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.
Peter said, “Master, I’m ready for anything with you. I’d go to jail for you. I’d die for you!” Jesus said, “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Peter, but before the rooster crows you will have three times denied that you know me.” (Luke 22:33-34) Dear Peter Bjorn, The first thing you should know … More His Name Is Peter 4 – A Masterpiece in the Making
Dear Peter Bjorn, When I was a teenager I met another Peter who turned out to be a lot like Simon Peter in the Bible. We would become the best of friends, as we are still today. There’s a scene in John 1 where Simon Peter’s brother Andrew has a powerful encounter with Jesus, and … More His Name Is Peter 3 – My Best Friend
“Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” (John 13:33-37) Dear Peter Bjorn, I want to introduce you to two very special people — … More His Name Is Peter 2 – Jesus’ Best Friend
Suzi shared this devotional at Keri’s baby shower a while back. Enjoy. Sometimes it would be nice to know the future. Some of the characters in the BIble were given a glimpse of it. In Genesis 15, God promises Abram a son. When none was forthcoming with his wife Sarai, he had a son with … More Raising Children, Honoring God (by Suzi Fox)
There will be a highway called the Holy Road… It’s for God’s people exclusively — impossible to get lost on this road. Not even fools can get lost on it” (Isaiah 35:8). When we finally leave the classroom and hit the highway, we find no shortage of traffic — both in real life and the spiritual … More STUDENT DRIVER 6: Driving Aimlessly
Recently I caught myself using those words for about the 100th time in a week. “If only I would’ve…”, “If only I wouldn’t have…”, “If only I had saved more money”, “If only I hadn’t eaten so much last night”. If only things were different. I think about the future in much the same manner. … More “If Only…” (by Mike Fox)
My firstborn buddy turns 3 years today, and I’m reposting this series from his birth on the meaning of his name. Enjoy! -JB What’s in a name, anyways? In a culture where most parents choose names that sound nice or are currently trendy, we find ourselves far from the world of the Bible. Names were … More His Name Is Peter 1
We’re excited to introduce to the world our son Peter Bjorn, born July 18 at 4:54 PM. He was 8 pounds and 21.5 inches with long, skinny fingers and toes like his dad, and (almost) as cute as his mom. He is named after Simon Peter “the rock” and his daddy’s best friend Peter and … More It’s a boy!
Every car has them. They are the little warning lights on your dash that come on when something needs attention. They are quite small and hard to see. They are often ignored and easy to put off until a later time. Yet they are extremely important and can save you much bigger problems in the … More STUDENT DRIVER 5: Warning Lights & Gas Gauges
Jeff Cook’s thoughts on Chan’s new book Erasing Hell, and why it does not even enter the conversation Bell started: Dress it up however you wish, Erasing Hell is a response book to Rob Bell’s Love Wins,yet despite replicating Bell’s style in their cover art and promotional video—the primary problem in my mind with Erasing Hell is that the authors … More Erasing Hell, Rob Bell & the Issue of Audience
Luke 18:1-5 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him … More Sirens & Prayer (by Mike Fox)
We’re calling all Mound area friends to join this short-term mission team to help launch Sunday worship in Mound this coming fall! Check it out:
One of the most simple but important driving lessons we learned in kindergarten: stay between the lines! In driving you must keep yourself from veering to the left and the right. We must keep ourselves between the yellow center line and the white shoulder line. What do these two colored lines represent on the road … More STUDENT DRIVER 4: Life Between the Lines
So…have you read it yet? How did you react? Rob Bell’s editor Mickey Maudlin speaks out about Love Wins: Nothing makes me more proud than to see a book I edited reach a wide audience. By that measure, I should be beaming over Rob Bell’s Love Wins. And I am. Not only has it spent fifteen weeks … More Rob Bell’s Editor Comments on ‘Love Wins’
A must read by David Fitch on the future of church planting in a post-Christian America: This is an idea whose time has come. It is easy, simple, saves money, and I think it seeds the mission of God in N America for generations to come: STOP FUNDING TRADITIONAL CHURCH PLANTS and instead fund missionaries … More Church Planting in Post-Christian America (D. Fitch)
Spending this weekend at the Downs family reunion (Keri’s side). This is quite a family filled with many peculiar qualities and amazing talents. Yesterday was filled with disc golf tournament, bowling competition, golf outing, badminton tourney, ice cream, Famous Dave’s, canoeing, fireworks and, well, some old time music around a fire. Enjoy Keri’s cousin Jesse … More Downs Family Reunion – ‘Old Tyme’ Music
“They’re not just for decoration.” That’s what I tell my beginning drivers as they nervously drive down the road with complete tunnel vision, neglecting to read the signs lining the roadside out of fear of taking their eyes off the car ahead. All of the signs lining the roads of America are classified according to … More STUDENT DRIVER 3: Can You Read the Signs?
“We are like blocks of stone, out of which the sculptor carves the forms of men. The blows of his chisel, which hurt us so much, are what make us perfect….What I am trying to say is that the pain one endures from losing their beloved, is part of the happiness they shared while together.” … More QUOTABLES: William Nicholson, “Shadowlands”
Jesus taught his disciples to pray: Let your Name be Holy, May your Kingdom come, May your will be done. John Stott offers the following commentary for us to consider: “The first three petitions in the Lord’s Prayer express our concern for God’s glory in relation to his name, rule and will….It is comparatively easy … More A Revolutionary Prayer
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You … More Focused (by Mike Fox)
The number one cause of all automobile accidents is driver distraction and inattentiveness. A study released in April 2006 by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that distractions, including drowsy driving, are a contributing factor in 8 out of every 10 police-reported traffic crashes, or an estimated 4 million crashes per year. … More STUDENT DRIVER 2: Fatal Distractions
What do you think of Dr. Scot McKnight’s perspective on the place of politics in the pulpit from Jesus Creed? It is commonly asserted that we should keep politics out of the pulpit, but what most people mean by that is that we shouldn’t endorse a specific candidate — and who’s kidding whom on that … More Politics and the Pulpit (Jesus Creed)
Baptism’s No Big Deal, Is It? Jun 07, 2011 by Craig Blomberg at Denver Seminary Blog “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Rom. 6:4 NIV) “I know … More On Baptism (Craig Blomberg)
Kingdom Harbor 