Author: Jeremy Berg

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.

GARBAGE DAY 7 – Boasting in our Busyness

March 12, 2012

If we take a quick glance at the lifestyles of Christians in America today, they are hardly distinguishable from those who don’t know God. We are a church of Marthas, fussing about in our own respective kitchens. But Jesus invites us to clear away the clutter and find time and space to sit at his feet along with Mary (Luke 10:38-42). Herein lies the key difference between spiritual garbage and spiritual clutter…. … More GARBAGE DAY 7 – Boasting in our Busyness

GARBAGE DAY 6 – Spiritual Clutter

March 10, 2012

While continuously ridding our lives of sin’s toxic presence is of central importance, there is another type of spiritual waste that needs to be kept at bay. I call it spiritual clutter. If spiritual garbage represents the sin polluting our lives, spiritual clutter represents the numerous distractions that constantly compete for our immediate attention, drawing our focus away from God’s kingdom purposes…. … More GARBAGE DAY 6 – Spiritual Clutter

GARBAGE DAY 5 – The Day God Went Dumpster Diving

March 9, 2012

There was a day when God went dumpster diving. Some 2,000 years ago God so loved the world that he sent his only Son into the dumpster of sin and death, so that everyone who believes in him shall not go to waste but have the eternal kind of life (John 3:16). Jesus came and took out our garbage for us; for we had let it pile up so high that it was now too heavy for any man to carry. As Isaiah said, “We’re all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags” (Isa 64:6). But Jesus exchanged our trash for God’s treasure (1 Pet 1:3-5)…. … More GARBAGE DAY 5 – The Day God Went Dumpster Diving

GARBAGE DAY 4 – Cleaning House

March 6, 2012

The Bible says, “Come back to God Almighty and he’ll rebuild your life. Clean house of everything evil” (Job 22:23 MSG). This requires a concrete plan to rid ourselves of sin patterns in our life, to make a clean break of it. Yet, many of us prefer to sweep our sins under the rug or hide them in the back closet. We fail to deal with it completely. When we fail to regularly clean up after ourselves, or handle it completely, the spiritual mess only grows worse, making it harder to clean the next time. Listen to Jesus’ words…. … More GARBAGE DAY 4 – Cleaning House

GARBAGE DAY 3 – Ooh, What’s That Smell?

March 5, 2012

Garbage is simply that which goes to waste. It has no positive value, serves no meaningful purpose and is therefore good only to be discarded or burned up. When we let our trash overflow with useless waste, the mess only inhibits the freedom and joy the “abundant life” (John 10:10) wants to give us. Waste gets in the way, it smells up the house, and detracts us from the beautiful, rightly ordered life God has made us for…. … More GARBAGE DAY 3 – Ooh, What’s That Smell?

The Essence of Christian Community (Bonhoeffer)

March 2, 2012

What constitutes our fellowship and our unity as Christians/the church? This is a serious question. Many today think we are united by a shared mission or denomination affiliation, by program or strategic goal, or united around a strong leader and his or her vision. Bonhoeffer digs deeper: The more genuine and the deeper our community … More The Essence of Christian Community (Bonhoeffer)

“Download My Soundtrack” (Matt 11:28-32)

February 29, 2012

When Jesus says to his disciples, “Take my yoke upon you” and “learn from me” (Matt 11), he is not just drawing upon a vague farming metaphor.  “Yoke” was a common metaphor for a particular rabbi’s interpretation and application of God’s torah to everyday life. In Jesus’ day, all devout Jews wholeheartedly sought to live … More “Download My Soundtrack” (Matt 11:28-32)

Cross-Shaped Discipleship in a Comfort-Shaped Culture

February 15, 2012

This is from back in 2012 a few weeks after officially launching weekly worship at MainStreet. Note the sense of urgency in my tone. Have we lost that desperation? -JB 2017 How many of us really take Jesus’ words seriously?  I don’t mean picking and choosing the teachings we can tolerate.  I mean ALL of … More Cross-Shaped Discipleship in a Comfort-Shaped Culture

QUOTABLES: On Making Disciples

February 13, 2012

“Let’s face reality: There are no programmatic shortcuts to effective disciplemaking. There is no “easy button”. Disciplemaking is about relationships. Relationships are inefficient. Disciplemaking is about life change. Life change is messy. Disciplemaking is centered in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ allows no pretense. Disciplemaking is unpredictable. Unpredictability requires risk. Disciplemaking is unique … More QUOTABLES: On Making Disciples

EPHESIANS 8: Jesus our Head and Body (1:22-23)

February 8, 2012

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” (Eph. 1:22-23). Paul pushes hard here. First, who leads your church?  Whose agenda always seems to get passed?  Pastor?  Key elders? Prominent, influential … More EPHESIANS 8: Jesus our Head and Body (1:22-23)

EPHESIANS 7: Death Defying Power (1:18-21)

February 7, 2012

I pray that….you may know….his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only … More EPHESIANS 7: Death Defying Power (1:18-21)