, and am sort of glad I did somedays. Lutherans get grace better than most. For no one was more bothered by their own depravity more than Martin Luther, and no one was more amazed by God’s grace — God’s Redemption Act Covering EVERYTHING — than Luther as well. I like to … More My Problem With Grace
“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves…. In him we … More EPHESIANS 5: Chosen in Christ (1:4-12)
This is a timely repost from 2011 when MainStreet was just getting launched. It was during a local election season where people were passionately campaigning for and against a school referendum. You sense my urgency and deep burden for this community. -JB “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may … More EPHESIANS 4: The Greatest Cause on Earth (1:18-23)
Today, Will Willimon, in his book “Pastor” quotes his own teacher’s words on the pastorate toward the end of his career training clergy. James E. Dittes speaks of “ministry as grief work”: To be a minister is to know the most searing grief and abandonment, daily and profoundly. To be a minister is to take … More Pastor 13 – The Cost of Vocational Ministry
Father, in the name of Jesus, we lift up MainStreet to You and pray a hedge of protection around them. We thank You, Father, that You are a wall of fire round about MainStreet and that you set Your angels round about them. We thank You, Father, that MainStreet dwells in the secret place of … More A Prayer of Protection
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:2). Two words of enormous weight and depth so easily slip off our tongue as we hurry past Paul’s characteristic greeting: grace and peace. But let’s pause to consider them for a moment. In all his letters, these are the two … More EPHESIANS 3: Grace and Peace (1:2)
Jen Floyd Engel’s article at FoxSports.com on Tebow is worthy of consideration: What if Tim Tebow were a Muslim? Imagine for a second, the Denver Broncosquarterback is a devout follower of Islam, sincere and principled in his beliefs and thus bowed toward Mecca to celebrate touchdowns. Now imagine if Detroit Lionsplayers Stephen Tulloch and Tony Schefflermockingly bowed toward Mecca, too, after tackling … More The Tebow Factor
We’re beginning a 4-part series on spiritual warfare in preparation for breaking new ground at MainStreet in the New Year. Join us at the MainStreet Huddle this Sunday at 5PM as we explore Chip Ingram’s “Invisible War” series together.
Today Will Willimon, in his book “Pastor”, gives us Anthony Robinson’s helpful list of time-tested wisdom for leadership decision-making. 1. Give responsibility back. When a layperson says, “Somebody ought to be doing this,” as a pastor, you might respond saying, “That sounds like just the thing God may be calling you to do.” 2. Expect … More Pastor 12 – Ten Rules of Leadership
“Ten years ago the USA had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope, and Johnny Cash. Now they have no Jobs, no Hope, and no Cash.”
Another excerpt from Will Willimon’s book “Pastor.” This time preaching as commissioning. “Mission begins with commissioning. Therefore, preaching is an essential part of mission. I suppose that we preachers ought to strive, in every sermon, to have some illustration or example whereby ordinary Christian people could sense God’s vocation. Mission begins in the heart of … More Pastor 11 – Mission & Preaching
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus” (1:1). When we surrender our lives to God and begin our new life with Christ, we receive a new address. Regardless of our earthly residence — whether Ephesus or Minneapolis — we’re given a new … More EPHESIANS 2: A New Address (1:1)
Scot McKnight recently delivered 4 watershed lectures for many of us misplaced Evangelicals who want to take back the big tent Evangelicalism of the Billy Graham and John Stott era from those trying to narrow down Evangelicalism into their much narrower theological categories. I’m speaking primarily of the so-called “young, restless Reformed”, the Gospel Coalition, … More Parchman Lectures on Evangelicalism by Scot McKnight
Kingdom Harbor 